The smooth-singing Jeffrey Reynolds stars as the main shaper of those public relations, a would-be English teacher named Albert Peterson who starts his own music company and is intent on making his star client Conrad Birdie the biggest hit in showbiz. But when Birdie gets drafted, he needs one big brainstorm to send Birdie out at the top of the charts. His long-time girlfriend/secretary Rose Alvarez has that brainstorm, and she’s willing to share it if Albert will marry her and cut his apron strings tying him to his obnoxious martyr of a mother. And if he doesn’t? Well, actress Hannah Elyse Bentley makes it abundantly clear with her seductive dancing and singing in Spanish Rose that she can have her pick of half the men in Sweet Apple, Ohio.

Said brainstorm is to have Conrad Birdie give One Last Kiss on The Ed Sullivan Show to a fan chosen at random, in this case Kim MacAfee, the fan club president of Sweet Apple who just got “pinned” by boyfriend Hugo Peabody. Sweet Apple and the MacAfee family will never be the same.

Channing Karissa Cooper lends her outstanding vocals to the role of teenager Kim MacAfee. She is surrounded by an amusing family consisting of Christopher Moffitt as little brother Randolph, Michelle Vezilj as Mrs. MacAfee, and led by the hilariously frustrated father Mr. MacAfee (Michael Margetis) who gets driven nuts and gets called “Fats” by uninvited houseguest Conrad Birdie, leading to the MacAfee family’s complaining about Kids today and wondering why can’t they be perfect in every way like they were. Only mention of an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show can soothe his soul, and Michael Margetis plays up his Sullivan appearance to the hilt.

Other highlights include Andrea Krysten Meissner as Albert’s amusingly nightmarish mother Mae Peterson, Ashley Robinette as Mae’s suggestion for Albert’s new secretary who can do the splits and anything else he may request, and Jeffrey Reynolds trying to cheer up two stubbornly sad Sad Girls (Cecilia Iole and Taylor Stephens) in the show’s signature song Put On A Happy Face.

Then, of course, there’s Conrad Birdie himself, with Matthew Crosby turning in an exceptional performance as the swaggering, swivel-hipped rock singer who is willing to let Albert and Rose speak for him to the press so long as he can soak up the praises and swoons of the young female fans. He leads them and the entire fun, energetic ensemble in such big numbers as Honestly Sincere, One Last Kiss, and A Lot of Livin’ To Do.

Performed June 9-25, 2006.

Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre

Payton-Teen Chorus: