Tex-Arts.org, the theatrical company that put on the Bye Bye Birdie show has outdone itself. I heard about their move to Lakeway, and while others may be hesitant to drive the mere 30 minutes from central Austin, I am not one of them. The adventurer in me seeks variety and a damn good theatrical performance.
And I’m so glad I did. I went to the last show of the season in their pristine new intimate theatre, with an excellent surround sound system and perfect viewing from any seat in the house.
Before getting into this review, I want to give this performance 4.5 stars out of five.
This play first appeared in Kudos goes first to the director and choreographer Kim Schafer, a consummate professional in every way. She is an adjunct dance professor at Marymount College in NYC and was the dance assistant to the multiple award-winning Tommy Tune for shows at City Centre in Manhattan, among many other accolades. The Austin theatre scene desperately needs what she brings. She ups the ante on regional productions, putting a seal of quality in every aspect of production: script selection, acting, lighting, choreography, Lyn Koenning’s musical direction-(the live band was excellent), sound, tech, displays, and crew selection.
The cast were of the highest caliber; I could see any one of them, especially the lead of Kim McAfee played by the super talented-headed for-Broadway Gabrielle North. Her vocal range, dancing and acting are a delight and a breath of fresh air in the somewhat stuffy and self-aggrandized small theaters around town. Will Mallick, who played Conrrad Birdie, did a great job of an Elvis impersonation or some such 1950s hip-swaying rock and roll singer.
The original film adaptation of Bye Bye Birdie was released in 1963, featuring Dick van Dyke at Albert Peterson. My mom who loved theater and the arts took me to the film when I was six years old. Back then it was wondrous however now, I felt the content and subtexts were dated, and sexist.
Ironically, the way men portrayed their expectations of women to behave in the play – ‘housewives’ without outside work, or financial or emotional independence-mimics the cult-like attitudes of many right-wing, religious fanatics in America today. Perhaps that is why the director chose to revise this play? I’m not sure the audience at Lakeway understood the humor, since they, I guess, grew up in such environments, despite being three generations removed.
The songs of that era are psychologically telling and reflect society’s need to show one thing to the public while feeling another internally. Lee Adams introduced the song “Put On a Happy Face” in the original 1960 Broadway musical and features lyrics and music by Charles Strouse, like the rest of the show’s score. This song covers up the intense emotions felt by Alicia Frias Escobar, who plays Rose Alvarez, secretary to the publicist of Conrad Birdie, Albert, played by Bailey Ellis. Typical of that era, Rose attaches herself to her boss, and also has a crush on him, but it’s unrequited as he’s too attached to his ego, image, and success, never acknowledging Rose, who does the heavy lifting. Ellis is a multidisciplinary artist whom I was pleased to see again. I last saw him perform in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Austin.
Another musical number, Take the IRT, transported me back to where I grew up in NYC. When Albert’s mother, Amy Nichols Adams, portrayed Mae Peterson, Albert’s overbearing and casually insensitive mother.belted it out with a New York accent. I chuckled a little too vocally. Meanwhile, I heard gasps from the audience at the audacity of this domineering woman. Another irony, since this type of woman was typical of my mother’s and grandmother’s generation from the 1930s up to the 70s. Similar women could be found anywhere, making noise!
To contact the organization for upcoming shows and classes please go to:
Location: 1110 S Ranch Road 620 South, Lakeway, TX 78734 .
Call (512) 852‑9079
TexARTSLake Travis Chamber of CommerceTexARTS
General or development contact: Christine Bech at christine@tex‑arts.org Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce+13TexARTS+13TexARTS+13
Box office inquires email: boxoffice@tex‑arts.org