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So, How’s the Singing in Bye Bye Birdie?

Bad, allegedly! The Post’s Michael Riedel reports this morning that the cast of Broadway’s Bye Bye Birdie is having pitch problems with only a week to go before opening night. Poor Gina Gershon (whom we love!) is terrified and upset, he says, frantically reaching out to other Broadway directors in the hopes that one might be able to help shape her performance at the last minute. According to sources close to the Rosie-playing actress, says Riedel, Birdie helmer Bobby Longbottom has so far only been able to change her choreography, though the problem seems to be more with her vocals (“If you can’t sing, you can’t sing,” says a person close to Longbottom). None of this will come as any great shock to those who’ve heard her album — but what may surprise you is who else is purportedly hitting wrong notes.

John Stamos! Yes, the same guy who so thoroughly impressed with his version of “Forever” at Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky’s wedding that he was made an honorary Beach Boy! Riedel says he has a unique “ability to hit notes outside the chromatic scale,” which certainly doesn’t sound very good. Is it too late to just hire Bryan Batt to play all the roles?


Shrill songs from ‘Birdie’ [NYP]

So, How’s the Singing in Bye Bye Birdie?