bye bye birdie question

[ontheT]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:21pm

i realized something the other day. in the movie, broadway show and in the play i'm in, Rosie has 3 different last names. does anyone know why?

in the broadway show its Grant
in the movie its Deleon
and in the show i'm currently in its Alvarez

any info in much apperciated!

edit: all the plays are bye bye birdie, just clearifying(sp?) Updated On: 10/18/04 at 08:21 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 8:25pm

I don't know, but it sounds like after the initial B'way production, they went ahead and made the name Spanish, since Rosie's supposed to be Spanish-American, I think. Perhaps there was some social stigma in the 50s that made them use Grant?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 7:34am

As has been pointed out, the character of Rose in the original Broadway production (1960) had the last name of Grant. Rose, however was a Spanish-American whose ethnic background was a sore point with her boyfriend's mother.

In 1963, the overblown film version (which changed MUCH of the Broadway production) changed her last name to DeLeon. Now there was no confusion regarding her ethnic heritage.

For some reason unknown to me, the 1995 TV-Movie changed the role's last name to Alvarez.

Hope this helps! :)

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 7:46am

Excuse me, but I never knew that Rosie's last name was ever GRANT. When I first saw a summer stock production of the show ( right after it closed on Broadway), the name was ALVAREZ. I know it became DELEON in the Janet Leigh film. When was it ever GRANT?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 8:06am

re: 'Rose Grant' question:

http://ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=2199

[Jon]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 8:26am

But did you notice - Chita Rivera's stand-by was Carmen ALVAREZ!

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 8:43am

VERY perceptive, Jon. I'm Impressed! :)

[That Groovy Guy]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 10:16am

When I did a local production of Bye Bye Birdie in 1990 it was Alvarez.

~Patrick

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 12:39pm

Now this has me intrigued. I have friends who are related to Chita. I'll see if they can find out what the story was regarding the name change.

[gwapnisky]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 12:57pm

Tbe reason why it had changed many times is because when the show was in try-outs and travelling throughout the USA, middle americal was not very keen on such an ethnic name. The use "Grant" was fine for smaller cities. When hitting Broadway, those close to the production felt that it would be much more relevant that if she was Spanish, that she should have a Spanish last name. It made the show much more culturally diverse.

Ever notice, in West Side Story, there are no last names?

[Thetruth]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 1:14pm

Another thing I noticed is during "Spanish Rose" in the 60's movie or the OBC or both (I can't remember) She sings, "Since where I come from is Allentown, PA" and in the Vanessa Williams movie she says "I come from romantic exotic Pittsburg, PA"

I'm thinking the city change had something to do syllables and the music cuz Allentown has 3 and Pittsburg just has 2.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 2:04pm

Hmmm....as far as I know, its always been Alvarez. Or at the very least, Alvarez has been around since long before the 1995 TV version. If anything, i'd think Grant came later to be more politically correct. I also believe that the "Spanish Rose" number was changed in order to make it less potentially offensive.
Did I mention that I just played Albert in this show?? Hehe..I'd forgotten how fun a production it is.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 2:56pm

By 1981's "Bring Back Birdie", they had dropped last names altogether.

http://ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=4100

[broadwayinthebigcity]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 3:57pm

Ours was Alvarez.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 3:59pm

Even stranger: when I did the show in '93, Rosie's last name was Bon Jovi.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 4:02pm

I do know that originally the writers planned for Rose to be Polish. The had written the role with Gretchen Wyler in mind. Then Chita became a sensation in WEST SIDE STORY and they transformed the character into a Hispanic gal.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 5:22pm

Gretchen Wyler REPLACED Chita Rivera as Rose Grant in BYE BYE BIRDIE in 1961 when Rivera went to London to recreate role for West End Company.

Please see:

http://ibdb.com/productionreplacements.asp?ID=2199

[gherbert]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 5:34pm

It was Carol Haney who the show was originally conceived for. Charles Strouse describes that they went to her house to play her the score and she opened the door and said, "Hello!" and lost her voice right there and then. She was unable to do it for obvious reasons. Ken Mandelbaum covered this subject in great detail in a column. I have included the link below.
The Rose Grant/Alvarez/DeLeon Mystery

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 5:45pm

Thanks, gherbert, for helping to clear all this up. :)

[ontheT]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 6:10pm

thanks for all the help guys =)

[Arachnid]

Posted: 10/28/04 at 3:09pm

While I honestly cannot remember which name was used when I saw Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway in 1961, I still have the Original Cast LP, which I purchased at that time, and the liner notes all use "Alvarez". So clearly the change, if there was one, occurred quite early in the run -- does anyone know when the album was originally issued?