Broadway's Birdie, Extended Two Weeks, Will Say "Bye Bye" Jan. 24, 2010

By Kenneth Jones
01 Dec 2009

Bye Bye Birdie stars Gina Gershon and John Stamos
Bye Bye Birdie stars Gina Gershon and John Stamos
Photo by Joan Marcus

Roundabout Theatre Company's hit production of Bye Bye Birdie at the Henry Miller's Theatre will play its final performance Jan. 24, 2010, the company announced on Dec. 1.

Initially scheduled as a limited engagement through Jan. 10, the revival was extended two weeks, and will end when the leading actors' contracts end; here had been talk in the theatre community in recent weeks that the show might be recast, but that will not be the case.

The production has sold at over 90 percent capacity each week throughout the run of the production. John Stamos and Gina Gershon star.

Artistic director Todd Haimes said in a statement, "We had hoped to keep the show running into the spring, however sales are not strong enough after the departure of our principal actors. We made a decision to end the production on a high note. I am happy that we have been able to extend the production two weeks beyond the initial run."

After a 48 year absence, Bye Bye Birdie, was the inaugural production of the new Henry Miller's Theatre (124 West 43rd Street). The revitalization of Henry Miller's Theatre "is consistent with Roundabout's history of bringing dilapidated, lost theatres back to life and programming the venues as viable, live performance spaces for the benefit of theater artists and audiences and managing them efficiently," according to the not-for-profit that also runs Broadway's American Airlines Theatre and Studio 54.

By close, Bye Bye Birdie will have played 40 previews and 117 performances. Preview performances began on Sept. 10. The show officially opened on Oct. 15.

Bye Bye Birdie received the 1961 Tony Award for Best Musical and features such beloved songs as "Put On a Happy Face," "Kids" and "A Lot of Livin' to Do."

Roundabout's Bye Bye Birdie (directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom) stars John Stamos (Albert Peterson), Gina Gershon (Rose Alvarez) and Bill Irwin (Mr. Harry MacAfee) with Jayne Houdyshell (Mrs. Mae Peterson), Dee Hoty (Mrs. MacAfee) and Nolan Gerard Funk (Conrad Birdie).

The show has a book by Michael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams.

Tickets are available online at www.byebyebirdieonbroadway.com or by phone at (212)239-6200. Ticket prices range from $86.50 - $136.50. To become a Roundabout subscriber visit www.roundabouttheatre.org or call Roundabout Ticket Services (212)719-1300. Beginning Jan. 12, Bye Bye Birdie will play Tuesday evening at 7 PM, Wednesday-Saturday evening at 8 PM with Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 PM.