It's A Bird... It's A Plane... It's Superman
Original Broadway Cast Recording
Music	Charles Strouse
Lyrics	Lee Adams
Book	David Newman Robert Benton
Basis	Superman series of comic books
Productions	1966 Broadway 2007 Los Angeles Concert

It's A Bird... It's A Plane... It's Superman is a musical with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, with a book by David Newman and Robert Benton. It is based on the comic book character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics.

[edit] Synopsis

The plot revolves around Superman's efforts to defeat Dr. Abner Sedgwick, a ten-time Nobel Prize-losing scientist who seeks to avenge the scientific world's dismissal of his brilliance by attempting to destroy the world's symbol of good. Additionally, Superman comes into romantic conflict with Max Mencken, a columnist for the Daily Planet newspaper, who resents Lois Lane's attraction to Superman.

[edit] Production history

The musical opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on March 29, 1966. Directed by Harold Prince with choreography by Ernest Flatt, it starred Jack Cassidy, Bob Holiday as Clark Kent and Superman, and Patricia Marand as Lois Lane. The production received generally positive reviews, but it failed to catch on with the theater-going public and closed on July 17, 1966 after 129 performances. The main theme is the peril of moral relativism; as the song "We Need Him" puts it, "when the world's moral standards grow murky / we need him."^[1] The musical received three Tony Award nominations, for Best Actor in a Musical (Cassidy), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Michael O'Sullivan, playing the main villain), and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Marand).

It was produced at the Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut, from June 1992 through July 3, 1992, with Gary Jackson (as Superman), Jamie Ross, Veanne Cox and Gabriel Barre.^[2]

On May 14, 2007, the Reprise! Marvelous Musical Mondays program in Los Angeles presented a concert version of the musical at the Ralph Freud Theatre on the campus of UCLA. The cast featured Patrick Cassidy in his father's old role as Max Mencken, Cheyenne Jackson as Superman, Jean Louisa Kelly as Lois Lane, Richard Kind as Dr. Sedgwick, and composer Charles Strouse in a special appearance as Perry White.^[3]

From June 15-17, 2007, the "Musicals in MUFTI" series at the York Theatre Company in New York City presented a concert version of the musical. Cheyenne Jackson, Jean Louisa Kelly and composer Charles Strouse reprised their roles from the L.A. concert. The rest of the cast featured Lea DeLaria (Dr. Abner Sedgwick), Shoshana Bean (Sydney), Stan Chandler (Jim Morgan), David Rasche (Max Menken), Michael Winther (La Tete), Scot Federly, Rachel Jones, Rodney Peck, Amy Ryder,and Katherine Von Till.^[4] Bob Holiday, the original Broadway Superman, attended the June 16 matinee.

Still photos can be seen in the documentary Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, as well as footage from the TV version.

[edit] TV special

David Wilson and Lesley Ann Warren as Superman and Lois Lane in ABC's 1975 TV production of the musical.

It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman was made into a TV special on February 1, 1975. It was broadcast on the ABC network under its Wide World of Entertainment late-night umbrella title to poor critical reception. It starred David Wilson as Superman/Clark Kent, Lesley Ann Warren as Lois Lane, Loretta Swit as Sydney Carlton, David Wayne as Dr. Abner Sedgwick, and Kenneth Mars as Max Mencken.

[edit] Original Broadway cast

• Max Mencken – Jack Cassidy
• Jim Morgan – Don Chastain
• Superman/Clark Kent – Bob Holiday
• Lois Lane – Patricia Marand
• Perry White – Eric Mason
• Sydney – Linda Lavin
• Dr. Abner Sedgwick – Michael O'Sullivan
• Father Ling – Jerry Fujikawa
• Suspect #2 – Dick Miller

[edit] Musical numbers

[edit] Other media

Two of the songs have become notable outside of the musical. One, an instrumental version of the song "It's Superman" was used as the introductory music for all the newscasts on WTOP-TV (Channel 9, now WUSA-TV) in Washington, DC, from 1970 until 1982, when the station was called WDVM. The song "You've Got Possibilities" from the musical was featured in a 2005 TV commercial for Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• APPLAUSE! Musicals in Concert
• It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's Superman at the Internet Broadway Database
• It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's Superman at the Internet Movie Database for the 1975 TV production
• Lyrics
• Charles Strouse & Lee Adams (1966). It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman (Original Cast CD). Sony. ISBN B0000027WB. 
• Bob Holiday's Web Site