Overview
Synopsis
The year is 1958, and the much-adored rock-and-roll idol -- Conrad Birdie -- has been drafted into the US army. His songwriter and agent, Albert, and Albert’s secretary and longtime girlfriend, Rosie, hatch a plan for a farewell performance to take place on the Ed Sullivan show, which they hope will help sell Birdie’s new song “One Last Kiss”, and ultimately save Almaelou records from going under. To cap off the performance, Birdie will actually give ‘one-last-kiss’ to Kim MacAfee, an avid member of the Conrad Birdie fan club from Sweet Apple, Ohio.
When Albert and Rosie head to Sweet Apple to prepare for Birdie’s arrival, things start to unravel. Kim’s father is starstruck at the thought of being on Ed Sullivan with his daughter, and Kim’s new steady, Hugo, gets jealous at the thought of Kim kissing Conrad on national television. Rosie gets tired of waiting for Albert to muddle through excuses not to marry her. And Conrad Birdie is a handful to manage!
But with screwball hijinks of all ages, rousing dance numbers, and such classic tunes as “Put on a Happy Face”, “Kids”, and “A Lot of Livin’ to Do”, Bye Bye Birdie is a delightful visit to the past!
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Context
Bye Bye Birdie, originally titled Let’s Go Steady and billed as a “happy teenage musical with a difference”. Conceived by producer Edward Padula, who contracted Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. The team eventually sought out Gower Champion as a director/choreographer. Champion did not like the book and the writers were fired. Michael Stewart, who was then brought on, wrote an early version focusing on a couple thinking of divorce. However, Champion wanted
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As the overture begins, we see Conrad Birdie, an Elvis-esque crooner, through a window. From outside of the window, we hear the anthem of Conrad’s fanclub: “We love you, Conrad. Oh yes we do! We love you, Conrad, and we’ll be true.”
At the office of Almaelou Music Corporation in New York, Albert Peterson is excitedly talking on the phone. His star client, Conrad Birdie has been drafted into the Army and has been informed that he is expected to be at the Induction Center in two weeks. As he
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Character Portrayals
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Songs
- “We Love You, Conrad” - Teen Chorus
- “An English Teacher” - Rosie Alvarez
- “The Telephone Hour” - Helen, Nancy, Alice, Margie, Harvey Johnson, Teen Chorus
- “How Lovely to Be a Woman” - Kim MacAfee
- “We Love You, Conrad” - Teen Trio
- “Put On a Happy Face” - Albert Peterson and Two Sad Girls
- “Normal American Boy” - Rose Alvarez, Albert Peterson and Chorus
- “One Boy” - Kim MacAfee, Deborah Sue and Alice, Rosie
- “Honestly Sincere” - Conrad Birdie and Townspeople
- “Hymn for a Sunday Evening” - Mr. MacAfee, Mrs. MacAfee, Kim MacAfee, Randolph MacAfee
- “One Last Kiss” - Conrad and Company
- “What Did I Ever See in Him? (Part 1)” - Rose Alvarez and Kim MacAfee
- “What Did I Ever See in Him? (Part 2)” - Rosie Alvarez
- “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” - Conrad Birdie, Kim MacAfee, and Teenagers
- “Kids” - Mr. MacAfee and Mrs. MacAfee
- “An English Teacher” - Reprise” - Rosie
- “Hand Car” - Teens
- “Rosie” - Albert and Rose
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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