#260 - Bye Bye Birdie

Join us, Jesse and Andrew, on a fascinating tour of the iconic musical, Bye Bye Birdie. We guarantee you an enlightening journey as we trace the musical's journey from stage to screen, highlighting the original concept and its transformation to include the Elvis Presley draft plot. We'll discuss the Broadway production that ran for over 600 shows and the subsequent changes made to accommodate the movie's star, Anne Margaret. Penetrating the surface, we'll uncover the more subtle aspects including the whitewashing of characters and the shift in focus on the musical's storyline. As we dissect the film adaptation, you'll gain an understanding of the various alterations that occurred, such as the introduction of the now iconic song 'Bye Bye Birdie'. We'll evaluate the restructuring of the narrative to focus more on Ed Sullivan and critique the 1960s reviews and critical response. Together, we'll lay bare the impact of these changes on the overall structure and reception of the musical. Moving to the musical numbers, we'll dissect the lyrics of songs like "How Lovely to Be a Woman", examining the questionable message it sends across in the movie. We'll ponder over the darker implications behind the musical number 'Kids' and question the decision to omit certain plot lines from the film. Finally, we'll wrap up with our personal rating of the movie, and what we think about it. So sit back, relax, and let's explore Bye Bye Birdie together. Credits: Hosts: Jesse McAnally & Andrew DeWolf Podcast Edited By: Andrew DeWolf Theme Songs: Robyn Nash of IOU Music UK Keeper of the Cheese: Juliet Antonio This show is a part of the Broadway Podcast Network Social Media: Our WEBSITE Musicals with Cheese on Twitter Musicals W/ Cheese on Instagram Email us at musicaltheatrelives@gmail.com Merch!! Jess Socials Jesse McAnally on Twitter Jess McAnally on Instagram Andrew Socials Andrew DeWolf on Instagram Andrew DeWolf on Twitter Use our Affiliate Link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices