Being in a musical is very difficult. Students have to memorize their lines, put in hours and hours of hard work, and perform in front of hundreds of people. Bye Bye Birdie is almost ready for the stage and many have already bought their tickets and are planning on going. Cast members share what it is really like being a part of the musical.
“We originally only had to stay until 6. Then, we had to stay until 8,” says student Elaina Hess, who plays Deborah Sue. “Some days we have to stay until 9,” explains freshman Landon Poulios, who plays Hugo Peabody. That is a lot of time and hard work being put into the musical. “Having to memorize the lines is also super difficult,” says Landon.
Those late hours make them hungry, as well, so are provided with food donated from several people and parents. These consist of multiple different meals throughout the week. The students all get about a half hour break to eat dinner out in the hallway. Afterwards, they get right back to work.
Being in the musical can also be stressful. Actors have to balance good grades while also memorizing their lines. This can be hard for some students but most are ok with it. “When we aren’t doing anything we sit and talk and do our homework,” Elaina explains.
Being in the musical can be difficult, but it is a great experience and can help students meet many new people from different grades. Everyone is encouraged to come and see all of these students’ hard work November 17-19.
