Nordling here.
This sucks, but it wasn't unexpected. The Gothamist is reporting that various sources have told them that Julie Taymor is no longer involved with the production of SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK. Furthermore, to make way for the new creative team and script, the show will shut down for a few weeks in April. According to the article, Christopher Astley (MEMPHIS) will take over the beleaguered production. The opening night of the show has been postponed until June.
I have no idea what version of the show will be playing until then. At this point there are probably changes from show to show, and I'd imagine that every night would be different. One of our readers, George Warren, saw the show last night, and in his opinion, "This thing is fixable. Second act is a mess, but the story hits all the Spidey notes. The production halted just before intermission. Speaker came on and said if the wiring was off by 1/4 inch the whole system shut down. Green Goblin was stuck in mid air and Spidey was waiting in the balcony for the big air fight. The crowd went crazy – in a good way. It was part of the experience and the actors made it fun. Hope they can find the time/$$ to make this happen."
I wonder how long Gobby hung up there. If nothing else, that's why I want to see this show so badly - if every night something crazy happens, that alone makes it worth it. It's no accident this thing is selling out as much as it is. Broadway tickets aren't cheap, and for people to go on a whim to see this play means that there's something there, and that's why people are coming in droves. Or it may be so laughably bad that they can't help it, like watching a trainwreck. The idea of Spidey jumping from the stage to the rafters above the crowd seems like a childhood dream to see live, and that's a big part of the attraction for me. I hope the producers, writing staff, and the actors get all this worked out and the play becomes something no one expected from the day they announced the project - a terrific experience. Thanks to John Estrada for the heads up.
Nordling, out.
