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Please, for the love of God, quit paying to see Spider-Man on Broadway!
This seems to be my soap box lately. Why in the world are people paying to see “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark?” (Still worse title ever). It has had ZERO positive reviews by critics and no one I know who has seen it has anything good to say about it, yet, tickets are selling like gangbusters. Sales were up 3% last week. grossing $1.3 million dollars. To put that into perspective, “Wicked,” a highly successful show grossed $1.4 million. So a brilliant show barely outgrosses a pathetic show. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?
Producers of the show have been doing focus groups to help fix the problems of the show, but when so much is wrong, I don’t know if you can make it right. In other words, QUIT SPENDING YOUR MONEY TO SEE A CRAPPY SHOW WHEN BROADWAY HAS SOME BRILLIANTLY WONDERFUL FANTASTIC SHOWS!!!
Spider-Man Cancels Tomorrow’s Matinee…But The Show Still Goes On
The spokesperson for “SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK” just released this statement…
“OSHA, Actors Equity and the New York State Department of Labor have met with the Spider-Man company today to discuss additional safety protocols. It was agreed that these measures would be enacted immediately.
Tomorrow’s matinee has been postponed and will be rescheduled.
Tomorrow evening’s, and all subsequent performances will proceed as scheduled.”
UPDATE: Spider-Man Actor in Serious Condition
According to Bellevue Hospital, actor Christopher Tierney, who was injured in last night’s Broadway performance of “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark,” is in serious condition.
The Associated Press quotes fire officials who said Tierney fell from 30 feet to the stage floor. An unnamed actor says his harness snapped. The same unnanamed actor said performers are responsible for securing themselves into their own harnesses. It was not known if Tierney had properly secured himself.
Mariana Leung, a fashion blogger wrote on her website, NearSay.com, that she witnessed the accident from the front row of the balcony. She says there was a scream and someone then yelled out to call 9-1-1. She says that was followed by an announcement that the show would be delayed and minutes later another announcement that the show was not continuing. Leung said the shocked audience slowly exited the theater and Tierney was later carried out to the ambulance in costume.
Tierney is the fourth actor in the $65-million Broadway musical to be seriously injured.
Yet Another Injury in the Spider-Man Musical
Four. That’s the number of cast members injured so far in the new Broadway musical, “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.” Still hate that title. Of course, those are only the injuries we know about.
Last night’s performance was stopped after a performer fell about eight to 10 feet during the final moments of the show. The New York Times reports that it’s actor Christopher Tierney, an aerialist in the show. Some equipment also fell into the audience when the accident occurred.
Christopher Tierney
Witnesses reported hearing the young actress who plays Mary Jane screaming and sobbing just moments after the fall occurred.
Although the show’s official opening has been delayed to February, there are still 8 preview performances each week; 8 times that an actor can get seriously injured in this show. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before someone dies from these obviously dangerous stunts. Is Broadway really worth that? Spider-Man, turn on the light and use some common sense. Fix your problems, then do your show.
Spider-Man All Tangled Up On Broadway
The new Broadway show, “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark (which is one of the stupidest titles I have heard in a long time), ran into some major troubles Sunday in its very first preview performance. The $65 million show (the most expensive ever) left actors dangling in the air above the audience and had to be stopped no less than five times, according to published reports. All of the delays pushed its run time to more than three hours. Oy!
The show has been plagued with delays and problems since its inception more than eight years ago. The director of the show is Tony-winner Julie Taymor (The Lion King) and U2′s Bono and The Edge wrote the music. The show officially opens in January.
More Spidey Troubles – Opening Rescheduled — AGAIN!
Jan 14
Posted by franklyHANK
Again, the producer say they need more time to tweek the show. Listen, I get it, all shows get tweeked in previews, but if you have to tweek this much, there is clearly a grander problem and you never should have played Broadway to begin with. You can’t tell me that in workshops and rehearsals no one mentioned that the script sucked? Come on! SOMEBODY had to have noticed.
The thing that really boggles my mind is that Spidey keeps selling out!!! Last week, the show beat the king of Broadway, “Wicked.” Granted, it was only by $58, but “Wicked” regularly pulls in a million dollars a week and that crappy show “Spider-Man” beat it! Why are people going to see this? Word of mouth is not good. Two critics broke ranks and did reviews of the previews which were not kind. Everyone I know who has seen it says the book (or script) is weak and there is no story in the second act. Actors are getting hurt and leaving the show. So please, someone tell me, what compels you to see this show? If there were discount tickets, perhaps, I would see it, just for the spectacle. But there is no way I am paying $126 to see a crappy Broadway show. There are too many good and great shows on the Great White Way for me to see something I am going to hate.
Can anyone save “Spider-Man?” By the way, the producers promise this is the last time they are changing the opening date. Ugh huh!
Posted in Broadway, Commentary
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Tags: Bono, Broadway, Julie Taymor, musical, opening, Spider-Man, Turn Off The Dark, U2