Bye Bye Birdie

Bye Bye Birdie hasn’t played on Broadway since 1960, so why does every kid in America know the musical? Because it’s a stalwart of middle- and high-school stages. Its G-rated story—a rock star has been drafted, but as a publicity stunt, he must give a fan a televised farewell kiss before he ships out—appeals to anxious principals, and its large cast overflows with leading roles for solo-starved students. Now there’s a third reason for its popularity in school auditoriums: As made clear by Robert Longbottom’s so-so revival of the dated show, only teenagers look totally at ease in Birdie’s exuberant, playful numbers.

The young folk are unquestionably the heart and soul of this candy-colored production. They don’t disappoint in the crowd favorite, “The Telephone Hour,” in which they excitedly gab to one another from phone booths. As Kim MacAfee, 15-year-old Allie Trimm is irresistibly funny and cute (not to mention desexualized), and her voice rings out clear and strong. At the performance we saw, understudy Robert Hager filled in for Spectacular! star Nolan Gerard Funk in the rockin’ role of Conrad Birdie. Despite the substitution, Hager was convincing and uninhibited, making the girls swoon with his shaking hips and embracing the kitschy quality of his part with unabashed glee. The set features a few cool set pieces (including a stunning retro train), and the pastel rainbow created by the cheery costumes will certainly tickle tweens—even though they’ll also have to suffer through John Stamos’s lifeless performance, punctuated by his awkward rendition of the musical’s most famous song, “Put on a Happy Face.”

The role of Birdie’s pushy agent, Albert Peterson, is a challenging one, and unfortunately Stamos isn’t up to the task. Unlike Dick Van Dyke’s gawky, tender, Tony-winning portrayal, Stamos’s Albert comes off as unlikable—bordering on cruel. As his love interest, Rosie, the beautiful Gina Gershon is pleasant to watch, but not mesmerizing. Together, the pair has little chemistry. Other adults fare better: Bill Irwin’s clownish reinvention of Harry MacAfee elicits guffaws from youngsters (especially in the slapstick finale to Act 1), and Jayne Houdyshell’s flawless turn as Albert’s martyr of a mother, Mae, infuses the show with just a hint of biting humor, something it otherwise lacks.—Julia Israel

Bye Bye Birdie is playing at Henry Miller’s Theater. Tickets: $86.50–$136.50

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