Bye Bye Birdie

Bye Bye Birdie is the name of both the 1960 stage musical and its 1963 film adaptation inspired by an Elvis Presley-type singer doing one last television special before being drafted into the army. The original Broadway production of the show won the Tony Award for Best Musical and has been a popular choice for high school and college theater departments every since.

The film version of the musical launched the career of Ann-Margaret, who played Kim MacAfee, the young teenage girl chosen to kiss "Conrad Birdie" before he is shipped overseas. The film ranked #38 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the best high school movies of all time.

Fast Facts

1. Music: Charles Strouse
2. Lyrics: Lee Adams
3. Book: Michael Stewart
4. Productions: 1960 Broadway, 1961 West End, 1963 film, 1995 Television
5. 1961: Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor, Choreography, and Director
6. Parody of Elvis' Army enlistment
7. Presented by schools and theater groups world-wide

Soundtrack

• "Bye Bye Birdie"
• "Telephone Hour"
• "How Lovely to Be a Woman"
• "We Love You Conrad"
• "Honestly Sincere"
• "Hymn for a Sunday Evening"
• "One Boy"
• "Put On a Happy Face"
• "Kids"
• "One Last Kiss"
• "Lot of Livin' to Do"
• "Sultans' Ballet"
• "One Last Kiss"
• "Rosie"
• "Bye Bye Birdie" (Reprise)

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