2017 NBC Live Musical is "Bye Bye Birdie"- Page 7

[MoveOnGypsy]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:03am

How much of the original production was understood as a satire? Was it taken literally at the time? I can't imagine so. Why not treat it as a period piece for what it was? Otherwise, all classic musicals need to be updated to reflect modern views...

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:04am

This should not only make it more than different enough from the 1963 film, but also the 1995 TV version since that was the more faithful adaptation.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:06am

MoveOnGypsy said: "How much of the original production was understood as a satire? Was it taken literally at the time? I can't imagine so. Why not treat it as a period piece for what it was? Otherwise, all classic musicals need to be updated to reflect modern views..."

Well, some people think the original stage version is pretty dated at this point.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:12am

Dated, or just not very good?  The last B'way revival (and the 95 TV edition) exposed the inherent weaknesses in the book. It's not terribly funny, the focus feels somewhat all over the place.  It's not the era, or the role of women (which we could accept if it were persuasively drawn and sharp) but the limp dreariness of the plot machinery-driven scenes. It was always a kind of one-joke show, and with Elvis long gone, it can all feel like a big todo over not much.  Maybe Fierstein will make it potent and wildly entertaining. But it's never been an especially terrific book musical, and its dullness was more about its lack of spark, not the era in which in which it was set.  The score remains a keeper. 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:39am

I love Harvey, but these changes sound stupid. Why even bother doing BYE BYE BIRDIE?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 10:48am

IdinaBellFoster said: "I love Harvey, but these changes sound stupid. Why even bother doing BYE BYE BIRDIE?

 

I agree. I think at this point why do Bye Bye Birdie? Although, I do wonder, if they are so worried about being current, or taking pieces and reworking them for a modern tv audience, why didn't The Sound of Music get down with an adaptation closer to the movie? Maybe next year we can have The Music Man, where Harold Hill is trying to sell everyone on a wall between Iowa and Canada, and Marion is no longer a librarian, and she works at the Genius Bar helping people with apps.

I am going to have to read my copy of the book to Birdie, and see what I think on just the dialogue.  

 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 11:56am

I agree with the sentiments above. Why do Bye, Bye Birdie if they feel like they have to change everything about it? It won't be Bye, Bye Birdie at that point. I'll never understand.

[Luscious]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 12:10pm

I think the changes are fine. It isn't Hamlet, for Christ's sake.

[ggersten]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 12:24pm

Moving the Ed Sullivan show moment to the end seems...misguided. 

I'm not as bothered by the two school teacher idea.  It seems to fit - sort of - into An English Teacher - why Rosie wants Albert to be a teacher.  The article says that Conrad had his hit off of Albert's song - and that Albert and Rosie have been dealing with Conrad's career for several years.  That's not too far off of the original  It also makes Rosie more of an equal if she's the one who "discovered" Conrad.  

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 12:33pm

Re-reading the article, its starting to make more sense to me. Sounds like the show will still start with Albert and Rosie as conrad's team, but their backstory will be changed to make Rosie a teacher who helped discover him. That makes more sense. I was thinking they were going to start it with both of them still being teachers, which would have been odd. 

Updated On: 3/30/17 at 12:33 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 12:43pm

I just remembered the original movie also ended with the Sullivan production as the finale. It sounds like they might try to structure this like the original movie but hopefully without all of the bizarre subplots.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/30/17 at 1:07pm

Not to mention that while I think The Ed Sullivan Show part of the story is a great way finish the first act onstage, it would actually feel more climatic by moving it to the end of the telecast.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/31/17 at 4:29pm

smidge said: "Jeffrey may be referring to Best Time Ever, which wasn't. I'm sure NBC wants to forget their NPH relationship."

I doubt that, because the peacock network just ordered a new game show that he'll be hosting...
http://deadline.com/2017/03/nbc-neil-patrick-harris-game-show-genius-junior-1202057214/

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/31/17 at 4:55pm

Not to mention that while I think The Ed Sullivan Show part of the story is a great way finish the first act onstage, it would actually feel more climatic by moving it to the end of the telecast.

I just wonder what he's going to use as the conflict catalyst for the end of act one.  What is going to catapult us into the events of the second act?  It was Hugo's punch during the broadcast that leads the events of act two.  Hymn for a Sunday Evening is fun, but not especially compelling as a first act closer.  I guess it matters less in a broadcast, but I'm curious what will then drive the plot forward?  Use the film version of A Lot of Livin' to Do and have Hugo punch Birdie at the end of that?  New plot for act two?  I just don't want to see this go down the road of the 1963 film, which is mostly regrettable.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 3/31/17 at 7:06pm

Not sure how Bye Bye Birdie Live! would have a second act since in theatre, you usually only get one intermission. On television, you get multiple intermissions called commercials.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 3/31/17 at 7:14pm

Not sure how Bye Bye Birdie Live! would have a second act 

 

You know exactly what Mister Matt is referring to

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 4/1/17 at 12:39pm

Dramatics, a monthly magazine for theater students and teachers, has been publishing a list of the most popular musicals performed in high schools since 1938:

Bye Bye Birdie

60s  4

70s 4

80s 1

90s 1

00s 4

10s - fell off the top 6 list. But it had a pretty good run. I guess some people liked it.

Now I understand why The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization keeps their works under armed guard.

[Chicken_Flavor]

Posted: 4/1/17 at 2:51pm

I read an article saying it hopes to be more Puerto Rican and less sexist, so I guess we can look forward to that?

[Broadwaywest]

Posted: 4/1/17 at 5:31pm

I'm not really opposed to the change he's making. He's just trying to get rid of the "affair the secretary idea" from the original, and it is dated. It also gives rosie and albert equal footing. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 1:46pm

The telecast has been postponed until next year...
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/bye-bye-birdie-jennifer-lopez-nbc-upfront-2017-1202425236/

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 1:51pm

Damn

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 1:52pm

Then, get someone else for Rosie. Ridiculous they're breaking tradition over one person 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 1:53pm

Since Jennifer Lopez is the one who spearheaded the whole project, I really see no reason why they should get a replacement.

At least we'll still be getting a live musical this December, just on a different network.

Updated On: 5/25/17 at 01:53 PM

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 1:55pm

^Oh okay. That makes sense then. Could they do another musical in the meantime?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 5/25/17 at 2:02pm

NBC already has Jesus Christ Superstar set for next Easter, A Few Good Men in the works whenever the schedules clear up for the stars they want, and this.

FOX will at least be able to have this December all to themselves with A Christmas Story.