'BIRDIE' Star Funk Suffers Tonsillitis, Out of Friday Performance

The New York Times reports that Bye Bye Birdie star Nolan Gerard Funk, who plays the title character in the new revival of the musical, missed Friday's performance because he has tonsillitis.

A spokesman for the Roundabout Theater Company production stated to The Times that Mr. Funk's understudy, Robert Hager, would play the singer Conrad Birdie. Spokesman, Adrian Bryan-Brown, remarked to the paper that Mr. Funk's ability to return to the show would be determined on a performance-by-performance basis. 

This weekend marks performances when most major critics are set to see the show, and Bryan-Brown said he could not predict if Funk would be healthy enough to appear at Saturday's matinee or evening performances. Noland Gerard Funk is making his Broadway debut in the role.

Bye Bye Birdie will open officially on Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at the new Henry Miller's Theatre on Broadway. Bye Bye Birdie stars John Stamos (Albert Peterson), Gina Gershon(Rose Alvarez), Bill Irwin (Mr. Harry MacAfee) and Nolan Gerard Funk as "Conrad Birdie."

The cast also features Jayne Houdyshell (Mrs. Mae Peterson), Dee Hoty (Mrs. MacAfee), Matt Doyle (Hugo Peabody), Jake Evan Schwencke (Randolph MacAfee) & Allie Trimm (Kim MacAfee). Robert Longbottom directs and choreographs Bye Bye Birdie with a book byMichael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams.

Additional cast members include Catherine Blades, Deanna Cipolla,Paula Leggett Chase, Riley Costello, John Treacy Egan, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Todd Gearhart, Patty Goble, Suzanne Grodner, Robert Hager, Nina Hennessey, Natalie Hill, Julia Knitel, Jess Le Protto, David McDonald, JC Montgomery, Jillian Mueller, Paul Pilcz, Daniel Quadrino,Emma Rowley, Tim Shew, Kevin Shotwell, Allison Strong, Bethany Ann Tesarck, Jim Walton, Brynn Williams, Branch Woodman.

In Bye Bye Birdie, the exuberant rock n' roll musical comedy, it's 1960 and hip-swingin' teen idol superstar Conrad Birdie (Funk) has been drafted into the army. Birdie's manager Albert (Stamos) and his secretary Rosie (Gershon) have cooked up a plan to send him off with a swell new song and one last kiss from a lucky teenage fan... on "The Ed Sullivan Show"!

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. Bye Bye Birdie plays Tuesday through Saturday evening at 8:00PM with Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00PM.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.