Sardi's Host BYE BYE BIRDIE 50th Anniversary Reunion with Original Cast, 10/20

BYE BYE BIRDIE is celebrating its 50th year anniversary of the original Tony Award Winning Broadway Company.

The reunion will be held at Sardi's on Wednesday, 10/20/10 beginning at 5:00 p.m.

The original Broadway Company included stars Dick Van Dyke, Chita Rivera, Kay Medford, Paul Lynde, Dick Gautier, Michael J. Pollard and Susan Watson. It was produced by Edward Padula and directed and choreographed by Hollywood and Broadway legend, Gower Champion.

Broadway stars Chita Rivera and Susan Watson are expected to attend along with Tony Award Winning composer and lyricist Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, who will be receiving a special ASCAP Award from composer, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin and Godspell).

Also in attendance will be Marge Champion, former wife and dance partner of Gower Champion and renowned musical director, Elliott Lawrence. Most of the teenagers from the original cast will be attending, many of whom went on to successful performing careers on Broadway.

The surprise event of the evening will be a special musical performance of songs from Bye Bye Birdie by the Chapin School which is presently preparing its own production of the show which will open next month.

The party is being co-hosted by Dean Stolber, Bye Bye Birdie's original Harvey Johnson, who grew up to become President of MGM On Stage - producer of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Legally Blonde and Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Gene Bayliss, the Associate Choreographer who created the original staging for the iconic "Telephone Hour" and "How Lovely To Be A Woman".

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi