Riedel on BIRDIE, Gershon and the one they call "Corky Sinclair"

"THEY may be putting on happy faces out front at "Bye Bye Birdie," but back stage in leading lady Gina Gershon's dressing room, the mask of tragedy -- tinged with anger, frustration and fear -- is firmly in place.

Gershon, who's playing Rose in the upcoming revival at the Roundabout, is acutely aware that her performance isn't working -- and she's blaming the show's director, Bobby Longbottom."

So it seems she's called her friend Matthew Warchus to help out.

It also seems that she and Stamos have nicknamed Longbottom Corky Sinclair.

All-in-all, best Riedel column in a LONG time.

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/shrill_songs_from_birdie_dUrI8gaspysxRVgKtDOSrJ

Expect to see some noticeable changes in Gershon's performance from this point on. She's finally taking things into her own hands and its the smartest career move she'll be doing.

As they say in Dubai: "... better late than never".

Little birdies in Gershon's corner say Longbottom, a former Radio City Music Hall choreographer who some think is the next Michael Bennett

DO WHAT?!?! Based on the choreography from those two clips I saw, his choreography is closer to Disney channel original movies than Michael Bennett. Everything seemed so forced and "blah!"

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I feel like I need a shower after reading that column.

I blame each and every one of them--including Todd Haimes.

The estates of Broadway writers should think twice about allowing the Roundabout to produce their revivals.

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I'll say it again: Roundabout needs a new Artistic Director.

Reviving this creaky thing was a mistake. It's now comfortably a favored choice of middle schools, where it frankly belongs. Even high schoolers find it laughable; it makes GREASE seem sophisticated. Yes, many of the songs are still delighteful ("Lot of Living To Do" should stop the show), but the material plays without focus or satiric edge or even any strong point of view. Without a smoldering and sexually dangerous Birdie, what even happens? In this production, a vanilla idol comes to a small town and DISAPPEARS there. Literally. When he finally does "livin" in act two, he is swamped by the apple-cheeked chorus, blending in rather than leading. I've never seen anything quite like the series of mistakes in this show. And in the center, in two dreary roles, are two dreary performances by actors who can otherwise sometimes charm. I don't get it. It feels like there's something chemically toxic inthe air at the Miller. I don't think Ms. Gershon can suddely pop unless she acquires a new voice and at least one song that we want to listen to. In this production, Albert proposes, and then vanishes, and Gerson has an intermnable scene with his mother, the most bizarre moment in an evening full of bizarre moments (Mr. Irwin, leave the GRINCH on screen).

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yankeefan, they don't need a NEW Artistic Director, as AC126748 alluded to what they really need is someone who actually is one or has the capacity to be one. And that is not Todd Haimes.

Sally's choreography is very simple and the character isn't supposed to sing very well.

As I said earlier, she's a terrific comedic actress (loved her in Boeing Boeing), but seems in way over her head with this role.

Even an actress way in over her head should be able to give some kind of redeeming performance if she has a good director guiding her. Gershon is a good stage actress, we know that. I applaud her for taking matters into her own hands, if what Riedel says is true.

Although after what Matthew Warchus did to Follies, he might make her performance worse. He doesn't have what Arthur Laurents refers to as "the musical in his bones."

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Wow...I'm just really interested to see where this goes

It's the New York Post.

They haven't published a single fact since Rupert Murdoch took over.

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No, I get that Sally can be a crappy singer, but I don't remember Gina Gershon being singled out as one of the really bad singers in the revival, like Jennifer Jason Leigh. I remember raising an eyebrow when she was cast in this, but because she's not Latina, not because I didn't think she wasn't up to the role.

I would like to see them turn it around before they open, because I unashamedly love me some Bye Bye Birdie.