“What is it about 1950’s era nostalgia? Poodle skirts, bobby socks, and the birth of the old demon, Rock N’ Roll, have transfixed American audiences for the last half-century. The silver screen’s romance with “the good old days” made its mark in the 1970s with “American Graffiti” and its later TV spin-offs “Happy Days” & “Laverne and Shirley” (we try not to remember “Joanie Loves Chachi”). “Grease” of course is the quintessential baby boomer balm, with both the film and the stage musical on continual playback ad nauseum. “Bye Bye Birdie” however lead this pack of mid-century schmaltz when it hit Broadway in 1960 with the venerable Dick Van Dyke and Chita Rivera (with a follow-up film version in 1963 where Rivera reprised her role with Peter Marshall). A comedic musical revisit of Elvis Presley’s iconic draft into the US Army in 1958, “Birdie” reflects on a small town “simpler” Americana where you don’t have to lock your doors at night and the biggest concern is the stray rock and roll hooligan rolling into town riling the kids up…”