Have you heard about Hugo and Kim? Well the audiences at St John the Baptist DHS in West Islip, NY certainly did this spring! The musical presented by SJB, Bye Bye Birdie was a huge success. The audiences loved both the music and the story of this Rock and Roll extravaganza. The seniors who were in the show especially enjoyed the experience. Many referred back to their freshman year when they did Oliver! These two shows could not be more different. Each year the decision on what show we do is based on this concept. We look for shows that are able to tap into a different type of acting, singing and dancing. We chose a variety of genres to utilize these different skills and talents. The focus is always based on the show being not only a form of entertainment but also a learning experience. This year our Artful Dodger morphed into a fanatical fan, Ursula Merkel...two of Fagan's gang grew up to be mothers...although very different mothers, Mrs. MacAfee the quintessential 50's mom vs. Mae Peterson the perfect overbearing "loving" mother. The experience and memories these young ladies will walk away with will last a lifetime.

The show was also a big hit with the community of adults who reside in the local homes for disabled adults sponsored by Catholic Charities. The spring musical at St John's has become a favorite field trip for the residents of these homes. The cast always looks forward to this performance knowing how much the audience enjoys and appreciates the show.

The challenge of every show becomes recreating the era or time period of the play. Sweet Apple started as a sketch on a page and soon became a reality. It is amazing when asked, how many people can come up with everything from 45 rpm's to rotary dial phones. Slowly but surely, with the help of many, we were able to put it all together. Not to mention the late nights it took to create 25 poodle skirts! Just to let you know...that math you swore you would never use again came in handy when we had to use the formula for the circumference of a circle to make the magic happen.

All in all, when Conrad descended into Sweet Apple Ohio (and St John the Baptist) the visit was one that was memorable for cast, crew and audience alike! The goal of the cast was to "Put on a Happy Face" for the audience... and by their response... the goal was accomplished!