It’s a Bird . . . It’s a Plane .. It’s a TV star! Patrick Cassidy will be joining the DTC’s cast of It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman. And Cassidy knows about dramatic supermen. After all, he stared in two Superman-inspired TV-series: Lois and Clark and Smallville. Cassidy will be playing Super-nemesis Max Mencken in the DTC’s musical. Interestingly, it’s a role Cassidy’s father, Jack Cassidy originated in the 1966 Broadway production of It’s a Bird… The Dallas Theater Centers also announced yesterday that Zakiya Young will play the role of Lois Lane opposite Matt Cavenaugh’s Clark Kent. Here’s the full release, which contains some other casting highlights:
It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman
DALLAS (April 26, 2010) – Stage and screen star Patrick Cassidy joins the cast of Dallas Theater Center’s productionof It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman as the Man of Steel’s arch nemesis Max Mencken, the role originated by his father, Jack Cassidy, in the 1966 original Broadway production.
No stranger to the world of Superman, Cassidy appeared in the 1990’s television series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, as well as the more recent hit series Smallville. He also played the role of Max Mencken in the Los Angeles-based Reprise Theatre Company’s one night reading of the original version of It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman in 2007. Cassidy’s Broadway productions include Pirates of Penzance, Annie Get Your Gun, and 42nd Street. He also originated the role of the Balladeer in Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins. His screen performances include the films Longtime Companion and How the West Was Fun, and, on television, his Emmy-nominated performance in Dress Gray.
Zakiya Young (The Little Mermaid) will play Lois Lane opposite Matt Cavenaugh as the iconic Clark Kent and his superhero alter ego Superman, with Jenny Powers (Grease; Little Women) playing the role of Sydney Sharp, Clark Kent’s other love interest in the show.
Joining Cassidy, Cavenaugh, Powers and Young are: Andrew Keenan Bolger as Torchy; Bob Hess as the Court Jester; Julie Johnson as Scarlet Widow; Matthew Kilgore as Kazam; Chris Klink; Addi McDaniel; Cara Serber as Marilyn Nessbit; Paul Taylor as Jack-in-the-Box; McKenzie Warren; Steven Wenslawski; Kate Wetherhead (Legally Blonde; Spelling Bee; DTC’s Sarah; Plain and Tall) as Blackbird; Kent Zimmerman as Jupiter James; and Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company members Hassan El-Amin as Perry White; Sean Hennigan as Mayor Siegel; and Cedric Neal as Cadabra.
The acclaimed design team includes set design by Beowulf Boritt (Sondheim on Sondheim; Spelling Bee; Rock of Ages; DTC’s Give It Up!; A Midsummer Night’s Dream); costume design by Jennifer Caprio (Spelling Bee; DTC’s In the Beginning); sound design by Rob Kaplowitz (Golda’s Balcony; Fela!); lighting design by Jeff Croiter (Next Fall); with musical direction by Kimberly Grigsby (Grease; Spring Awakening; Caroline, or Change; The Full Monty) and additional orchestrations and arrangements by Eugene Gwozdz.
With music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Lee Adams, and original book by David Newman and Robert Benton, the musical based upon the comic strip “SUPERMAN” and originally directed by Harold Prince, DTC’s production will feature additional material by playwright and comic book writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. DTC Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty directs with choreography by DTC Associate Artist Joel Ferrell.
All performances of It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman will be held at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, located at 2400 Flora St., where it runs June 18 – July 25. Preview performances June 18-24. Opening night is Friday, June 25, at 8 p.m. Performance times are Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.; and select Sunday evening at 7 p.m. Single ticket prices are $15-$85 and are available by calling the box office at 214.880.0202 or by visiting www.dallastheatercenter.org.
