New Birdie Buzz — Page 3

Well, ray, I think the point is that Lola puts on the role of a Spanish temptress to grab Joe. Other times, she's other women....but I have a feeling you knew that, and I just didn't read carefully enough.

And, A Director, often they change the name from Alvarez to Grant if they can't get a Latina actress.

I think pairing Andrea Burns with DHP could be cute. They could play up the whole "unknown and STAR" thing.

---

For me, the strength of Bye Bye Birdie lies with the performers, not with the score or book. While I adore Bebe Neuwirth and I'm sure she'd do a great job (I'd happily go see her), they need someone fresh. Same goes for DHP.

Daphne Rubin Vega and Anthony Rapp!!!
SO KIDDING!!!!!!!!!

---

>It's incredibly dated, has a weak book. Great songs but weak book. The City Center production was a horrible production.<

If you are making this judgment based on the Encores production, don't. That show still works and works well. I've seen very good productions of it over the years and know that it still can charm an audience. When Encores goes awry, they have managed to make some very good shows look terrible.

---

I disagree that the show is dated. Yes it has a time period attached to it, but most shows do.

I just played the role of Conrad and found amazing relevance of the character in today's celebrity driven society. It's bigger than it was back then, which was pretty huge (i.e. Elvis, Beatlemania). As far as character development went I constantly watched E! and the tabloids to put into perspective just how much a person doesn't own "celebrity," but "celebrity" owns the person. It gave me a ton of motivation for "A Lot of Livin' To Do." But I digress.

As far as the "Spanish Rose" thing goes I thought I'd add my two cents on that. Part of the main theme in BBB is the generation gap. Rock 'n Roll was a new (and scary) phenomena back then. Strouse was poking fun at it's simple structures and the reactions from the younger population. With that theme in mind it ties to the generation gap between kids and their parents (i.e. "Kids") and then it ties into Rosie where Mae peterson is from an even older generation where she probably can't understand integration or immigration that was relevent to the time frame of late 50s, early 60s. Therefore, her calling Rose a "lady of Spain" is her interpolating what she THINKS Rose should be, when in reality Rose is just an American citizen who happens to have Spanish ancestry. "Spanish Rose," is Rosie's resonse and RE-Appropriation of the term. Basically, "if you think that's what I AM, then I will BE that but on my own terms."
It's taking back the identity that others create for you.

Anyway, end of my academic essay. Just thought I'd shed some light on the socio-political aspects of Birdie and why I think it's brilliant.

And for those who say Albert is 33; he is. In the play he's written as 33. In the Made-for-TV movie they changed it to 38 for Jason Alexander. It's literally one line in the script, so I'm sure it can be altered to whomever is playing the role.

---

Bye Bye Birdy is a really fun show.

---