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Our Favorite
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When does a Broadway show become historical?
During the 1965-1966 season, 51 plays opened on Broadway. Some lasted less than a week. Some of the best theater Broadway has ever staged sold tickets that season. A list of Broadway fare running at the same time as "It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman©" includes Sweet Charity, Mame, Man of La Mancha (off-Broadway), Hello Dolly!, Fiddler on the Roof, Mark Twain Tonight!, Wait Until Dark, Cactus Flower, and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. The names of these shows are still well known, and they are considered classic Broadway hits.
Despite the authoritative Theatre World chronicle of Broadway shows including "It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman©" on its short list of shows worth noting, more than a few people have classed "It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman©" as a flop. In reality, "It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman©" racked up 129 official performances on Broadway, has been revived countless times, and is still loved today. Hardly a flop! (In contrast, have you ever heard of Mrs. Dally or The Wayward Stork?)
Bob Holiday himself may have documented the first time "It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman©" worked its way up to being a historical Broadway show. From Superman on Broadway (co-written by Bob Holiday and Chuck Harter):
Sometime in 1987, I visited Washington D.C. on a vacation and took a tour of the Smithsonian Institution. Imagine my surprise and delight to see a large Superman Exhibit that contained, among other things, the Playbill and a poster from the Broadway Musical. I felt very proud that my part in the Superman saga was honored in this way.
That’s right! A picture of Bob was actually displayed in the Smithsonian Institute! That's historic!
Click HERE to read Part 2 of how "It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman©" made it into the history books!
SupermanBobHoliday.com SupermanBobHoliday.com
