Character guide
Mae Peterson
from Bye Bye Birdie
Mae Peterson is Albert Peterson's overbearing, meddling mother in Bye Bye Birdie, the 1960 musical by Charles Strouse.
- Show
- Bye Bye Birdie
- Broadway premiere
- 1960
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Charles Strouse
Mae Peterson on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1963 film and 1995 TV movie
Mae gets a different exit on screen. On stage, Albert finally packs his smothering mother onto the train out of Sweet Apple to get her out of his life; the 1963 film instead gives her a twist of her own, as she reveals that she has married Mr. Maude, which frees Albert to marry Rosie. Maureen Stapleton played Mae in the film.
Kay Medford originated the role on Broadway in 1960, and Tyne Daly played Mae in the 1995 ABC TV movie opposite Jason Alexander's Albert.
Who is Mae Peterson?
Mae is a domineering, guilt tripping mother who refuses to let her adult son Albert live his own life, resenting his girlfriend Rosie Alvarez and pushing him to stay tied to the songwriting career and household she controls. She is a comic monster of maternal manipulation, deploying tears, insults, and passive aggression in equal measure.
Mae's stranglehold on Albert is central to the show's romantic conflict, since Albert cannot fully commit to Rosie until he finds the nerve to stand up to his mother, giving Mae an outsized influence on the plot despite her limited stage time.
Mae's role in Bye Bye Birdie
Mae Peterson is a supporting role written as a showcase for a sharp character comedienne, built around biting one liners rather than an extended vocal showcase. Her scenes provide some of the show's broadest, most farcical comedy.
Kay Medford originated the role on Broadway, earning acclaim for her acid tongued delivery, and the part remains a favorite for veteran comic actresses who relish playing an unapologetically difficult, larger than life mother.
Mae Peterson: frequently asked questions
What show is Mae Peterson from?
Mae Peterson is a supporting character in Bye Bye Birdie, which opened in 1960.
Is Mae Peterson a lead or supporting role?
Mae Peterson is a supporting role.
Who wrote the music for Bye Bye Birdie?
Charles Strouse composed the music, with lyrics by Lee Adams.
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