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Words From the Director/ CHOREOGRAPHER...

As I sit down to write this note, our production of Bye, Bye
Birdie has three weeks of rehearsal left. The glimmer of a pol-

ished show is starting to shine through and our performances
are on the horizon. I can't wait to see the finished product -
and yet - I don't want it to be over. I have been so looking for-
ward to directing and choreographing Bye Bye Birdie. Having

performed in it myself (once being way back in high school!) I
KNEW what a FUN show it was to learn, rehearse, and per-
form, and I could not wait to share the show with this amazing
TMS cast. Why do I love this show? Well, Bye Bye Birdie is a
classic musical comedy - a genre which we have not yet done
here at TMS. It was written for the musical stage - not based

on a novel - with fresh, original ideas and melodies. Although
some may see Bye Bye Birdie as old-fashioned, it was actually
groundbreaking at the time of its initial production in 1960 (for
which it won the Tony Award for Best Musical BTW!). It

brought the idea of rock-and-roll to the musical theatre stage,
and paved the way for future rock musicals (such as Jesus
Christ Superstar and Tommy, for example). Bye Bye Birdie
satirizes much about the 50's: the rock-and-roll idol (based on
Elvis), the associated teen-age craze, and the classic genera-

tion gap between parents and their kids. Everything about tra-
ditional domestic life and every generation is represented (and
made fun of!); as a result, Birdie is remarkably relatable for an
audience. For the actors in Birdie, the use of satire and the

broad characters allow for a very freeing creative experience.

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