Review: 'Jerry and Joe: Birth of the Superhero' Soars

"Jerry and Joe: Birth of the Superhero" is a superhero origin story – with a difference: This time it's about the creation of Superman as a crime-fighting comic book phenom. The legendary character was the product of two Cleveland teenagers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Siegel and Shuster, both Jewish, grew up as outcasts in the 1930s. After experiencing anti-semitism, the pair bonded over their shared love of science fiction movies and stories. Jerry was a writer and Joe was an illustrator. Together, they are responsible for a beloved cultural icon who endures more than 85 years after his "birth."

"Jerry and Joe" features the lead characters sharing their story with a tenacious female reporter (terrifically played by Julian Trilling). Siegel and Shuster endure financial difficulties, creative differences, and failed romances as they follow their dreams.

The two lead performers, David O. Weber as Jerry, and Derek Laurendeau as Joe, are tremendously likable and charismatic. Weber has a twinkle in the eye as Jerry proposes various characters for stories, while Laurendeau has a charming sense of vulnerability due to Joe's failing eyesight and his lack of success with the opposite sex.

Weber and Laurendeau are perfectly matched and always convincing as these two young men fight to make their dreams come true. Jerry's goal was to create a superhero who could serve as a "champion for the oppressed" and "help those in need."

Geoff White, a veteran actor, skillfully plays multiple roles, including a Judge and a mysterious man looking to hire Joe. Lionel Lafleur ("The Three Scrooges") is suitably hateful as the unscrupulous comic book company executive who cheats Jerry and Joe out of the profits they deserve from the success of Superman.

"Jerry and Joe" is a must-see for fans of Superman, as well as anyone fascinated by the creative process of writers and artists, as the play offers insights into the character's creation. Superman's alter ego, the mild-mannered Clark Kent, was needed to provide a disguise for the stranger from the planet Krypton. Lois Lane, Clark's fellow reporter at the Daily Planet, was inspired by a woman Jerry had a crush on.

Jerry and Joe drew on their own experiences to create Superman. They wanted someone who was physically powerful, as well as virtuous. A man in a blue suit with a red cape and a giant "S" emblazoned on his chest. A man who could leap tall buildings and fly to the heavens. There's an amusing moment when Jerry and Joe admit to hating Batman, Superman's main rival in the comics world.

Eventually, Jerry and Joe won the recognition (and the money) they deserved for their work, courtesy of attorneys Neil Adams (Jon Govoni) and Jerry Robinson (Nathan Suher).

Writer/Director Lenny Schwartz has a strong affection for the comic book world, having chronicled the origins of Batman ("Bill Finger: Rise of the Bat") and Spiderman ("Ditko"). He celebrates the ambition that drove Jerry and Joe, as well as their humanity. In the aftermath of the Great Depression, and facing the beginning of World War II, their goal in creating a superhero was a noble one: "We had to give people hope," Jerry explains.

"Jerry and Joe: Birth of the Superhero" runs through May 24 at the Daydream Theatre Company and The Rhode Island Stage Ensemble. Performances at Bell Street Chapel, 5 Bell St., Providence, RI. Runtime is 2 hours and 15 minutes with intermission. For tickets, visit ristage.org.