It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman (1966)

42ND STREET MOON PRESENTS
IT’S A BIRD,
IT’S A PLANE,
IT’S SUPERMAN
(1966)

Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Lee Adams
Book by Robert Benton and David Newman

Directed by Bonnie Hellman
Musical Direction by Dave Dobrusky
Choreography by Jayne Zaban

42nd Street Moon, San Francisco’s own award-winning presenters of "lost musicals," opens its 2001 season with It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman, a sly and sassy send-up of the Man of Steel. With a tongue-in-cheek script by Robert Benton and David Newman (who went on to write Bonnie and Clyde and the blockbuster Superman film) and a fabulous, much-lauded score by Bye Bye Birdie's Charles Strouse and Lee Adams, the musical pokes fun at the American superhero whose unwavering morality, fidelity, and loyalty make him a bit of a dull cracker. It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman will be directed by Bonnie Hellman, with musical direction by Dave Dobrusky and choreography by Jayne Zaban, and will be presented in concert version from June 6 through 24, 2001

Although it has now slipped into obscurity, critics raved at the opening for It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman in 1966, including The New York Times which called it "fun, easily the best musical so far this season … it would be enjoyable in any season." Strouse and Adams provide a superb score, including "It’s Superman," "The Woman for the Man," "It’s Super Nice," "So Long, Big Guy," "The Strongest Man in the World," and "Pow! Bam! Zonk!"

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman is an action-packed glimpse into the life of DC Comics’ most forthright, eager, and famous hero. As the show opens, Superman – in his guise as Clark Kent – is working for the Daily Planet and in love with Lois Lane, although she is beginning to chafe at the problems inherent in dating a superhero. An arch-villain is soon plotting Superman’s downfall, in a convoluted plot which involves a troupe of acrobats (who can no longer get paid to perform since everyone started watching Superman fly for free), a supercomputer called the Brainiac 7, and a theatrical columnist who also hates the hero (both for dating Lois Lane and for constantly stealing his headlines). Will Superman fall prey to Professor Sedgewick’s psychobabble and lose his confidence in his own super abilities? Will he lose Lois to a less-than-charming rival who at least never cuts dates short to go rescue someone?

Robert Benton and David Newman were editors together at Esquire Magazine when they created the script for It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman. They went on to write the screenplays for 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde, for which they both received Oscar nominations, and the first Superman movie, a 1978 blockbuster. Benton also wrote and directed Kramer vs. Kramer, which won him two Oscars, as well as Places in the Heart, which garnered an Oscar and an Oscar nomination. Recent works from Newman include the book for the stage show The Life, as well as composing for Anastasia, which earned him an Oscar nomination; Bowfinger; the recent remake of Bedazzled; 102 Dalmations; and The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.

Composer Charles Strouse and lyricist Lee Adams had previously collaborated on Golden Boy as well as their recent hit show, Bye Bye Birdie, when they created the score for It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman. The pair went on to create music for All American, Applause (the stage musical based on the film, All About Eve), and reunited with Benton and Newman for the Oscar-nominated film, Bonnie and Clyde.

Starring as the Man of Steel will be Kurt Kroesche, seen at 42nd Street Moon in Out of this World and most recently at TheatreWorks in its production of Floyd Collins. Jenny Lord appears as Lois Lane; audiences will remember her from Lady, Be Good!, Goodtime Charley, and Face the Music as well as Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s The Green Bird and Marin Theatre Company’s Indiscretions. Joining them will be Jackson Davis as Dr. Sedgewick and Edward Hightower as theatre writer Max Mencken. Lisa Peers, recent winner of a Bay Area Theatre Critics’ Circle Award for her role last year in the Moon’s Out of this World, plays Sydney, Max’s frustrated assistant who makes a play for Clark Kent. David Gunderman appears as Jim Morgan, Superman’s romantic rival for Lois; Deborah Black is the wicked grand dame of the acrobatic family; and Pickle Circus favorite Diane Wasnak is one of her limber henchmen.