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I’m told that the producers of the troubled Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have hired Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa to rewrite the book originally done by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger. Considering that one of the criticisms of the show is that it lacks an insider’s voice about the webslinger, Aguirre-Sacasa is a strong choice. While his credits include most recently writing a new book to the Charles Strouse/Lee Adams musical It’s A Plane, It’s SUPERMAN! that was a hit at the Dallas Theatre Center, he has also written Spider-Man comics for Marvel. He also writes on the HBO series Big Love and Aguirre-Sacasa is repped by WME.
The $65 million production pushed back a fifth time to a March 15 opening night, but most critics weighed in this month with scathing reviews. Songwriters Bono and The Edge recently brought in their record producer Steve Lillywhite, and the production has been honing its safety practices after a litany of injuries. This is perhaps the most serious move they’ve made to improve the book. Stay tuned.
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Why bother?
Ticket sales remain stronger than ever to the show as people want to experience the ‘Titanic’ of Broadway productions in person.
Failure is the draw…and, nothing can be done to truly save this show…nothing.
Every review basically states from book to music to staging to every aspect…this show sucks!
Having seen this, I can tell you the biggest problem by far in Spiderman is the music, totally unmemorable (and I’m a fan of U2 as well as musicals, it just doesn’t work). It’s also the one area they aren’t attempting to overhaul, what folly.
Why bother? Because they’re gunning for a Tony nom.
Well, it can’t get any worse… can it? The big problem was hiring Taymor to begin with. Despite her resume, there is nothing to indicate she was a good choice for Spiderman. Maybe to direct but certainly not to write.
*I mean ‘creative success’.
I have read many of his comics and they are excellent. His work on Spider-Man was fantastic.
I think his best comic work is Magneto: Testament. A very moving piece.
Too bad he didn’t write Magneto: Testament. That was Greg Pak.
Brain fart on my part! I meant to say Angel: Revelations.
I caught his play Dr. Cerberus at South Coast and it was BRILLIANT. What a talented guy.
Unless they also hire someone like Alan Menken or Stephen Schwartz to rewrite/rework the music, the show will not be a success.
As if the book is the only problem with the show. Sure, the narrative is a chaotic mess. The second act alone is incoherent and silly. But, what about the music, which is the other epic fail of the show? The entire enterprise is beyond a book fix. Even more, why bother? The houses are packed and audiences, save for critics and theater purists, are oblivious to any of the show’s many weaknesses. I say leave it alone and give it a Viking funeral when ticket sales start to plummet.
Regardless, it’s still going to get a Tony nom.
Problem is there is far too much money invested in the show to not try to rework anything and everything they can. They priced themselves out of being able to quit or close for the forseeable future.
So instead they add more to the upfront costs and bad publicity, now moving toward a $100 million investment? Jesus, what a disaster.
Well, this spiderman production sucks like every other broadway show since Cole Porter. Tickets are sold out, so I don’t see anything wrong with it. They have to do nothing, just sell tickets for the idiot crowd who is always there to spend their money.
It seems everyone is just going so they can come back and trash the production on the internet, similar to what is going on in here.
How very telling. Taymor, Bono & the Edge can’t create a good show on their own – they need someone to help them do a good job.
Greg Pak wrote Magneto: Testament.
I saw this Jan. 16th. There are flashes of Taymor brilliance. The first act is the best. Second act bizarre.
Fixing the story is indeed what is needed.
Why not try to make it better?
Titanic the movie was considered a bomb till it finally opened.
I’m not saying I’m a huge fan of it, but why not try to save it?
Go for it! Get rid of the kids…that whol Greek Chorus part makes no sense.
Take parts of the second act and incorporate into the first.
When Spiderman soars at the end of Act 1, it’s exciting. That should be the Finale!
And for Cole Porter’s sake, get rid of the spiderladies wearing high heels wanting to be real women? Oy! Now THAT is a Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown!
To fit in with the production he’s already broke a leg and cracked three ribs in a freak laptop accident.
They’ve already lost enough money and it’s mathematically impossible for them to recoup the 65 million no matter how many people see it or how long it runs. The show costs more each week than it can ever hope to bring in. And that’s on top of the 65 million already spent. The longer the show runs the more money it will lose. It’s time to beg their insurance company for some money or they can blow up the theater the way Mel Brooks showed them how to do at the end of The Producers. All that’s needed is enough dynamite and ka-boom.
This is the most startling development yet with this musical. It’s unheard of to begin trying to rewrite something so deep into a run. (I would have said “so close to opening,” but previews and openings have become blurred beyond distinction with this show). And it begs the question, as others have stated, “Why?” The show is selling out, in spite of quality issues. Or, are the producers aware of advance sale issues that require an improvement in word of mouth?
Funny how you don’t hear anything about Bono and the Edge re this fiasco. They are the Justin Timberlakes of this, they’re like Teflon.
“You can make more money with a flop than you can with a hit…”
That’s what I’ve been thinking all along too!!!!!
Call me wacky, but does anybody know if they ever asked Stan Lee for help?
and who is going to write a singable score. Its awful. those songs just groan on and on. everyone sounds like the same POS
Why all the fuss over this production? It is a COMIC BOOK. They are for CHILDREN. It is no wonder it is a failure. Broadway should be absolutely ashamed of itself for allowing especially mediocre fantasy/children’s tales to be performed.
Um, Broadway collectively, is culpable for “allowing” this? Whoever has the money to rent a Broadway theatre and pay union scale gets to do a show on Broadway. There’s no committee that allows or doesn’t allow.
Dear Joseph K.
You are either smoking some seriously strange weed and/or you have no idea what you are talking about with reference to Broadway unless the operative word in your post is ‘mediocre’. And if this is the case, are you the voice of wisdom regarding what is and is not mediocre “fantasy/children’s tales”?
Here are a few example of just how wrong you are:
Peter Pan
Beauty and the Beast
The Lion King
Yeah, epic FAIL on your part, Joseph K.
Not only have these “fantasy/children’s tales” been relevant since the early 1900′s, but they have an enormous fan base always wanting to see more and experience their favorite characters in new ways.
Spiderman musical = genius.
The production = not so much.
Why hate on something just cause you don’t care for it? Children’s tales and fantasy have ALWAYS been a part of the stage… and comic book stories aren’t just for kids – they’re for people who love to cheer for a hero, and enjoy the drama of ordinary people coping with extraordinary circumstances.
I could write a whole essay here, but I won’t… because most people on here probably already agree with me.
Just wanted to tell you… FAIL!
This should have been kept a secret but Jonathan and Val from the theatre Dept has been telling everyone that will listen as of a week ago about this – so much for deals staying quiet
OMG- so true- and one (won’t say which) after you get a cocktail in them, its department secrets all around, and the other, if you pay a lick of attention to, you hear how he got Peter Franklin fired… Loose lips… and this is the most powerful department in town… The only two who know to keep their mouth shut is Derek and Susan
The reality is, since buzzetti took over the department leaks have been few and far between (and his behavior impeccable)- but the first poster above got it spot on, and how this has been out there for 2 weeks due to those two and the chatting that they have done… Keep ‘em quiet buzz- you got George Lane terrified of you, but he knows that you got a talky ship
The posts above are interesting, because knowing John, and watching the move from Gersh to WME (and previously the posts about him throwing tantrums at Gersh), it has been remarkable to see how much more of a ‘sane’ force he is at WME. There really is not a question if you are a theatre ‘talent’ that you choose to go with John (if he wants you) and not CAA or ICM. But what he isn’t dealing with are the problem children there, and everyone in the industry is amazed about how some of his colleagues (listed above) just don’t know basic deal points and really are a embarrassment to take out. Also very surprised about how the Roberto deal potential was so openly discussed since I heard about it last week as well (and not from John- he is the one who can keep a secret)…
Just my theatrical thoughts
Um, rewriting the book AFTER previews? If this show was a horse, you’d put it to sleep. Are they waiting for someone to actually die onstage before they shut this crap down? Why keep throwing money down the toilet?
I saw it today & my first thought was the dialogue was stilted & lacked a rhythm or beat. It moved way too slow. This reworking could be a great thing. I really enjoyed it though I was bummed that Reeve Carney didn’t perform today. The set was amazing, the music was great although they needed some wailers. MJ was the weakest to me. The music was a bit outside her range…the high parts hurt my ears. They need Eden Espinosa in her part (former Elphaba from Wicked) She would tear that music up!