Rock 'n' Roll Just Right for the Milk and Cookies Set

By BEN BRANTLEY

Published: May 8, 2004

As Rosie Alvarez, his long-suffering secretary and sweetheart (first played by Chita Rivera), Karen Ziemba provides the polish, conviction and good humor that infuse all her performances. She's the show's island of credibility.

And in a charming demonstration that style, talent and professionalism know no age, there are two scrumptiously confident character portraits by the 10-year-old William Ullrich, who plays Kim's little brother, and a woman who first appeared at City Center in 1955. That's Doris Roberts, a current sweetheart of television audiences via "Everybody Loves Raymond." Here Ms. Roberts plays Mae Peterson, Albert's mother and the ultimate artist of the maternal guilt trip.

Ms. Roberts has been around long enough to know that with a part like Mae, you don't need to push hard. As she tosses away her son-squelching lines like so many used Kleenexes, Ms. Roberts reminds you that while old musicals can sometimes grow stale, old pros can blossom like springtime before an audience eager to love them.

BYE BYE BIRDIE

Book by Michael Stewart; music by Charles Strouse; lyrics by Lee Adams; originally produced by Edward Padula; directed by Jerry Zaks; the Encores! Orchestra. Scenic consultant, John Lee Beatty; sound by Peter Fitzgerald; costume consultant, William Ivey Long; lighting by Ken Billington; concert adaptation, David Ives; orchestrations, Robert Ginzler; musical coordinator, Seymour Red Press; production stage manager, Karen Moore; choreographer, Casey Nicholaw. A City Center Encores! production, Jack Viertel, artistic director; Rob Fisher, music director; Kathleen Marshall, director in residence. Presented by City Center, Arlene Shuler, president and C.E.O.; Mark Litvin Sr., vice president and managing director. At 131 West 55th Street, Manhattan.

WITH: Karen Ziemba (Rosie Alverez), Daniel Jenkins (Albert Peterson), Walter Bobbie (Harry MacAfee), Doris Roberts (Mae Peterson), Jessica Grové (Kim MacAfee), Bob Gaynor (Conrad Birdie), Victoria Clark (Doris MacAfee), Keith Nobbs (Hugo Peabody) and William Ullrich (Randolph MacAfee).