Arts & Entertainment

Local Theater: 'Bye, Bye Birdie' Slated for This Weekend

The musical follows an Elvis-esque crooner on the eve of conscription, as he arrives in an Ohio town for a publicity stunt aimed at making sure his fans don't forget him when he heads off to war.

These days, it's Justin Beiber. A decade ago, it was the Backstreet Boys, and before that it was New Kids on the Block.

But the first music idol to raise armies of teenage girls just by appearing in public was Elvis Presley, and Elvis fever was at its height when the King was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1958.

In "Bye, Bye Birdie," the Elvis-esque Conrad Birdie arrives in an all-American midwest town for a publicity stunt aimed at keeping him close to the hearts of his adoring teenage fanbase as he heads off to war.

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The plan, devised by his agent's secretary, is to have Birdie bid farewell to his legions of fans by proxy: An Ohio girl named Kim MacAfee wins a contest to receive Birdie's farewell kiss to America.

The Port Chester Council for the Arts will stage two performances of the musical this weekend at the Dunn Performing Arts Center in Rye Country Day School. Shows are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $10 for senior citizens and students with valid ID.

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For more information, call 914-939-3183 or visit the Port Chester Council for the Arts on the web.

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