VINTAGE PLAYBILL: It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman Opening Night, 1966

By Brynn Cox
20 Mar 2013

The New York City Center Encores! revival of It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman begins its limited run March 20, starring Edward Watts, Jenny Powers, Will Swenson and Alli Mauzey. The Playbill Vault looks back at the musical's Broadway premiere.

The Charles Strouse-Lee Adams collaboration premiered at the Alvin (now Neil Simon) Theatre on March 29, 1966. The cast featured Patricia Marand as Lois Lane, Linda Lavin as Sydney, Jack Cassidy as Max Mencken and Bob Holiday as Superman.

The musical received a warm review in the New York Times. Stanley Kauffmann wrote: "How nice it is to go to a purported entertainment and actually be entertained. What a novelty!" 

Though the show's critical reception was generally positive, the production failed to find an audience and shuttered after 129 performances.

Read the opening night Playbill in the Vault.