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E-mail This StoryConrad Birdie will be giving concerts in Little Elm. In fact, he has brought his whole entourage, and they have taken up temporary residence in the town by the lake.
It’s all part of Lakeside Summer Musical’s production of “Bye Bye Birdie.” Dozens of Little Elm students are working with residents of Little Elm and nearby cities to make the show an entertaining experience for everybody involved, especially the audience.
Lakeside Summer Musicals is an extension of the Fine Arts Department of Little Elm ISD. The production is being done under the auspices of LEISD with residents from outside of the district participating in the cast and crew.
Little Elm High School sophomore Billy Applewhite plays singing idol Birdie. Everywhere Birdie goes girls faint. “Just once in awhile I wish one of them would just talk to me,” Birdie told The Little Elm Journal.
Billy Applewhite brings performing experience to playing the Elvis-like singer. He just finished performing in a class production of “Angel Street” and several years ago he performed in Frisco Community Theatre’s production of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
“Conrad is proud,” Applewhite said of the character he plays. “If it’s not about Conrad, it doesn’t matter.”
He watched Elvis videos to prepare for playing Conrad. He picked the mannerisms he liked best to use for his characterization, but mostly Conrad is his own creation.
Olivia Aiglogun, Little Elm High School junior, plays Helen, one of the girls in the chorus. “Being in a musical is like a big Christmas present with everything I love inside,” Aiglogun said. All of that holiday delight is on her face when she performs.
Taylor Epps plays Rose. The LEHS junior gave everyone a taste of her performance when she sang and danced at Summer Rhythms on Friday. Epps has performed the lead in nine shows including “Beauty and the Beast” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” She is at home in front of an audience, and with good reason.
Choir director for LEISD Karen Mayberry serves as the music director for “Bye Bye Birdie.”
“This show is just fun,” Mayberry said. “It’s reminiscent of the ‘60s and it has pretty music. There are beautiful numbers and fast and catchy numbers. There is something in it for everybody.”
Riding herd over the whole show is the director Kristy Vivian, She is a Little Elm resident who is a veteran of directing other projects who was in need of a project. She found one with directing “Bye Bye Birdie.”
She said the purpose of the entire show is to build up the choir program of LEISD. All of the proceeds from the show, after costs, will be used for the choir program.
She has also used her marketing skills for this show. Conrad Birdie has a My Space page. The link to that is http://www.myspace.com/lakesidesummermusicals
Choreographer Amy Ferrell plays Mrs. Doris MacAfee.
Martin Mussy of The Colony plays Conrad’s agent Albert Peterson. He and others in the cast and crew give students a chance to work with seasoned performers.
Others in the cast are Adrienne Meade, Alisha Roman, Andrea Alonzo, Ariana Ortiz, Bill Epps, Brandon Wittmeier, Brittany Lepchenski, and Brooklynn Nulty.
Cami Broker, Cassaundra Morgan, Devin Whitt, Douglas Gill, Emily Hazen, Erica Paige, Jerremy Hiatt, John Hordell, Jordan LaBry, Juan Alonzo, Julia Vivian, Lilly Hazen, Lisa Hooten, Lucinda B. Ortiz, Michael Alonzo, Michael Moss, Nicole Auker, Rebecah Solomon, Rhiannon Houston, Riley McCallum, Rilyn Anderson, Robbi Cantrell, Rod Bills, Rosalie Brown, Sharon Duchien, Shelby Sutton, Skyler Whitt, Spencer Butters, Taylor Steward and Valerie Stieferman complete the cast.
“You will not leave the theater without a few laughs,” Applewhite said. “This show is not so much showing off, as people doing their best to put on a good show.”
To people who do not normally go to see musicals, he said, “I think we can turn those people around.”
The troupe will perform “Bye Bye Birdie” in the Little Elm High School auditorium June 27 n 29. Tickets may be purchased at www.lakesidesummermusicals.com or at the door.
Kristy Vivian suggests getting tickets ahead of time as they are selling fast.
