Saxe Middle School Theatre is putting on “Bye Bye Birdie” at 7 p.m. Friday and at 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday (tickets here).
Presented by Saxe 7th and 8th graders, the show is co-chaired by Rachel Tomsky and Jodie Azzopardi. We put some questions to Azzopardi about the program and show itself.
Here’s our exchange.
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New Canaanite: Talk to us a little bit about the theater program at Saxe Middle School. Also, how many shows does Saxe put on?
Jodie Azzopardi: The theater program at Saxe produces two musical shows every year. In the fall the 5th and 6th grade students perform and all students are welcome to audition and be cast in the show. This show is always a Junior production where multiple students share a role. The 7th and 8th grade students audition in December and this performance is a full musical with individual casting. There are also opportunities for students to work backstage crew and running crew for each production or participate in the professional orchestra which will accompany the show.
The shows are directed and choreographed by Lauren Sherwood who has had an outstanding career in theatre productions and we are so grateful that she gives her time to these performances. She is assisted by her husband Matthew Blank who also has a long history in the theatre but our students are fortunate to know him as Officer Blank, who is the Saxe SRO. The secret sauce that this dynamic duo brings to these productions is the engagement with students. They encourage each student to be their best. They offer an inclusive and supportive environment but also expect the hard work and discipline that it takes to produce this type of show. This is what keeps many of these students returning for all four years of middle school.
What went into the decision to do “Bye Bye Birdie” this year?
The directors choose the shows 6-12 months ahead of the production and for the 7th/8th shows they know many of the students who will be involved and tailor their choice to showcase those talents. Bye Bye Birdie happens to be the show that first brought Lauren and Matt together so it holds a special place in their hearts. The students feel this connection and are motivated to make this an excellent show to honor that history.
Tell us about the auditions and show itself. What kind of commitment has this been from the students?
Auditions were held in December and since January rehearsals have been held daily after school. The students are involved in all aspects of the show from learning musical numbers, choreography, staging and lighting. It is a hard working but supportive environment. We are now in tech week which means the children stay from 2.30 to 7.30 p.m. every day. After school they have time for a nutritious snack and then it is makeup and costumes and ready for rehearsal. The bonds formed during the show extend beyond the production.
What would you say to someone who hasn’t seen a Saxe musical production before?
The talent within our student community is incredible and watching these students grow as performers during their time at Saxe is truly amazing. The Saxe auditorium has all the technology required to stage a professional production and a live orchestra will accompany the performance. Tickets are under $20 and you will not be disappointed by the quality of this show.
What else, if anything, would you like to tell us about “Bye Bye Birdie”?
Rock star Conrad Birdie is the biggest thing to top the charts. Women love him, men want to be him and teenage girls around the country scream with glee at the mere mention of his name. But, when the United States Army drafts Birdie, manager Albert Peterson sees his meal ticket preparing to fly the coop (much to the delight of longtime love Rose Alvarez, who can’t wait for Albert to ditch the music biz and become something respectable, like an English teacher). Desperate for a publicity stunt big enough to help them survive Birdie’s departure, Albert and Rose hatch a plan: send Conrad to small-town America to plant his goodbye kiss on one lucky fan for the entire world to see. Their selection of superfan Kim Macafee sends the wholesome enclave of Sweet Apple, Ohio into chaos. Kim’s boyfriend, Hugo, can’t take the humiliation of his lady love’s televised lip-lock. Rose can’t take another minute of Albert’s distracted ways. And Sweet Apple can’t take its teens’ riotous rebellion, inspired by the arrival of bad-boy Birdie. Will Sweet Apple ever be the same?