Ronnie Marmo as Bill Wilson in “Bill W. and Dr. Bob.” (Credit: Cortney Roles)

Superman debuted in the 1930s, but the Man of Steel didn’t save nearly as many people as a real-life dynamic duo without capes or super powers.

In the same decade, two unassuming middle-aged men – Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith – joined forces to create Alcoholics Anonymous. They are long gone, but their work continues around the world. In Cook County alone, there are hundreds of AA meetings each week for those seeking support.

“Bill W. and Dr. Bob” was first produced off-Broadway in 2007, and this is its Chicago premiere. It’s a piercing and honest look at the origin story of a pair of broken men who became heroes of healing.

Actor Ronnie Marmo stars and directs, and he earns a tip of the fedora just for lighting up the dormant Biograph Theater with not one but two shows: “Bill W. and Dr. Bob” and his one-man tour de force “I’m Not a Comedian… I’m Lenny Bruce,” directed by Joe Mantegna.

Marmo anchors the play as Bill Wilson, and he portrays him with easy grace and a Pacino vibe. He’s ably matched by the boisterous Steve Gelder as Dr. Bob, a physician who would literally drink booze before performing operations. The game cast includes empathetic performances by Katherine Wettermann and Elizabeth Rude as their supportive but beleaguered wives.

It’s a straightforward staging without bells or whistles. In an age of digital projections and pricey sets, it’s refreshing to see just a few chairs, a table and a telephone against a black backdrop.

The production’s power comes not from stagecraft but from the unlikely story of two willful men who figured out how to cure themselves, codify the treatment and spread the word.

Ronnie Marmo, left, as Bill Wilson and Steve Gelder as Dr. Bob Smith in “Bill W. and Dr. Bob.” (Credit: Cortney Roles)

At times it feels like an old-fashioned movie, with cinematic fades to black and music cues of the era. Set mostly during the depths of the Great Depression, it manages to be a show of hope and good cheer. Once Bill W. and Dr. Bob discover their vocation and a program that works, they relocate their own hearts and souls.

Think of all the plays that are soaked in alcohol, from “The Iceman Cometh” to “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” or the many films about the bottle and the damage done, including “The Lost Weekend” and “Leaving Las Vegas.” Drinking can be more dramatic than temperance, no doubt.

Yet here stands a story about one extraordinary and sober friendship that generated countless support groups and helped millions of people. One day at a time, Bill W. and Dr. Bob viewed sobriety as a journey, not a destination. In this case, “Bill W. and Dr. Bob” is a worthy destination.

“Bill W. and Dr. Bob” runs through April 14 at the Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. For more information, visit billwanddrbobonstage.com.