“Have you heard about Hugo and Kim?”  The lines ring out from the cast of Bye-Bye Birdie, a play that came off of Broadway.
    Conrad Birdie (Cole Meek) is the hottest singer of the fifties and causes more than enough trouble for the people of Sweetapple, Ohio, when he comes to give Kim McAfee (Jesse Graham) “One last kiss” before he leaves, being drafted into the army. Except Kim just got pinned by Hugo Peabody (Carston Ellison).   All this happens because Rosie Alveraz (Toni Christenson) and Albert Peterson (Brent Eddington) are in love but can’t get married because of Albert’s pushy mother, Mae Peterson (Chris Dye).
    According to Chris Dye the play tells its viewers that; “When you have something good you better hold onto it.”
    Not only is does the play have close to 70 cast members but also adds an additional 30 for the pit orchestra.
    “It’s easier to stay with a live pit and it gives the musicians a chance to show off their talent as well as the actors,” says Scott Forsyth, a saxophone player in the pit orchestra.  “It ads more personalization to play. Makes it seem closer to reality,” says Abi Willis, a clarinetist in the pit orchestra about the pit orchestra.  
Forsyth says also that the music for a pit is harder than other music because the key signature is harder the play with several sharp or flat notes.
    The tryouts for Bye-Bye Birdie were January no one who tried out was turned down because of the need for a large cast.  
    Being in a play is not an easy thing; any of the cast members will tell you that, but most of the cast members agree in saying that this is something that they won't regret.
     Bye-Bye Birdie was a success in the eyes of many, and many are looking forward to a new production next year.