Friday, Sep. 04, 2009
Bye Bye Birdie
Opens on Broadway Oct. 15
"What's the story, Morning Glory?/ What's the word, Hummingbird?" The "Telephone Song" from Bye Bye Birdie is one of the great opening numbers in all of Broadway musicals, and it's just one reason why this 1960 show is so beloved — but problematic to revive — among audiences of a certain generation. What are those gossipy teenagers going to do now — text? Then there's the dated plot, about an Elvis-style rock-'n'-roll idol going into the Army. But retro is hip these days, and there's a good chance this Broadway revival (starring John Stamos, Gina Gershon, Bill Irwin and someone named Nolan Gerard Funk as Conrad Birdie) will be a colossal hit.