Join the Sidney Dance Company as we travel back to the 50's with Bye Bye Birdie, a musical comedy loosely based on the events surrounding Elvis and the draft. The production includes musical favorites like "The Telephone Hour," "Put on a Happy Face," and "A Lot of Livin to Do!"

Set in the late 1950's, Bye Bye Birdie follows Albert Peterson, a neurotic but brilliant songwriter and agent who is desperately trying to save his career and company, Almaelou Music Corp, from financial ruin due to his biggest client, teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie, being drafted. Albert's longtime secretary and girlfriend, Rosie Alvarez, tries to resign due to Albert refusing to marry her and giving up on his real dream to become an English teacher, but instead she comes up with a plan to boost publicity by having Conrad bestow a parting kiss on one lucky fan chosen at random, before shipping off to the Army. The winner is 15-year-old Kim MacAfee from Sweet Apple, Ohio, who has just recently been "pinned" to her steady, Hugo Peabody.

Conrad's arrival in Sweet Apple brings chaos to the small town when Hugo cannot contain his jealousy over the kiss, Kim's father, Harry MacAfee, struggles with the realities of his daughter growing up, Albert and Rosie contend with Albert's Mother, Mae, who's sole purpose is finding ways to break her son and Rosie up, and Conrad is cooped up in the MacAfee's house with every citizen of Sweet Apple watching his every move. To add to the excitement, Albert announces that the kiss will take place on live T.V. on the Ed Sullivan Show, with the whole town participating in the performance. All does not go as planned, however, when a fed-up Rosie sneaks Hugo into the Theatre during the live broadcast, where he interrupts the kiss by punching Conrad in the face and knocking him out. Rosie breaks up with Albert on the spot and leaves him to finish the segment with a dazed Conrad and camera-smitten Harry blowing kisses to the T.V. audience.

Back at the MacAfee house, Rosie packs to leave Albert and Sweet Apple altogether, and Kim, enraged at Hugo for punching Conrad, plans to leave with her. Conrad, intent to enjoy one last night of freedom before he ships out, heads out for a night on the town, against Albert's orders. He meets up with Kim and the rest of the teens and tells them about the greater joys in life, like moonlight swims and motor-boat races. They head to The Ice House, a local teen hangout, while Rosie finds herself at Maude's Roadside Retreat, drinking and dancing the night away with a group of Shriners. Meanwhile Albert is desperate to find Rosie as he realizes he cannot handle things without her, and goes to search for her, only to run into Harry and the other parents, all searching for their missing kids. Albert manages to catch up with Rosie outside of Maude's, and after hearing from Hugo that Kim is with Conrad at The Ice House, they all head there where Harry has Conrad arrested for spending time with his daughter and the youngsters. Albert, having finally stood up to his Mother about Rosie, bails Conrad out and manages to get him and his Mother on a train back to New York while he stays behind to marry Rosie and then head to his new job as an English teacher in Pumpkin Falls, Iowa, where they're finally able to start their new life together.

Bye Bye Birdie Tickets 2026

A Musical Comedy featuring the Sidney Dance Company