Bye Bye Muny

[Excuse my lame Bye Bye Birdie reference.]

So last two performances of the season were.... varied.


Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was the best of the season and will be on my all time favorites list (joining Aida, Miss Saigon, Show Boat, Annie Get Your Gun, Singin in the Rain....). I was skeptical because I didn't know the story, but briefly- Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl. Boy marries girl (all in one day). Boy brings girl home where she meets his clan of brothers who also need some womanly influence in their lives. They decide to kidnap - yes, kidnap - girls to fill said role. Hmmm. Weird story, yes? But the dancing, oh the dancing! It was so goooooooood. I was literally on the edge of my seat with a smile on my face the whole time.

Also helps that it takes place in the mountains out West (Utah maybe?) and the sets all reminded me of Colorado.

Bye Bye Birdie was.... bad. Sorry. I didn't like it. As it started, I was getting my hopes up because I realized it is the first live musical I remember seeing as a kid - at the St. Simon's 8th grade play. I was maybe in first or second grade at the oldest. But, man, what a disappointment. Birdie is weird. Weird music. Weird story. Just weird. And I don't recommend seeing it if you are under the age of 40.

Let me explain- There are some shows that are timeless. And there are some that you see listed in the back of the Muny program and think, 'Why don't they show that one anymore?' Birdie is going to be one of those musicals I think. I mean, it has an entire song about Ed Sullivan! I'm not vapid. I get Ed Sullivan references. I get Conrad Birdie is sort of like Elvis, and he's great (in fact, 'Honestly, Sincere' is probably one of the best Muny performances I've ever seen, even though the whole show overall was a bust for me). But there were other references that I totally did not get. During the Ed Sullivan song, I look around and see everyone (over the age of 40) is laughing. And I think it is lame. I heard my grandma say, 'Oh that's so funny' more than once and my aunt something about 'when [she] was 19.' When I'm the adult.... Who is going to go see (and love) Bye Bye Birdie?

So the season is all said and done. If I were to rank this seasons shows (best to worst) it would be....

1. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

2. Little Shop of Horrors

3. Singin in the Rain

4. Little Mermaid

5. Legally Blonde

6. Bye Bye Birdie

7. Kiss Me Kate

Another summer passed us. Sadface. And Paul Blake, who has produced 22 seasons at the Muny is leaving. Double sadface.