Bye Bye Birdie

Act One

As the overture begins, video plays with footage of Conrad, cutting to rapid shots of mobs of screaming fans, climaxed by a shot of Conrad himself: sideburns, wild hairdo, half-closed eyes, pouting lower lip and all. From within the orchestra, 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 gets off the phone, Rosie, his secretary and girlfriend, has arrived to tell him that she is quitting. Albert, distraught, begs Rosie not to leave now that Conrad is leaving. In response, Rosie tells Albert that her quitting and Conrad leaving for the Army is best thing for him. It is finally time for him to do what he always wanted to do (“An English Teacher”).