I enjoy the musical Bye-Bye Birdie. For one thing, I’ll always be a fan of Dick Van Dyke, star of the greatest TV sitcom ever. He had the lead role on Broadway and was in the 60’s movie.
But I don’t get the current fascination with the show. High school and amateur groups all over are doing it. Songs from it are on TV commercials. There are plans to put it on Broadway this fall and release a new movie version in 2011. I mean, “Put on a Happy Face,”, “Kids!” and the other songs are lots of fun. But why has this bit of 60’s fluff — yes, I said fluff — hit the zeitgeist bullseye?
I’m not complaining. Our son John has the lead in Cincinnati’s East Side Players production this summer. I’m just curious.
cleve callison’s blog 
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