I wondered how “Bye Bye Birdie” would play with an image-conscious and at-times cynical 17-year-old.
Too cute? Too energetic? Too over the top?
Happily, none of those. Just like her much-less-cool mom, she got swept up in the showmanship, silliness, and high level of talent on the stage. It surely helped that she could envision herself in the cast, some of whom were just a year or two older than she is.
“Bye Bye Birdie” is an irresistibly fun show, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre pulls it off beautifully.
Details
Here’s the plot description: When teen idol Conrad Birdie gets drafted into the Army, he decides to shake up small town Sweet Apple, Ohio, with one last performance and a kiss for a fan on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” (“Bye Bye Birdie,” as you can see, was inspired by the national outcry surrounding Elvis Presley being drafted in 1957.)
In a scene from “Bye Bye Birdie,” Albert Peterson guards Conrad Birdie from reporters while Rosie Alvarez stands by. (Photo by Tracy Martin, courtesy of The 5th Avenue Theatre)
Here’s what surprised me, and this is a script note, not a production note: “Bye Bye Birdie” isn’t really about Conrad Birdie. His role is relatively small. It’s about fame and fandom, and about relationships, family, and otherwise. We spend the most time with Noah Weisberg and Ashley Perez Flanagan as music promoter Albert Peterson and his long-suffering secretary/girlfriend Rosie Alvarez. (And tell me if you don’t think Weisberg is a dead ringer for CNN’s Jake Tapper).
Additionally, the cast’s young stars, including the teen chorus, are fabulous.
The 5th’s Executive Director, Bill Barry, speaking to the audience as the show opened, announced that 19 cast members were making their professional stage debuts with this production. Many had come up through the 5th’s Rising Star Project. During the curtain call, we learned that five of them were high school seniors who were missing graduation ceremonies that night. The cast (and the crowd) honored them with a sweet, on-stage “graduation.”
More to know
Here’s what the theater said by way of content warning:
“‘Bye Bye Birdie’ contains themes and content that include racism, microaggressions, and some sexual situations and innuendos. Themes include high-school romances, the power of celebrity crushes, aging and maturity expectations of female-identifying characters, and interracial relationships.”
Fun fact: “Bye Bye Birdie” won the 1961 Tony Award for Best Musical.
The “Bye Bye Birdie” 5th Avenue Theatre run continues through June 29, with accessible performance options available.
Ticket information here; details on accessible performances.
(Photo by Tracy Martin, courtesy of The 5th Avenue Theatre)
