Lia Performs in Bye Bye Birdie!

Lia wrapped up her first, official high school musical experience this evening by performing in "Bye Bye Birdie" for the second weekend in a row.  Ever since Lia discovered that she absolutely loves musical theater, she has been looking forward to the day when she could finally perform in her first high school musical as a 10th grader.  When we found out this fall that her high school would be performing "Bye Bye Birdie," we both were so excited as this is just such a classic, All-American musical.  After auditioning at the beginning of January, Lia learned that she was only one of three sophomores who were cast in the play.  She was assigned the role of Margie in the teen ensemble which is such a fun part to play in this musical.  Lia then spent the next two months rehearsing with this cast for three hours a day after school, five days a week.  Since the majority of the cast consists of juniors and seniors, most of the kids already had established friends when the rehearsals began.  As a result, it was a little lonely and even boring at times as Lia plugged through the first many of weeks.  Luckily, as full, run-throughs and eventually dress rehearsals began, Lia started to make some good friends and really enjoy her first theater experience at her high school.  After performing a total of five shows on March 15 and 16th and then March 21, 22, and 23 this weekend, Lia grew to love her first, high school musical experience.  It was so fun watching her perform this show two different times.  The overall musical was absolutely darling and Lia played an excellent, heart-struck teenager in love with Conrad Birdie.  She did such a great job and I am so proud of her for sticking with this play until it started to get fun!

Lia performing in the darling, opening scene of "Telephone Hour."

Lia and the rest of the teen ensemble dancing and singing in "Telephone Hour."

Lia and her two close friends in the play, swooning over Conrad Birdie as he leaves the train station in NYC.

Lia and the rest of the Conrad Birdie Fan Club greeting him after he arrived in the town of Sweet Apple.

Lia dancing to

The starstruck girls staring at Conrad while he eats breakfast at the MacAfee house.

Lia and the rest of the teen ensemble taking their final bow after the show was over.

The girls watching the rest of the actors taking their bows.

Lia had several friends from school, church, and theater come to support her and watch her in the  show.  Here is Lia on opening night with her good friend from NWTL, Olivia, and her younger sister on the left and her lifelong friend, Sienna, on the right.

Since Ella was performing in Annie on all of the same nights as Lia's musical, she sadly did not get to see Lia perform in any of her shows.  However, the three boys came with me to cheer Lia on for her first show on March 15th.

I came to watch the musical for the second time on March 21st with my mom, my good friend, Wendy, and Lia's runny buddy, Hope.  Lia's good friends from church, Ainsley and Alyssa, also came to this show, so I was able to take a picture of these three girls with Lia.