Hairspray Live! hasn’t even taken place yet, and already NBC has announced next year’s live musical event. And that musical will be Bye Bye Birdie starring Jennifer Lopez as Rose Alvarez. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the musical, the story of Bye Bye Birdie is inspired by the phenomenon of popular singer Elvis Presley and his draft notice into the Army in 1957. Teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie has been drafted, so he chooses All-American girl Kim MacAfee for a very public farewell kiss. Conrad’s rock ’n’ roll ways send the small town reeling, giving the teens Birdie fever, shocking the parents with moral indignation, and placing songwriter/agent Albert Peterson along with his savvy sweetheart, Rosie, right in the thick of things.
I have never seen Bye Bye Birdie at all. Not a stage production nor any of the screen adaptations. The most familiarity I have with the musical is the original Broadway cast recording with Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera. But with that being said, this seems like a great choice for NBC to follow-up Hairspray with.
Not to mention with Jennifer Lopez already announced to star means that this will be the first screen version of Bye Bye Birdie to actually feature a Spanish Rose (especially since Chita Rivera, who originated the role on Broadway is Spanish). The 1963 film adaptation which starred Dick Van Dyke reprising his Tony-Winning role as Albert Peterson featured Janet Leigh in the role of Rose DeLeon. The 1995 TV movie adaptation which starred Jason Alexander as Albert featured Vanessa Williams as Rose. Now the 2017 live television production will feature Jennifer Lopez in the role. And how about Neil Patrick Harris as Albert Peterson and Darren Criss as Conrad Birdie?
So what do you think of the idea of Bye Bye Birdie Live!? What do you think of Jennifer Lopez starring as Rose?
I have never seen Bye Bye Birdie at all. Not a stage production nor any of the screen adaptations. The most familiarity I have with the musical is the original Broadway cast recording with Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera. But with that being said, this seems like a great choice for NBC to follow-up Hairspray with.
Not to mention with Jennifer Lopez already announced to star means that this will be the first screen version of Bye Bye Birdie to actually feature a Spanish Rose (especially since Chita Rivera, who originated the role on Broadway is Spanish). The 1963 film adaptation which starred Dick Van Dyke reprising his Tony-Winning role as Albert Peterson featured Janet Leigh in the role of Rose DeLeon. The 1995 TV movie adaptation which starred Jason Alexander as Albert featured Vanessa Williams as Rose. Now the 2017 live television production will feature Jennifer Lopez in the role. And how about Neil Patrick Harris as Albert Peterson and Darren Criss as Conrad Birdie?
So what do you think of the idea of Bye Bye Birdie Live!? What do you think of Jennifer Lopez starring as Rose?