Customer Reviews

Bring Back Birdie

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although not a musical masterpiece, you can't deny Charles Strouse and Lee Adams can certainly whip up an exciting, catchy, and most of all fun score for Broadway's first Sequel, BRING BACK BIRDIE. Chita Rivera received a Tony nomination for recreating 'Rosie' a role she played in Broadway's 1960 Smash Hit BYE-BYE BIRDIE penned by the same authors. Tap sensation, and comedic actor, Donald O'Connor of "Singin' In The Rain" movie fame makes his Broadway debut in the role of "Albert".

Other Broadway notables include 1964 Tony Winner ('Golde'/Fiddler on the Roof) MARIA KARNILOVA in the role of 'Mama' and MAURICE HINES of 'Hines, Hines & Dad' fame as 'Mtobe'. These entertainment greats are backed-up up by an equally talented ensemble two of whom, making their Broadway debuts, are now film actors VANESSA (Coming To America/Crimson Tide) BELL CALLOWAY and MICHAEL (Chaplin/A Chorus Line) BLEVINS.

A must for every collector and certainly for theatre groups planning to produce this cult classic originally conceived, directed & choreographed by Tony winner JOE LAYTON with a frivilously-kooky yet entertaining book by legendary script writer MICHAEL STEWART. At the time an un-heard-of amount of money ($2 million - mere pocket change by today's standards) went into this historic 1981 production that had no out-of-town tryout yet previewed for 7 weeks on Broadway, opened to mixed reviews and closed after 3 days and 4 performances.

Theatre lovers and Broadway enthuastists will adore this rare and unlikely recording featuring top-notch, first-class talent! .....

Actually this is NOT the first Broadway musical sequel written, but the point is it is one of the WORST show on Earth. The staging is inadequate, the book is silly, funny, but with many ideas which dull the audiences. The set is excessive and overblown...etc. But then, the score, which is the only thing we can experience from a cast recording, is nice if not excellent.

With a bunch of (10) orchestrators in line, one can expect that this musical has varied musical styles which include pop, rock-and-roll (of coz), classical theatre, western, gospel, 20s jazz and so on. The tunes written by Charles Strouse (who is a prolific composer whom sequels suck) are catchy with witty/funny/entertaining lyrics written by Lee Adams. As for the performers, Chita is irreplaceable, while Donald O'Connor proved that he can really sing. Maria Karnilova, Maurice Hines and Marcel Forestieri are doing a very good job in this recording.

So, for those who are searching for lost gems of musical SCORES, this is one of the choice here. For the show, well, let's just say it's a total bore.

In listening to Bring Back Birdie It has a very nice appeal ...I like it beacause it incorporates Rock, Country , Broadway and upbeat music all in one. I have also seen this production and is a pretty good show. No show could surpass Bye Bye Birdie but Bring Back Birdie does have some very good moments and some very appealing music.

There is so little point to recording this score, that it is surprising that here it is! Except for the collector, this one will gather dust in the rack. "Inner Peace" was best watched through closed eyelids; listen with earplugs. Even Chita fans recognized there was only so much a performer could do with one of those "WHY?" scores. Buy it at your own risk, and remember: I told you so.

Has Strouse ran out of ideas, so that he has to bring back the dead. Annie Warbucks is a classic when compared to this tuneless and totally unnecessary sequel.