Bye Bye Birdie characters in a school show

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 4:41pm

Has anyone done Bye Bye Birdie at their school before, and if so, would you say that Rosie is a better part than Kim? I know from the '95 movie it's more like Rosie is the main character, but just hearing about the story before seeing it I expected Kim to be. Just wondering if Kim is a thankless role or not in the school productions, and if Rosie gets all the time she does in the movie version. That and Carousel are the 2 musical that my school is supposedly going to d[I'm personally hoping for Carousel!] so just wondering. Thanks!

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 4:42pm

Rosie is the female lead. I think it is a much better part than Kim.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:02pm

Rosie gets several songs not in the first film version, while Kim does not sing numbers like "Lot of Living to Do" which she performs in the movie.

Ann Margret was known as a teen sex pot (think Lindsay Lohan or Brittney Spears) and so the role was beefed up to reflect that. On stage she's just a nice sweet 15 year old girl.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:45pm

Both parts are wonderful, but Rosie is a larger part than Kim. I think it will depend more on your apearance; Rosie is supposed to be older, almost a motherly figure as opposed to Kim who is a teenager.

Carousel or Birdie-- what an interesting set of choices! I'm trying to imagine the school where they are trying to decide between two such different shows!

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:49pm

Last year it was between Oklahoma, Carousel, and Beauty and the Beast and they went with Oklahoma. We had the PERFECT guy for the beast, too, and he was crushed, but he ended up making an amazing Jud. I personally don't think we have anyone who could belt Rosie's songs; sing them, yes, but sound mature enough for the part...eh. The reason that's a big choice is because someone brought it up to our drama teacher who proceeded to freak out that it hadn't been done yet because she was in it as Ursula in high school, loved it, OMYGAH!, etc...

So basically my school is insane! Wee!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/14/05 at 5:51pm

Well Rose has a lot of dancing. That's kind of the other factor in that role...