Another Bye, Bye Birdie Remake

The article is up on Broadway.com. The remake now has a writer and a director I believe. I wouldn tmind them doing another remake, but the article says that this remake will have "A more urban, hip hop feel". Uh OH!

It's a period piece set in the 50s - Elvis, etc. How can they make an urban, hip-hop version unless it's rewritten and Birdie becomes a rap "artist" making an appearance in the ghetto? zzzzzzzzzzz.

I agree. I love movie musicals but not a second remake of a movie UPDATED! I think they definitely need something more original. And I would cry if they turned Birdie into a rap star.

Aww come on y'all.
Can't you see it now?
Bye Bye Bizzle starring Snoop Doggy Dogg.
For "Telephone Hour" they would all be text messaging each other on the cells. And "Put on A Happy Face" becomes "I'm Not Down Wit'Yo Frown."

I agree, I am not sure how updating it with an urban feel will work. Stranger things have happened though.

I never saw that version.

Because if it doesn't have an over-ripe Ann-Margaret man-hunting her way through the entire thing, I don't need to see it.

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Chynna Phillips was terrible in the movie. She looked WAY too old for the role. I like the CD.

I definately don't think that I would enjoy this because of the hip hop angle. But I don't necessarily think it's a horrible idea. I mean, kids/teenagers are watching this stuff. Sure, it's not the broadway we love, but it's a start. And if they see that, some of them might venture to see shows on broadway. Just a thought.

BB

Hmmm...interesting point BatBoi. Some people believe that classic musicals shouldn't be messed with, but others think that Broadway should try things from different points of view to reach out to different types of people- for example- the younger generation...like they plan to do in this remake. I guess it's a good idea. I support possibly remaking things from different points of view, but I do not support "urban-izing" Bye Bye Birdie and turning it into a hip hop movie.

*shudder* I can't stand this show.

When done right, BIRDIE is a sensational show. "The Telephone Hour" should be one of the most exciting moments in the production. However, it's been done to death by high schools who have cut it to shreds. There was one production I saw that eliminated the "Shriner's Ballet" and "Spanish Rose". Indeed, all references to Rosie's ethnicity were gone.

One of my fondest memories as a director was a production of BIRDIE that I did in the 70's. Chita Rivera's niece played Rose and was terrific. Chita sent Barbara-ann the very wig she wore in the original production. The rest of the cast was letter-perfect, too. Chita came to the opening night performance.

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With Sutton and Gavin. Amazing.

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I don't understand why everyone is freaking out. So they take the basic stuff that Birdie was and they rewrite and rejigger it to make it contemporary. Big deal. One of our greatest musicals was contemporary updates of already existing work. It's called West Side Story. I wonder if there was a message board in the 50's if people would have freaked out and said things like, 'How dare they toss over the beauty and perfection of Shakespeare for ethnics and street slang!'

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Robbiej has a point about West Side Story, but so does Sondheim freak. There are plenty of other musicals that could be made into movies, or for that matter- plenty of other movie musicals that could use remakes. But Bye Bye Birdie is overdone already. THAT is a musical that I think needs to be left alone.