Bye Bye Birdie Facts & Worksheets

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“Bye Bye Birdie” is a popular and award-winning musical first staged on Broadway in 1960 and based on a book by Michael Stewart. The music of “Bye Bye Birdie” was composed by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Lee Adams. “Bye Bye Birdie” won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 1961. Taking inspiration from the real-life event when Elvis Presley joined the U.S. Army in 1957, the musical playfully makes fun of how rock and roll music and famous musicians can influence culture.

See the fact file below for more information about the Literature Study, Bye Bye Birdie or you can download our 25-page Bye Bye Birdie worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

MUSICAL OVERVIEW

• “Bye Bye Birdie” debuted on the Broadway stage on April 14, 1960, at the Martin Beck Theatre (now known as the Al Hirschfeld Theatre) in New York City.
• The musical comedy is set in the fictional town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, during the late 1950s.
• It was originally entitled “Let’s Go Steady, Bye Bye Birdie.”
• The story centers on Conrad Birdie, a rock and roll singer about to be drafted into the army.
• His name is a wordplay on the name of American country music singer-songwriter Conway Twitty.

HISTORY

• Producer Edward Padula conceived the idea for a musical first called “Let’s Go Steady,” aiming for a joyful teenage show with a twist.
• Padula enlisted writers Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, who composed seven songs for the story.
• Gower Champion was sought as director/choreographer, but he disliked the original script, so the initial writers were dismissed.
• Michael Stewart took over and created the first draft entitled “Love and Kisses.”
• Wanting to add more excitement to the musical, Champion got the idea from a real news story about Elvis Presley going to the Army and giving a special kiss to a girl before leaving. 
• Stewart and Adams came up with the fun story of a rock-and-roll singer named Conrad Birdie going off to the Army.

KEY CHARACTERS

• Conrad Birdie is a cool and famous rock and roll singer who’s like Elvis Presley.
• He’s about to go to the Army, and his farewell kiss to a lucky girl causes a lot of excitement in Sweet Apple, Ohio.
• Albert Peterson, Conrad’s manager, is a charming yet somewhat clueless person dealing with work and love troubles.
• He planned the big farewell stunt for Conrad.
• Rosie Alvarez is Albert’s smart secretary, who secretly likes him and helps manage the craziness caused by Conrad’s visit.
• Kim MacAfee is a sweet teenage girl chosen for Conrad’s farewell kiss.
• She becomes a media sensation amid the drama in her relationship with her boyfriend, Hugo Peabody.
• Hugo Peabody gets jealous because of all the attention Kim gets from the Conrad kiss incident.
• Mrs. Mae Peterson is Albert’s strict and funny mom who doesn’t like Rosie.
• Other supporting characters include Mr. Harry MacAfee, Kim’s protective dad; Ursula Merkle, Kim’s best friend who gets excited about the attention from the Conrad incident; and Randolph MacAfee, Kim’s younger brother.

PRODUCTIONS

• The original Broadway production earned critical acclaim and commercial success. 
• The musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1961. 
• Chita Rivera, who played Rosie Alvarez, was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress. 
• Dick Van Dyke, who acted as Albert Peterson, won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor. 
• In 1981, they made a sequel to “Bye Bye Birdie” on Broadway called “Bring Back Birdie.”
• It starred Donald O’Connor and Chita Rivera from the original cast, but unfortunately, it didn’t last long and closed after just 31 previews and four performances. 
• Later, in 1990-1991, there was a U.S. tour with Tommy Tune as Albert, Ann Reinking as Rosie, and other talented actors.
• Then, in 2004, there was a special  Encores! concert version at the New York City Center with Karen Ziemba as Rosie, Daniel Jenkins as Albert, Jessica Grové as Kim, and Bob Gaynor as Conrad. 
• A shorter version of “Bye Bye Birdie” was performed at the Kennedy Center in 2008, starring Laura Osnes as Kim and Leslie Kritzer as Rosie.
• In 2009, there was a revival on Broadway by the Roundabout Theatre Company, but it got mixed reviews.
• The director-choreographer was Robert Longbottom, and the lead actors were John Stamos and Gina Gershon as Albert and Rosie, respectively.

SYNOPSIS

ACT ONE

• New York songwriter Albert Peterson faces a crisis when his client, rock and roll sensation Conrad Birdie, is drafted into the Army.
• This opportunity puts Albert’s music firm in jeopardy. 
• Albert’s secretary, Rosie, concocts a last-minute plan for Birdie to record and perform a song before his military departure.
• The scheme involves Birdie singing “One Last Kiss” and giving a real last kiss to a randomly chosen fan on The Ed Sullivan Show.
• In Sweet Apple, Ohio, 16-year-old Kim MacAfee becomes the chosen girl for Birdie’s last kiss, which causes a stir in the small town. 
• As the teens gossip about Kim’s relationship with Hugo Peabody, Conrad, Albert, and Rosie head to Sweet Apple. 
• The town welcomes Conrad with open arms.
• Meanwhile, Hugo worries about Kim’s feelings.
• The situation intensifies when Albert’s overbearing mother tries to break up his relationship with Rosie.
• The tension escalates as Rosie and Hugo, both jealous and angry, plot to sabotage Conrad’s appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. 
• Hugo punches Conrad and knocks him out during the broadcast while an angry Rosie dumps Albert.
• The chaos culminates in the musical number “Normal American Boy.”

ACT TWO

• Despite their initial plan to reshoot the broadcast, Rosie and Kim decide to leave Albert and Hugo.
• Conrad continues to party while Kim sneaks out of her house to go to the Ice House with her teenage friends.
• Albert continues to woo Rosie and stands up to his mother.
• Hugo tells on Kim and her friends, resulting in the arrival of adults and the police at the Ice House.
• Conrad gets arrested for attempted statutory rape.
• Kim, who falsely claimed to be in her late 20s, admits she was intimidated and returns to Hugo.
• Rosie reconciles with Albert and decides to marry him despite Mae’s objections.
• Albert bails Conrad out of jail and arranges for him to sneak out of town dressed as a middle-aged woman.
• Because Albert helped Conrad when he got into trouble, Conrad says thank you by offering Albert a permanent job in show business.
• Albert talks Mae into leaving Sweet Apple on the same train.
• Instead of going back to New York, Albert tells Rosie that they’re going to Pumpkin Falls, Iowa, a little town that needs a married English teacher. 
• In the end, Albert and Rosie get happily engaged.

MUSICAL NUMBERS

• Albert sings “Put on a Happy Face” to cheer Rosie up.
• Conrad Birdie performs “One Last Kiss” as part of a big publicity stunt.
• Kim and Hugo sing the energetic track entitled “A Lot of Livin’ to Do,” which is all about being young and having a great time.
• Conrad shows his charismatic personality by singing “Honestly Sincere” as an attempt to connect with his fans.
• “Spanish Rose” is a playful and flirty song showing off Rosie’s charm.
• “Kids” is sung by the parents and talks about the generation gap between them and the teens.
• “Telephone Hour” is a synchronized dance of the teenagers gossiping on the phone about Conrad. 
• A comedic interlude entitled “The Shriner’s Ballet” is a dance part involving the Shriners.

FILM AND TELEVISION ADAPTATIONS

• A movie adaptation of the musical came out in 1963, based on the original Broadway musical. It starred Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Ann-Margret, and Maureen Stapleton.
• Another version was a TV movie released in 1995 starring  Jason Alexander, Vanessa Williams, Chynna Phillips, and George Wendt.

Bye Bye Birdie Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Theater Study, Bye Bye Birdie across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfec for teaching kids about Bye Bye Birdie. The music of “Bye Bye Birdie” was composed by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Lee Adams. “Bye Bye Birdie” won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 1961. Taking inspiration from the real-life event when Elvis Presley joined the U.S. Army in 1957, the musical playfully makes fun of how rock and roll music and famous musicians can influence culture.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Bye Bye Birdie Facts
2. Stage Vocabulary
3. Hello Hello Characters
4. The Inspiration
5. Put a Scene to the Song
6. Set Design
7. Explore the Era
8. Scenes in Order
9. Create a Scene
10. Journal as You Watch
11. From Stage to Screen

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the plot of “Bye Bye Birdie”?

“Bye Bye Birdie” tells the story of a rock and roll singer, Conrad Birdie, who is drafted into the army. His agent, Albert Peterson, and Albert’s secretary, Rosie Alvarez, come up with a publicity stunt to have Conrad give a farewell kiss to one lucky fan before he leaves. The chosen fan is a teenager named Kim MacAfee, and the musical follows the chaos and hilarity that ensue as they plan for Conrad’s visit to Sweet Apple, Ohio.

Who wrote the music and lyrics for “Bye Bye Birdie”?

The music was composed by Charles Strouse, and the lyrics were written by Lee Adams. The musical’s book was written by Michael Stewart.

Which famous song is associated with “Bye Bye Birdie”?

One of the most famous songs from “Bye Bye Birdie” is “Put on a Happy Face.” It’s a catchy and optimistic song performed by the character Albert to cheer up his love interest, Rosie.

When did “Bye Bye Birdie” premiere on Broadway?

“Bye Bye Birdie” premiered on Broadway on April 14, 1960, at the Martin Beck Theatre (now known as the Al Hirschfeld Theatre). The original production was a critical and commercial success.

Has “Bye Bye Birdie” been adapted into other forms of media?

Yes, “Bye Bye Birdie” has been adapted into a film released in 1963, starring Ann-Margret and Dick Van Dyke. There have also been several television adaptations and revivals of the musical over the years, showcasing its enduring popularity.

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