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Tale As Old As Time: Spider-Man Musical Opening Delayed For 6th Time, Green Goblin Gets Stuck
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 12, 2011
Modified Mar 12, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 12, 2011
Modified Mar 12, 2011
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Here is our nearly-daily Spider-Man: Turn Off Hopes Of Actually Opening Turn Off The Dark update: Last night, the extremely troubled, oft-delayed, and super-expensive production announced that its official opening has been pushed back for a sixth time to June 14, and that the show would be closed down between April 19 and May 12 "to allow rehearsal time for the new changes being implemented in the show... This amended schedule will allow the time necessary to execute the plan, which will include revisions to the script." As it happens, the news was announced just hours before the Green Goblin got stuck over the audience for a SECOND time this week (the first time was Wednesday).
According to the AP, "The Green Goblin's flight system failed during a fight scene, leaving him hanging over the stage for about three minutes before stagehands lowered him down. It was the second time this week that a technical problem interrupted a scene with the Goblin."
This comes as Bono, who along with U2 bandmate The Edge has written songs for the production, is reportedly taking a greater role in the show while visionary director Julie Taymor is being pushed out. The Post's Michael Riedel dishes, "Taymor is balking at efforts by the Broadway show's producers to oust her -- at least without giving her a hefty payday first, sources said yesterday. After testy talks between both sides, Taymor is now threatening that if she is forced to go, she'll take her script with her, the sources said. Producers are hurriedly 'preparing to start with a brand-new script if they have to,' one production source said." Well, based on the reviews (such as ours), would taking the script be the worst thing?
The NY Times looks at the money, "The $65-million-and-counting musical will end up having more than 180 preview performances — the most in history — assuming it opens as scheduled. 'Spider-Man' remains one of the top-grossing shows on Broadway each week, usually earning $1.3 million or so. So far roughly 180,000 people have seen the musical, which has earned more $18.3 million at the box office after about 15 weeks of preview performances. Most musicals have about 30 previews, then open, but 'Spider-Man' has been changing constantly through the winter as Ms. Taymor dealt with technical glitches and complaints about the clarity and appeal of the story-telling. The musical costs more than $1 million to run each week, believed to be the highest in history, with any profit going to royalties and repayment of the $65 million capitalization cost. That figure appears certain to grow because of the new work and additional hires."
Tagged
bono
broadway
delay
green goblin
julie taymor
running joke
spider-man
spiderman musical
spiderman turn off the dark
the edge
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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