Bye Bye Birdie

A TAMS-WITMARK TITLE

Bye Bye Birdie

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  6w, 5m plus ensemble

Book by Michael Stewart
Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Lee Adams

Originally Produced by Edward Padula

Teenagers, rock & roll and national television – Bye Bye Birdie captures the energy and excitement of the late 1950s with warmth, hilarity and an exuberant score.

Image: 2024 Kennedy Center Production (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

Bye Bye Birdie

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 5m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period, Parody/Spoof
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Four 1961 Tony Awards, including Best Musical
    Nominee: Eight 1961 Tony Awards
    Winner! 1961 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical
    Winner! 1996 Primetime Emmy Award, Outstanding Music & Lyrics
Bye Bye Birdie
Also Available
Bye Bye Birdie: Youth Edition
Bring Back Birdie

Details

Summary

A loving send-up of the 1950s, small-town America, teenagers, and rock & roll, Bye Bye Birdie remains as fresh and vibrant as ever. Teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie has been drafted, so he chooses All-American girl Kim MacAfee for a very public farewell kiss. Featuring a tuneful high-energy score, plenty of great parts for teens, and a hilarious script, Birdie continues to thrill audiences around the world.

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History
Bye Bye Birdie opened on Broadway, April 14, 1960 and played for 607 performances at the Martin Beck Theatre (later at the 54th Street and the Shubert Theatres) starring Chita Rivera as Rose and Dick Van Dyke as Albert. The show played for 268 performances in London at Her Majesty's Theatre. In 2009, it was revived on Broadway at Henry Miller’s Theatre.
Keywords
Performing Groups
  • Time Period 1950s
  • Setting New York City and Sweet Apple, Ohio, 1960.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes, Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“A superbly stylish throwback to the 1950s! Genuine fun, fizz and frenzy... total silliness.” – The Chicago Sun-Times

“An amusing, light-hearted send-up of 50s teen culture... Written in 1960, this Broadway musical may have been one of the earliest satires of 1950s middle-class society... the entire show is a colorful delight.” – Chicago Critic

“A rollicking musical firmly rooted in the 50s, Bye Bye Birdie has been popular since its 1960 Broadway debut. Michael Stewart's scripts holds up... the tunes are eminently hummable... the show stopped as individual scenes recieved ovations from the capacity audience.” – The LA Times

Videos

  • Strouse and Adams on Bye Bye Birdie youtube thumbnail

    Strouse and Adams on Bye Bye Birdie

  • Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway 2009 youtube thumbnail

    Bye Bye Birdie on Broadway 2009

  • "The Telephone Hour" youtube thumbnail

    "The Telephone Hour"

  • "A Lot of Livin' To Do" youtube thumbnail

    "A Lot of Livin' To Do"

  • "Honestly Sincere" youtube thumbnail

    "Honestly Sincere"

  • "Put On A Happy Face" youtube thumbnail

    "Put On A Happy Face"

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Photos

  • Bye Bye Birdie

    Image: 2024 Kennedy Center Production (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

  • Bye Bye Birdie

    Image: 2024 Kennedy Center Production (Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)

  • Bye Bye Birdie

    Image: 2009 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Bye Bye Birdie

    Image: 2009 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Bye Bye Birdie

    Image: Sam Norkin

  • Bye Bye Birdie

    Image: Sam Norkin

Show more +

Music

Music Samples

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway, Pop/Rock
  • Dance Requirements Moderate
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size X-Large
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

    PLEASE BE ADVISED: There are multiple versions of this title. Before you proceed, please double-check to ensure that you are applying for the version you want. We will not be able to refund rental or shipping fees if you pay for the wrong version. If you’re not sure which version best suits your needs, you may purchase a perusal for each available version.

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Authors

Lee Adams

Lee Adams

Lee Adams began his professional career as a journalist, working as a newspaper reporter, magazine writer and editor, and radio writer and interviewer. But his life took a sudden turn when his “hobby” of lyric writing led to Bye, Bye Birdie in 1960. This unheralded little Bro ...

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Charles Strouse

Charles Strouse

Charles Strouse is one of America's most successful musical theatre composers. His first Broadway musical, Bye Bye Birdie (1960), written with his long-time collaborator Lee Adams, won him a Tony Award and the London Critics Best Foreign Musical Award. In 1970, Applause, star ...

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Michael Stewart

Michael Stewart

Michael Stewart (1924-1987) scored on Broadway the first time when he won a Tony Award for his Bye Bye Birdie libretto. He was the librettist for Carnival (Drama Critics Circle Award) and Hello, Dolly!, which earned him both a Tony and Drama Critics prize. Stewart also wrote ...

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