Spiderman Musical On Broadway Plagued with Problems (VIDEO)

About a month from its January 11 debut on Broadway, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" has endured more drama than a typical comic book plot.

One of the stars of the show was injured Sunday night at the show's first preview performance. Natalie Mendoza, who plays the female spider Arachne who seduces Peter Parker, was reportedly struck by a weighted rope backstage and suffered a concussion. Mendoza was replaced by her understudy without an announcement to the audience about what had occurred.

The preview incident is not only the problem that has plagued the upcoming Spiderman musical. Due to the highly physical nature of the performances, there have already been several cast injuries. The show's exorbitant budget has reached over $65 million. There are also issues with the show's script (read more at NY Post).

Journalists, bloggers and comedians have had a field day with the show's problems. At least the producers are taking the negative publicity well. After Conan's skit mocking the musical, the producers sent flowers to Team Coco with a note stating, "We hope you enjoy the flowers. It was cheaper than a cease-and-desist." "Saturday Night Live" was the latest to poke fun at the musical's troubles in their "Weekend Update" segment, shown in the video below.

The show needs more than a superhero to save it...maybe President Obama can help?

Comments

[citizen1787]

03:54 PM on 12/12/2010

The first problem will never be overcome: its a musical based on a comic book.

[SeanMartin]

07:27 AM on 12/12/2010

I can assure you, from personal experience, that this thing is a walking trainwreck. The first act is moderately okay, with lots of splashy visuals and eminently forgettable music, but the second act is a disorganized, clunky mess. The much-ballyhooed flying sequences are a tiny part of the show, and one sees far better work at the worst Cirque de Soleil show. There are several WTF moments: Arachne's paean to shoes and an Act Two "fashion show" of villians, for example, that make zero sense in the moment.

My bet is that this will wind up being the next U2 tour vehicle, with them performing while the physical production is used as a backdrop. But at 65 mil, they're never gonna make their money back on Broadway. The advance is already tanking.

[zest]

05:30 PM on 12/08/2010

Theater or circus?

[bob123213]

04:10 PM on 12/08/2010

I have two extra front row tickets to the show on 1/1/11 if anyone wants i put it up on ebay- http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290509754136&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_500wt_975

[repugnicansfearme]

09:26 PM on 12/07/2010

With great power comes great responsibility.

[chanook106]

06:02 PM on 12/16/2010

Yes, indeed. I'm still having problems with the next spider-man (movies) being British.

[3fingerbrown]

06:00 PM on 12/07/2010

If it must be a disaster, let it be the "Heaven's Gate" of Broadway -- the fiasco that tells an industry gone mad it's time to get back to basics: good stories, memorable music, and an emphasis on showcasing our best actors, singers, and dancers in great roles.

[kevkeen27]

02:15 PM on 12/08/2010

always good to know you judge a book by it's cover

[jeffeastwood15]

04:49 PM on 12/07/2010

I'll kiss ya, Andy.

[jojojo]

03:34 PM on 12/07/2010

Starlight Express. Big. Now this.

How I long for the days when Broadway meant the very best in theater instead of Disneyfied, microphoned junk.

For the chorus' and dancers' sake, I hope it runs long enough so they qualify for their Equity medical coverage.

[jojojo]

04:22 PM on 12/07/2010

The producers? If it's as bad as I fear it is, I hope they lose their shirts.

[malander]

03:24 PM on 12/07/2010

Is there even a market for a Spider Man musical? 65 million into a show that is wounding it's cast seems a bit goofy. I also assume the tickets are pricey,who could afford it now and is there enough fan base to support a run long enough to pay off the backers? Maybe a real life "Producers"????

[zest]

05:31 PM on 12/08/2010

I think you may be on to something; never put your own money in the show.

[Mixpixlix]

03:23 PM on 12/07/2010

60 minutes featured the musical last week and I was aghast to hear director Julie Taymor of Lion King fame say audiences wouldn't accept a $25 million Spiderman, so they had to go all out. She quoted $60 million for the production.

Just another example of America's got to have it all, got to have it now attitude. She said it will cost $1million per week to run the show. What does that make ticket prices; $500 each?

It just wrong that theater, which for thousands of years has brought affordable entertainment to millions of people around the globe, is quickly becoming an elitist acitivity.

While I respect Ms. Taymor's many talents, regarding Spiderman - I think her web is too tightly wound.

[Fables of Faubus]

10:45 PM on 12/07/2010

Ms. Taymor is bound to get ulcers for coping with this production! That being said I do wish her the best. "Lion King" notwithstanding, she's always, IMHO, had better success as a filmmaker ("Fool's Fire", "Titus", "Frida", and her newest "The Tempest").

[TheFabOne]

03:17 PM on 12/07/2010

'Oh, what a tangled web........'

[superjules]

02:46 PM on 12/07/2010

Reasons I would never go see this play:
1. Bono is involved
2. It's a Spiderman play?
3. Bono
4. The ticket price is going to be astronomical
5. I can't tolerate Bono and don't want to give him my money
Etc. etc. etc.

[Tommygun264]

04:30 PM on 12/07/2010

Stop being so coy. Tell us how you REALLY feel about Bono.

[superjules]

02:05 AM on 12/08/2010

You're making me blush, no one has ever called me coy. :)

[yorkie]

02:21 PM on 12/07/2010

The visuals sounded cool at first,,,but on Broadway? This is much better suited for big halls and auditoriums like touring circus shows use..acrobats in Vegas etc....Enough with comic strips being transformed into these for theater....they drive up costs and all that in NYC etc....Where's the next Sondheim, Jerry Herman, writing and hoping to be given a chance ? ! The 'theater industry' in NYC and elsewhere must do what is possible to control costs and make it affordable for average traveling people and locals and new up and coming composers to afford the theater again !

[matthewdh]

02:13 PM on 12/07/2010

you spelled spider-man wrong.

[CurrencyIsKing]

01:59 PM on 12/07/2010

They are using this drum up as much publicity for this show as possible.

[Tommygun264]

04:35 PM on 12/07/2010

Right, because the best way to get people to come spend hundreds of dollars to see a show is to spread stories about how each performance is a disaster filled with literally "show-stopping" technical glitches.