Cheyenne Jackson Saves Day in 'Superman'

The return of Superman was given star-studded treatment befit for royalty, as the Man of Steel resurfaced on stage in a concert-staging of It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, as part of L.A.'s Reprise! Broadway's Best Marvelous Musical Monday series on May 14.  This musical rarity, last seen on Broadway in it's original 1966 run, is a throwback to the olden days of theatre like no other.

Selecting a quirky production such as Superman to round out the 10th anniversary season of one-night shows, the producers of Reprise! found the perfect compliment to their informal presentation style, as this musical is best left to the ears and not the eyes, or so one can imagine.

David Newman and Robert Benton's book revolves around a rather flimsy plot pitting Superman against a mad scientist bent on ruining the hero's reputation and getting even with the scientific community at large.  And of course, there is the requisite romance between the sassy reporter, Lois Lane.  Add to the mix a reporter out to get the dirty scoop on Clark Kent's alter ego, and what you get is a typical late-night serial plot that soars to the highest level of mediocrity.

Lucky for the two writers, Director Stuart Ross, along with musical director Georgia Stitt, opted to give Superman a tongue-in-cheek presentation whilst filling the roles with notable stage talents who have a fantastic way of making self mockery come alive.  With nothing more than microphones and scripts in hand, the superb cast, including such Broadway notables as Patrick Cassidy, Shoshana Bean, Jean Louisa Kelly, Richard Kind and Cheyenne Jackson as Superman, filled the show with just enough pizzaz.

Yet, without perfectly silly music from Charles Strouse and lyricist Lee Adams, Superman would not have much appeal, and in a score befitting the Marvelous moniker, Strouse made a cherished appearance on stage to fill out the role of Kent's boss Perry White.  The score is highly reminiscent of the familiar Superman theme music of yesteryear, and coupled with the overall production, the Reprise! spin on things perfectly captured the feeling of the Superman radio serials of the 1940's.

Jackson (All Shook Up) as both Superman and Clark Kent gave a super performance as the tights wearing crime fighter.  From the moment he jumped on stage with the iconic hand on hip pose, this chiseled-chin actor embodied all that is corny and fun about the comic book star.  With a slump of his shoulders and donning square-rimmed spectacles, Jackson pulled off a classic Kent look.  As Kelly (Into the Woods) casted her adoring eyes on Superman, her cute as a button appeal, coupled with an elegant vocal, was a fine compliment to the dashing leading man.

Fellow Daily Planet reporters, Sydney (Shoshana Bean) and Max Mencken (Cassidy) are love interest and foil, respectively, to Superman, with each actor providing larger-than-life caricatures of comic book fashion.  Bean (Wicked) packed a powerful punch with her stellar range, hitting every high note, and then some, required of the bit part, not to mention her sexed up buxom looks.  And Cassidy brought a perfectly snide aspect to the no good reporter role.

Standing out from this accomplished crowd is no easy feat, so when Kind (The Producers) took the stage as the curmudgeonly scientist, his ingenious comic timing and wry delivery immediately stole the spotlight.  There is no better casting choice than Kind for a role that requires a schlub-like turn.  The constant whining over his 10 time Nobel Prize losses never grew old, superbly captured in the maniacal number "Revenge."

There are a few duds mixed in amongst the silly tunefest, but with songs like "You've Got Possibilities," "It's Super Nice" and "I'm Not Finished Yet," Superman has a good deal of charm.

Other cast members included Stan Chandler, Jody Ashworth, Kevin Odekirk, Tery Rhoads, Amy Ryder, Anne Fraser Thomas and Katherine Von Till.  For more information on Reprise! Broadway's Best, visit www.reprise.org. 

Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.  (Top) Cheyenne Jackson; (Bottom) Richard Kind.

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