PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL TO PERFORM `BYE BYE BIRDIE'

PERRYVILLE -- How does "Bye Bye Birdie," a musical inspired by the departure of Elvis Presley for the Army in the 1950s, play in 1995?

Though never revived on Broadway since opening in 1960, "Bye Bye Birdie" has become the most popular high school production in the country.

"It was one of the first great rock musicals," says Laura Oldham, who directs the upcoming production at Perryville High School. "Kids relate to that a lot."

Perryville High School will present the musical Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the old senior high gym. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.

"Bye Bye Birdie" gently parodies rock 'n' roll's still-rising star and teendom's attitudes toward him.

"People had a real hysteria about his being inducted into the Army," says Oldham.

Thirty-five years later, some of the references are a mystery to the cast members, Oldham says. They don't know what a big deal an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" was.

"I had to compare it to `David Letterman,' but that's not even fair," she said.

And what about "Put on a Happy Face," the only song that has had a life beyond the show? "My kids know that as a Windex commercial," Oldham said.

The leads include Tyson Zahner as Conrad Birdie, Chris Zahner as his manager Albert Peterson, Jill Burroughs as Albert's girlfriend Rosie Alvarez, and Abby Moore as Kim Macafee, the girl Conrad Birdie kisses goodbye in a publicity stunt.

Other cast members include Aimee Clements as Helen, Maria Pontillas as Ursula Merkle, Sarah Schilling as Kim Macafee's mother Doris, J.C. Hovis as Kim's father Harry, Reneee Saindon as Mae Peterson and Barry Decker as Hugo Peabody.

Matt Martin plays the mayor, Amy Hemmann is the mayor's wife, Elizabeth Parks is Mrs. Merkle and Paul Edwards plays Randolph Macafee.

Other members of the cast are Melissa Schemel, Regina Haertling, Cory Welland, Deanna Anderson, Tracy Haertling, Ann Tucker, Cathy Roth, Katy Camarillo, Deanna Anderson, Angie Burroughs and Elizabeth Parks.

The musical director is Terry Edwards. The costumes, which include Birdie's gold lame jumpsuit, are by Margie Kramer.