TOM TITUS -- Theater Review

When Elvis Presley was drafted into the Army in the late 1950s, cries

of “say it isn’t so!” rang out virtually in unison from teenage girls

across the country. Shortly thereafter, the Broadway musical “Bye Bye

Birdie” was born.

Creators Michael Stewart (book), Charles Strouse (music) and Lee Adams

(lyrics) weren’t exactly household names in the business, but they were

astute enough to capitalize on the mood of the country for their social

satire. And a few years later, budding sex kitten Ann-Margret was

warbling the title song on the big screen.

That song wasn’t included in the original stage production, but you’ll

find it in the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse’s spirited revival.

Director/musical director Damien Lorton uses it to cover scene changes,

assigned to a group of teen fans of the Presley-esque Conrad Birdie,

who’s making his final pre-induction appearance in middle America’s Sweet

Apple, Ohio.

It’s a tradeoff. What you won’t find is the high-energy number with

Rose Alvarez and a group of Shriners, excised due to the lack of a

suitable male chorus. The rest of “Bye Bye Birdie” is splendidly intact.

The show gets off to a rousing start with the “Telephone Song,” in

which choreographer Kerri Vickers sets a sizzling pace for the young

chorus, with Scott Weber particularly pleasing as an acrobatic nerd.

Cut to Manhattan, where struggling songwriter Albert Peterson has

composed a song for Conrad (“One Last Kiss”) that’ll make him a mint and

allow him to finally wed his comely assistant.

Kyle Myers delivers an animated, energetic performance in the Peterson

role essayed on stage and screen by Dick Van Dyke, but the show’s

standout, not surprisingly, is the incomparable Adriana Sanchez as his

secretary/fiancee Rose. Never mind that Janet Leigh played the role in

the film version, this is a part that cries out for a gifted Latina, and

Sanchez fills the bill to the brim.

Megan Endicott is a spirited, bubbly Kim MacAfee, the teen chosen at

random to receive Birdie’s last kiss. Ken Jagosz warms to his role as her

heavy-handed, publicity-hungry father, while Janet McGregor lends warmth

and substance as her more down-to-earth mother.

The stereotypical mother to end all mothers, Myers’ mom is projected

with over-the-top virtuosity by Agnes Burns, who milks this rich

character role for all it’s worth. Erin Lee Godfrey sparkles as the

sidekick role of Ursula, while David Christiansen has some nice moments

as Endicott’s kid brother.

In the title role of the rock idol Birdie, Emilio Maximum is a mixed

blessing. His surly swagger is convincing enough, but he requires more

vocal power, or perhaps a body mike, to sell his devastating big number

“You’ve Got to Be Sincere.”

Stephen Rifenstein is effective in limited duty as Kim’s boyfriend,

Hugo.

“Bye Bye Birdie” is a show that expends most of its comic and musical

ammunition in its first act, leaving the post-intermission period as a

sort of mop-up. However, the highlight of the evening arrives in that

second act as Sanchez steams up the stage with her sensuous,

show-stopping solo “Spanish Rose.”

With Sanchez’s superlative vocal power and Vickers’ scintillating

choreography, “Bye Bye Birdie” is a splendid kickoff for the Civic

Playhouse’s ambitious “Season of the Musical.”

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Thursdays and Saturdays.

FYI

WHAT: “Bye Bye Birdie”

WHERE: Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse, 611 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa

WHEN: Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. until

Oct. 7

COST: $15

TICKETS: (949) 650-5269