Edward Watts Set to Lead Encores! IT'S A BIRD... IT'S A PLANE... IT'S SUPERMAN, 3/20-24

Edward Watts will star as Superman in the New York City Center Encores! production of It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, running March 20- 24 at City Center. Stay tuned for the identities of the actors portraying Lois Lane, the evil Dr. Sedgwick and other inhabitants of the city of Metropolis.

Edward Watts was recently seen on Broadway in Scandalous in the dual roles of Robert Semple and David Hutton. He appeared on Broadway in Finian's Rainbow, Off-Broadway in The Fantasticks and in New York City Opera's production of The Most Happy Fella. His touring and regional credits include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Beauty and the Beast (Gaston), 1776 (Thomas Jefferson)and A Little Night Music (Carl Magnus).

It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, based on the comic strip "Superman," has a book by David Newman and Robert Benton, music byCharles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams. It will be directed by John Rando with choreography by Joshua Bergasse and music direction by Rob Berman. The show will run for seven performances from March 20- 24.

Charles Strouse and Lee Adams's partnership began in 1960 with their hit Bye Bye Birdie and continued with All American, Golden Boy and Applause.

The original production of It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman opened at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre) on March 29, 1966 and ran for 129 performances. It was directed by Harold Prince and starred Bob Holiday as Superman, Patricia Marand as Lois Lane, Jack Cassidy and Linda Lavin. The show features the songs "You've Got Possibilities," "You've Got What I Need," "I'm Not Finished Yet and "The Woman for The Man."

Rob Berman is in his sixth season as music director of Encores!, where he has conducted 15 productions and several gala concerts. Last season, Rob conducted the cast recordings of all three Encores! productions: Merrily We Roll Along, Pipe Dream, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Rob's Broadway conducting credits include Finian's Rainbow, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, The Pajama Game, The Apple Tree, Wonderful Town and Promises, Promises. He recently won an Emmy Award for his work as music director of the Kennedy Center Honors and he won a Helen Hayes Award for his musical direction of the Kennedy Center's production of Sunday in the Park with George. Rob recently conducted for Barbara Cook with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and he was also music director for the 2010 PBS presentation of A Broadway Celebration: In Performance at the White House.

John Rando directed the Encores! productions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, On the Town, Damn Yankees, Face the Music, Strike Up the Band, Do Re Mi, The Pajama Game and Of Thee I Sing. John's Broadway credits include A Christmas Story, The Wedding Singer, Urinetown (Tony and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Director), A Thousand Clowns and Neil Simon's The Dinner Party. Off-Broadway credits include All In The Timing (revival) and The Toxic Avenger,among many others.

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