Hope International University Presents the Musical, Bye Bye Birdie

This year's annual HIU Spring musical is a rock-and-roll romantic comedy that's fun for everyone. Performances are scheduled for March 10, 15, 16, and 17. Tickets are available at www.hiu.edu. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) February 03, 2012 - Fullerton, CA - The Music Department of Hope International University is pleased to announce its Spring musical production of Bye Bye Birdie.

"We are so excited about the upcoming production of Bye Bye Birdie, which is, in many ways, the all-American, feel-good musical," Director Ember Williams said. "This show has got it all - an entertaining plot, larger-than-life characters, dynamic choreography and great songs, all wrapped up in the nostalgia of the 1950s. We hope the show will be as fun for the audience to watch as it is for our cast to perform."

Inspired by Elvis Presley and his draft notice in 1957, the Tony Award winning Bye Bye Birdie is set in 1958 and centers on the effects of a popular rock-and-roll star leaving for the army. The suave superstar in question is Conrad Birdie (based on real-life musician Conway Twitty). When Conrad is drafted, his agent devises a publicity stunt to have him premiere one last song and to kiss a girl from his fan club on The Ed Sullivan Show before going overseas. When fifteen-year-old Kim MacAfee from Sweet Apple, Ohio is chosen as that lucky girl, the news thrills everyone in her small town except her boyfriend Hugo. As the show and impending kiss draw closer, tension and teenage romance play out against the backdrop of the late 1950s emerging rock-and-roll culture in this popular musical comedy.

Written by Michael Stewart, with lyrics by Lee Adams, and music by Charles Strouse, Bye Bye Birdie was originally performed on Broadway in 1960, and won four Tony awards, including Best Musical. The famous titular song was written for the 1963 film adaptation starring Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh, and Dick Van Dyke.

Performance dates are March 10, 15, 16, and 17 at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $10. Each year HIU also performs two special matinee shows for local schools at no cost. Students enjoy the show, eat a picnic lunch on the lawn, and mingle with the cast members. If you or your school is interested in attending a 10 a.m. performance on either March 9 or March 16, please contact Ember Williams at 714-879-3901 ext. 1283

Visit www.hiu.edu to purchase you tickets online or call the Box Office at 714-681-7235. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door, which opens one hour prior to the show. Each performance will last approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. Doors open for seating 30 minutes prior to the show time. The Box office will be closed after 4pm on March 16, 2012.

Hope International University's Pacific Auditorium is located at 2500 E. Nutwood Ave, Fullerton, CA 92831.

Hope International University is a regionally accredited Christian university founded in 1928 that integrates faith, service and learning. Through undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs with faculty and staff dedicated to student success, our students experience a transformative educational experience and are prepared to make an impact with their lives. Our diverse student body represents over 35 states and 40 countries around the world.

To learn more, please visit the Hope International University website at http://www.hiu.edu or contact Katie Gladding, Director of Marketing, at 714.879.3901, x-2692.

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