Zane Trace Players presents Bye Bye Birdie

ZANESVILLE, Ohio-  The Zane Trace Players put on their version of Bye Bye Birdie at The Renner Theatre.

Bye Bye Birdie is set in the year 1958 where the famous rock and roll star Conrad Birdie, played by Albert Brown, is drafted by the US Military. Birdie’s agent, Albert Peterson, played by Phil Sakal, sets up a farewell show for Birdie. Director Caitlin Staker said she chose this play because it reflects on a simpler time.

“I picked Bye Bye Birdie because I thought it would be a fun summer show,” said Staker. “It’s light; it’s fun, it’s silly, it’s just everything a musical should be. When you think about a musical, you go and you leave feeling happy. It’s just a fun show for the people involved and the people watching it. It’s the 50’s where things were a lot simpler. They worried about getting pinned and going steady, not politics.”

Staker said months of work has gone into creating this production. She said it’s all worth it when the play is a success in the eyes of the audience.

“I’ve been lucky so far, said Staker.”When you’re sitting in the back of the auditorium during the show, and we have to pause for a minute while people continue to laugh, that’s the best part for me. I think the cast themselves enjoy that part. Oh they liked that, they’re still laughing. I think they enjoy that part of it too.”

You can see Bye Bye Birdie on August 11th and 12th at 8 PM or August 13th at 2:30 in the afternoon.