Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

#1

Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 10:47am

So, I heard someone's planning a revival of Bye Bye Birdie. Could someone tell me:
(a) If this is true
(b) Who is thinking of doing this
(c) Who they are thinking for this show

Bye Bye Birdie is the one show my theater-loving aunt has said she will never see again (I was in it, my sister was in it three times, my cousin was in it twice and she saw it when it was on tour awhile ago) and I'm sure a lot of people feel similarly because of community theater/high schools doing it so much, but I'm kinda interested. I think if they did a good job with it and got a really talented Albert and Rosie, it could work. Whatcha think?

#2

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 10:55am

blech...after seeing the made for tv movie with Jason, Marc and Vanessa - I couldn't sit through a production of it again - no matter who was in it...

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"I don't really get the ending,all i can go with is when after several months,Judith saw Pat sang,and later she kissed him on the toilet,after that the story back to where Pat went down from the stage after he'd sung,and he went to the italian lady.I just don't get it,what Judith exatcly meant when he kissed Pat that she had seen,and did Pat end up together with The Italian Lady?Please help me,thank u very much!" Quote from someone on IMDB in reference to a movie he/she didn't understand. Such grammar!

#3

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 10:56am

I could bear through ANYTHING with Marc!

#4

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 10:58am

I would be all about a revival of 'Bye, Bye Birdie.'

Hey, we all have our guilty pleasures.

#5

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 10:59am

and why is that? he's a handsome guy, sure, but he cannot stay on pitch to save his life, which really bothers me. Listen to any recording of a show he's been in and you'll see how he never quite makes it up to the note he's reaching for, or falls off and just hovers about a quarter tone under the pitch - I can't believe people pay him to do that 8 times a week. (and yes - I've seen him live on several occasions and the same thing always happens, so it's not just on recordings)

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"I don't really get the ending,all i can go with is when after several months,Judith saw Pat sang,and later she kissed him on the toilet,after that the story back to where Pat went down from the stage after he'd sung,and he went to the italian lady.I just don't get it,what Judith exatcly meant when he kissed Pat that she had seen,and did Pat end up together with The Italian Lady?Please help me,thank u very much!" Quote from someone on IMDB in reference to a movie he/she didn't understand. Such grammar!

#6

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:02am

Feh. I like his voice. Everybody's Got the Right gives me chills. hehe

#7

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:05am

I think BBB is due for a Revival. I enjoyed the 95 movie...

#8

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:08am

I enjoyed Marc in the TV movie (and I don't hate that movie as much as most others do, although, I haven't seen it since it aired either. But I like the CD.)

#9

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:08am

There was some talk of a possible revival a few months ago around the time of the Encores! production of the show. Nothing official though.

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#10

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:14am

The Kennedy Center was going to revive it for this season, but those plans fell through somehow, and now hairspray is coming to the kennedy center.

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need to defrag my brain.

#11

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:16am

I think there will be a revival in the next couple of years (On Broadway) If they spice up the show a little, it could be truely enjoyable.

#12

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:29am

It IS truly enjoyable. But I suppose I am a bit biased since I will be playing Albert Peterson beginning next week. :O) Our production is using some of the positive changes from the '95 movie such as the title song opening and Mrs. Peterson's second act showstopper.

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"Y'all have a GRAND day now"

#13

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:57am

Yeah, when I did Bye Bye Birdie in highschool, they added Mrs. Peterson's song and that extended version of Bye Bye Birdie from the 1995 movie (my sister sang 'And on my calendar I mark the fateful day when he'll repot to Uncle Sam and bravely march awaaaayyyyy' I was so proud hehe). I was Kim (teehee). I loved being a part of it and I think it would be great to see on Broadway, in comparison to all the little productions I've seen over the years.

#14

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:39pm

I believe its going to star Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Clay Aiken, and Hilary Duff to name a few. Spike Lee will be directing.

#15

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:41pm

i wouldnt mind seeing a revival also..it's a fun show.

#16

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 12:52pm

The only problem w/ the show is I think it's over done in community theatre and schools. Just like Little Shop. I LOVE both of these shows but unless they get "Big Names" in there it won't be a successful as it should. In the last 3 years I've been to two school performances and one community theatre performance.. Just my thoughts. Again I love the show but think it's done too often outside of Broadway...

#17

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:47pm

I just saw a production of "Two Cities" with Matt Bogart and couldn't help thinking he would make a great Conrad Birdie---is anyone familiar with him or his work?

#18

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:50pm

I could def. see Matt Bogart as Conrad. I think he's got the sex appeal too

and I agree it's way overdone by community/ high scool theaters. That would be the only problem with getting it back to Broadway.

#19

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 1:52pm

I just know around here that's all that High Schools and Community Theatres seem to be doing... LOL I love the show but I don't want it to open then close 3 months later because of low ticket sales...

Updated On: 9/2/04 at 01:52 PM

#20

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 5:52pm

im posting this because margo surely knows this:

the character of conrad birdie was based on elvis presley but from what other popular recording artist did they get the character's name from?

c'mon margo, don't let me down...

#21

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 6:15pm

I think they should get Sebastian Bach to play Conrad and raise all of his music an octave or so. I'd definitely pay Broadway prices to see that!

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"The last train out of any station will not be full of nice guys." - Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

"I wash my face, then drink beer, then I weep. Say a prayer and induce insincere self-abuse, till I'm fast asleep"- In Trousers

Updated On: 9/2/04 at 06:15 PM

#22

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/2/04 at 6:55pm

Wow. A good example of bad planning.

#23

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/3/04 at 4:29am

Just got in from a very long, very crazy evening, and apparently my name has been invoked in my absence..............

Conrad Birdie was based on Elvis Presley and Conway Twitty -- a teen idol at the time and later a major country music artist.

Off to bed......

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#24

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:42pm

No revivals happpening.

There were two major productions of Birdie announced this summer. One was at the Kennedy Center and the other Encores!

They were announced around the same time. Shortly after the announcement, the Kennedy Center production was pulled. Encores did theirs and it meet with mild reviews. Encores was hoping this would be their next Broadway transfer, but it's not happpening.

So..we go from two productions to no productions. It's a great show but needs some updates.

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Ignorance is temporary. Stupidity last forever. Watch out BWW... HE'S BACK.

#25

re: Bye Bye Birdie Revival?

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:51pm

I hope not!