Neglected Musicals: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman
Sydney’s next ‘Neglected Musical’ is It’s a Bird It’s a Plane It’s Superman on October 6, 2014
Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Lee Adams Book by David Newman & Robert Benton
Based on comic strip “Superman”
Broadway production produced by Harold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell
Directed for the Broadway stage by Harold Prince
Presented by Neglected Musicals Pty Ltd
By Arrangement with Tams – Witmark Music Library Inc
Directed by Stuart Maunder
Musical Director Mark Chamberlain
Starring Leigh Archer, Tim Dal Cortivo, Rebecca Matheson, Lucy Maunder, Elise McCann, Matt McFarlan, James Millar, Kurt Phelan and Matt Young.
Neglected Musicals will present It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman, at Hayes Theatre Co on Monday, 6 October. Directed by Stuart Maunder this 1966 Broadway Musical is the classic battle between good and evil by one of the comic world’s most renowned superhero’s, Superman.
Neglected Musicals presents musical theatre that has never, or rarely been seen in Australia. Neglected Musicals presents a reading of a chosen show with scripts in hand, with the musical numbers sung through, after only one days rehearsal.
“As a young director I idolized Hal Prince, as an old director I still do,” said Stuart Maunder. “When I read that as a young stage manager/producer, Prince had decided to cut his directing chops on It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane, It’s Superman, this young stage manager/producer/director knew he to find out more about the show that started a directorial career that includes Cabaret, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, and Sondheim musicals from Company toMerrily We Roll Along. And what did I find: a camp, silly, glorious little musical with enough heart to blow up Krypton. With its quirky score by the creators of Bye Bye Birdie and ridiculous ‘Pop Art’ book it’s ripe for the Neglected Musicals treatment. Who doesn’t want to leap buildings at a single bound? And surely any show with a song titled ‘Pow! Bang! Zonk!’ has to be a winner. And with this glorious cast…. I can’t wait.”
The original production of It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman was directed by Harold Prince and played at The Alvin Theatre on Broadway from March 29 1966 – July 17 1966. It starred Bob Holiday as Clark Kent, Patricia Marand, Jack Cassidy and Linda Lavin. The musical received three Tony nominations for Best Actor in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical and Best Featured Actress in a Musical. With songs including We Need Him,You’ve Got Possibilities and It’s Superman
Dr. Abner Sedgewick, an esteemed physician at the Metropolis Institute of Technology, is also a ten-time Nobel Prize loser. Bitter and twisted by his failure, Dr Sedgewick wants to take revenge on the world, by destroying Superman and all the good he represents. Superman must defeat Sedgewick and foil his villainous plans in order to save Metropolis and the world. But this quest is no ordinary task for Superman. This time he not only must save the world, but confront envious co-workers and frustrated love interests, all whilst maintaining his secret identity as Clark Kent. After being pushed to his furthest limits and even questioning his self-purpose, will Superman be able to turn himself around in order to triumph?
“It’s been 18 months since the last Neglected Musical,” said producer Michelle Guthrie. “As this will be our tenth presentation and our first at Hayes Theatre Co it’s great to present a very rare and wonderful musical from one of Broadways great collaborators Charles Strouse.”
Monday 6 October at 2pm & 8pm
Hayes Theatre Co, Potts Point
Tickets $38
Bookings via the Neglected Musicals website, Hayes Theatre Co website
or by calling 02 8065 7337