Logo

Cool News

Want to sing on Broadway as Peter Parker, Mary Jane or as web head himself in Julie Taymor's SPIDER-MAN?

Published at:  Apr 02, 2009 3:13:35 PM CDT

Hey folks, Harry here... Well - it seems that SPIDER-MAN seems to really be headed to Broadway. Will Mary Jane die of jealousy? And how will the action scenes be handled? Will Spider-Man break the 4th wall? What does Julie "LION KING" Taymor have up her sleeve? And are you cut out for the part? They're doing an open casting call - sure would be cool if one of you could land a part!






SPIDER-MAN
TURN OFF THE DARK
ANNOUNCES OPEN CASTING CALLS

DIRECTED BY JULIE TAYMOR,
MUSIC & LYRICS BY BONO & THE EDGE

CURRENT SCHEDULE OF OPEN CALLS

Orlando, FL
Thursday, April 9

New York, NY
Monday, April 13

Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, April 18

Seattle, WA
Monday, April 20

Chicago, IL
Thursday, May 7

Austin, TX
Wednesday, May 27

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark, featuring direction by Julie Taymor (Across The Universe, Frida, The Lion King on Broadway) with music and lyrics by 22-time Grammy® Award-winners Bono and The Edge (from U2) will be holding open casting calls at major cities across the country starting next week.

SPIDER-MAN is seeking principals and understudies for the roles of ‘Peter Parker,’ ‘Mary Jane,’ and ‘Female Lead Villian.’ The production is looking for performers with dynamic rock/pop voices including those with experience in bands and as solo performers. Regardless of experience, anyone who thinks they might be qualified is encouraged to audition.

Open casting calls are being organized by Telsey + Company (Rent, Across The Universe, Sex & The City, Wicked) and will be held in the following cities:

ORLANDO, FL (Thursday, April 9; 10 AM – 5PM)
Orlando Marriott World Center
8701 World Center Drive
Orlando, FL 32821

NEW YORK, NY (Monday, April 13; 10 AM – 5PM)
The Knitting Factory
74 Leonard Street
New York, NY 10013

LOS ANGELES, CA (Saturday, April 18; 10 AM – 5PM)
Hollywood United Methodist Church
6817 Franklin Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90028

SEATTLE, WA (Monday, April 20; 10 AM – 6PM)
Theatre Puget Sound
Seattle Center House
305 Harrison Street
Seattle, WA 98109

CHICAGO, IL (Thursday, May 7; 10 AM – 5 PM)
LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED

AUSTIN, TX (Wednesday, May 27; 10 AM – 6 PM)
Dougherty Arts Center
1110 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704

The production is looking for candidates to fill the following roles (both principals and understudies):

PETER PARKER – Male. 16-20’s. Must have a great rock tenor voice. Can be nerdy with understated sex appeal and a good sense of humor.

MARY JANE – Female. 16-20’s. Beautiful girl next door. Strong pop/rock singing voice required.

LEAD FEMALE VILLAIN – Female. 25‐35 years old. All ethnicities encouraged. Must have an amazing rock voice. Think Sinead O’Connor with a Middle Eastern /Bulgarian/Greek twist. Foreign and/or world music types are great. Foreign accents are great.

WHAT TO BRING:
All interested people should bring a snapshot or photo of themselves and a brief pop/rock or rock song to sing. Please note that no accompanist or audio equipment will be provided.

For more information, updated casting call information, or if you are not able to attend any of the above casting calls, please e-mail: SpiderManCasting@gmail.com or visit www.SpidermanOnBroadway.com.

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark will open in New York on Thursday, February 18, 2010.

™ & ©: 2009 Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and subsidiaries, all rights reserved.

www.SpidermanOnBroadway.com

www.Marvel.com


    + Expand All

    Readers Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:17:13 PM CDT

    Bashing my head...

    by dead_geek

    ......this world sucks. Do we need this? Really?!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:17:34 PM CDT

    Yep, first. Had to say that.

    by roketopunch

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:17:57 PM CDT

    damn... (sulk)

    by roketopunch

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:18:02 PM CDT

    Female Lead Villian

    by phaedrus007

    Would that be the ridiculously named "swiss miss" we've been hearing about? --- I can't even type it without cracking up... I give this thing 2 months before they're shuttering up the theatre.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:18:08 PM CDT

    Will it be a musical So Spidey can dance over and over?

    by bmacsmith

    and MJ can sing badly

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:18:22 PM CDT

    ‘Female Lead Villian.’?

    by fiester

    "Think Sinead O’Connor with a Middle Eastern /Bulgarian/Greek twist. Foreign and/or world music types are great. Foreign accents are great."

    Silver Sable?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:18:55 PM CDT

    "Theatre is dead"

    by cenobite

    aaaand this proves it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:21:52 PM CDT

    I'd Show Up At The Audition

    by thelordofhell

    Sing the theme to the Spider-Man cartoon, flip off the producer, then leave.........I'd probably get a callback.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:22:25 PM CDT

    Yeah - some AICN reader with no experience lands broadway role

    by juansanchez

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:23:24 PM CDT

    I thought Spider-Man 3...

    by docpazuzu

    ...WAS a Broadway musical?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:24:23 PM CDT

    April 2nd....Fools!!!!

    by dr.dirtyd

    I love how in this day and age you can't even tell if someone is joking about entertainment news...it's all a joke.
    (was not intended as a watchmen quote, but if the shoe fits)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:24:55 PM CDT

    Wow, on paper this idea looks worse!

    by yackbacker

    Truly silly stuff. Call me up when they get that PLANET OF THE APES show going (cue Troy McClure song lyrics here).

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:27:58 PM CDT

    yeah i was thinking Silver Sable

    by killianx

    with that description anyway

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:30:04 PM CDT

    Female Lead Villain is a new one created for the show

    by d.vader

    But I hear other villains like Doc Ock and Electro and the Rhino will be showing up. Forgot the girl's name, but her costume is covered in razors and corkscrew blades or something, I hear.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:30:45 PM CDT

    Swiss Miss- that's it

    by d.vader

    Though I hope the name is a fake.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:31:05 PM CDT

    Will "Everybody Gets One" be a song?

    by tonagan

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:34:10 PM CDT

    USA'ians?????

    by unkempt_sock

    What the fuck are you? A EU'ian???? Fucker

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:34:46 PM CDT

    heh it would be funny if this were posted on April 1st

    by bmacsmith

    my guess is that almost everyone would assume it was a joke.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:35:24 PM CDT

    "Just a swingin'"

    by professor_monster

    "Mary Jane's as pretty as the angels when she sings -
    I can't believe she's on my back as we's a swinging"

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:36:30 PM CDT

    When is Once More With Feeling going to happen?

    by chrth

    Quit fucking around with Dollhouse Joss and give us what we want!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:37:00 PM CDT

    WOW!

    by dancetothebeatofthelivingdead

    I'm really excited about this!! Anyone else?!?!?! No? Why not? Oh yeah, because it's the stupidest fucking idea in the history of stupid fucking ideas. Holy fuck, there must be a snowball fight in hell today

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:38:34 PM CDT

    This is going to suck big time!!!

    by mr_incredible

    If you thought Spider-Man 3 sucked, you ain't seen nothing yet.

    I mean, come on! Spider-Man: The Musical? The whole idea of it is ridiculous. And what the hell were Bono and The Edge thinking when they agreed to do this?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:39:12 PM CDT

    Just give the Peter Parker role to NPH

    by pixeldriver

    'nuff said.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:40:25 PM CDT

    Cougar, the Musical

    by pixeldriver

    Just read what they want to cast, and WTF?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:44:42 PM CDT

    So creativity should have limits?

    by paralyser-pro

    You know it could actually be good... look at the artists attached to it, it will be good. The fact that you peckerheads haven't got a talented bone in your body (besides Harry Knowles dick in your mouth) certainly doesn't mean that this can't be an awesome project. What a bunch of miserable turds this site attracts... fucking twerps.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:46:38 PM CDT

    SWISS MISS!!!!

    by alice 13

    WITH MARSHMELLOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 3:51:23 PM CDT

    WAIT- WTF.

    by alice 13

    "a Middle Eastern /Bulgarian/Greek twist" wtf is a swiss miss with a "Middle Eastern /Bulgarian/Greek twist"?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 4:01:26 PM CDT

    Yeah I'm already humming the suck in my head

    by nobody_touches_buddy_revell

  • Apr 02, 2009 4:02:36 PM CDT

    paralyser-pro

    by mr_incredible

    Dude, it's Spider-Man: The fucking Musical! The whole idea of it is just plain retarded. Whoever thought this was a good idea is a fucking retard. It doesn't matter if Julie Taymor and U2 are involved. Yes, they are very talented people. But even talented people can make crap. And this will be a disaster of epic proportions.

    I mean, they say that Hollywood is creatively bankrupt, but compared to Broadway, Hollywood is Charlie Kaufman. They turn everything into a musical these days. Even stuff that shouldn't be turned into a musicals at all.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 4:03:27 PM CDT

    Please tell me this was posted yesterday.

    by shepard wong

  • Apr 02, 2009 4:18:22 PM CDT

    I'm sad that i'm the only one screaming

    by themark

    FUCK U2! What happened to the U2 that did The Joshua Tree? I mean, why are they so loved? Their new music sounds half-assed and worthless. Fuck that band! I'm sure people still like them, much like people who still like the chili peppers...and you're both wrong! Both were formerly sweet bands who found their formula to success and...well, it sucks.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 4:29:39 PM CDT

    I'm MORE than happy to offer a different perspective on this one

    by fuzzinate it

    This may seem lame from a Comic-fan centric standpoint. Step outside of yourselves, imagine that you work in theater (Like I do) and also happen to be a big comic fan. Theater's not dead, I make damn good money as a stagehand and ME. The only thing I hate about my job? The content of the plays. This is something new, a great excuse to go completely over the top with effects, costumes, and stunts (If they do it up right, seeing this live could be quite the spectacle.)

    So don't be all "Awww, you're getting your icky theater in my Spider-Man!" The Spidey angle could majorly up the coolness factor of theater. Doing spidey-esque effects in a practical, real world theatrical scenario would be a wonderful challenge, and having worked on the director's Lion King load in, I know that this is in good hands. That show was a spectacle and a half. Giant, working robots, animatronics, awesome costumes...

    This could be epic. Stop hatin'.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 4:33:28 PM CDT

    Though, that said...

    by fuzzinate it

    Swiss Miss? Really? REALLY? ugg. Still. Spider-man Musical > Any Other Musical.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 4:54:50 PM CDT

    Mr_Incredible, shut the fuck up

    by slone13

    I'm not saying the Spider-Man musical will be any good, I'm just saying shut the fuck up because you're an annoying douche. Good day.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:03:40 PM CDT

    Malfunctioning Bowels: The Musical

    by themasterofnonsense

    How bout it?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:48 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:49 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:49 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:50 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:51 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:51 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:51 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:53 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:53 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:53 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:55 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:19:57 PM CDT

    Reviews!

    by laraz

    Hey everybody if you want reviews from the latest and best, come over to myspace page or blog and check out my reviews. My url is www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 hope you all enjoy my reviews and if you got an account add me as a friend, because facebook just sucks!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:25:15 PM CDT

    And Laraz gets banned

    by d.vader

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:37:22 PM CDT

    WTF?!?!

    by stupidmop

    So this news is cool...U2 doing a
    Spiderman broadway musical?!?!?! Just don't post any reviews of wolverine! I think I'm gonna punch myself in the dick...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:43:48 PM CDT

    Hey laraz..

    by harold-sherbort

    Go fuck yourself.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 5:44:32 PM CDT

    Lion King

    by stupidmop

    One of my buddies came to visit me in NY and his dad got us lion king tickets....I left midway through and went down to virgin about to close megastore and bought a Driveshaft T-shirt. He was so pissed that I left but I couldn't stomach another minute of that bullshit, really hakuna matata needed another 15 fucking songs?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 6:36:57 PM CDT

    Arachne?

    by the phantom limb

    Way back when news of this first broke, wasn't there word that it would involve Arachne as the living embodiment of, um, spider-ness? It seems like that would readily fit the casting description's criteria. Or am I just making crap up?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 6:40:37 PM CDT

    And by Arachne...

    by the phantom limb

    I don't mean Spider-Woman, but the mythological character.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 7:07:03 PM CDT

    Ah, how young...

    by dennismm

    you folks must be not to remember the aborted greatness of "Captain America! The Musical!" that Marvel tried to float in the '80s. You think Spidey the musical sounds awful? Marvel even posted ads in the comics encouraging what today we would call tween girls to audition for the role of Cap's "special friend." Word was it would involve Cap, retired and worn out by the state of the world, rallying to renewed heroism under the tutelage of his young daughter. Holy cow!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 7:27:47 PM CDT

    Dammit, I won't be around for the audition...

    by anna valerious

    As I'll be coming back from California to Chicago on that day. People think I'm 18 when I'm really MUCH older....of course, I'm not going to pull a Riley Weston and lie about it when something similar comes along...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 7:52:41 PM CDT

    They should video it

    by dazzler69

    and play the auditions AI style. Get JJJ to be the Simon.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 8:11:02 PM CDT

    Taymor is a one-note samba

    by chesterfield slacks

    She's been doing that giant puppet heads-on-sticks crap since the 70's. Anyone embedded in film production knows what a chaotic, art-worshiping, manic, amateur nightmare she is a film director. So, go Spidey, go! No, really.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 8:16:05 PM CDT

    Script and songlist

    by bobsjohnson

    for Spider-Man! The Musical. http://tinyurl.com/dgub9z

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 8:17:38 PM CDT

    I'm holding out for the Fantastic Four musical...

    by crankyoldguy

    though it'd better use that original, so-bad it's fun Georgio Moroder song from the first season in the '90s: "On an outer space adventure, they got hit by cosmic rays..." C'mon. Everyone sing-along! A Spider-Man musical? Every day is now April Fool, isn't it? Except this absurd idea is happening, Broadway is so desperate now.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 8:18:47 PM CDT

    and will Bono and Edge donate all the money

    by crankyoldguy

    from what's going to be a crapfest that makes U2's current, half-good, half-lame current album seem like all briliance?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 8:36:03 PM CDT

    I wish they had made that STAR TREK opera way back when

    by bob cryptonight

    I wish they had made that STAR TREK opera way back when. The original series is made for the drama and angst of an opera.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 8:48:53 PM CDT

    Can they get Raimi to do it?

    by rufferto

    and get someone else to do Spider-man 4? I mean this is what he really wants to do anyway.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 8:51:34 PM CDT

    THE RESULT OF A DOUBLE-DOG DARE

    by mullah omar

    I have to believe that Taymor and U2 got drunk and dared each other to try to put this together.


    Also, will there be a Stan Lee cameo?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 9:00:39 PM CDT

    Why hate me?

    by laraz

    When you can be my friend on myspace at www.myspace.com/martinjunior84 I like everyone. Maybe the haters on here should like themselfs as well?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 9:34:17 PM CDT

    MR. INCREDIBLE

    by paralyser-pro

    You obviously don't know your Broadway history... which is okay. But their track record for basing musicals on sensible properties isn't the best anyway -- think about STARLIGHT EXPRESS, a country'n'western musical on roller skates, LIL ABNER about a village of cartoon characters with fetal alcohol syndrome, then there's CARRIE the musical of the Stephen King novel, there was IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S SUPERMAN! and also YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, and there's CATS a musical about cats that has no plot whatsoever, and has apparently grossed over $4 billion world wide, and at the moment they have TARZAN, LITTLE MERMAID, and SHREK musicals all selling like crazy. Face it, Broadway has become a destination for families and asian tourists, not the discerning theatre mecca we may fancy it to be. SPIDER-MAN will fit in perfectly.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 9:46:20 PM CDT

    Villian has got to be...

    by kyle051554

    Black Cat. Nothing like a good ol' love triangle to spice up a musical... or something.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 9:58:03 PM CDT

    LAZAR..WOULDNT READ YOUR STUFF SPAMMER.

    by awkwardavenue

    This musical sounds hoooooooorible.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 10:31:24 PM CDT

    bullshit, Fuzzinate.

    by drmanhattanstaint

    i work in the theater, too, and this isn't good for Broadway or comic books. in fact, this is EVERYTHING that is wrong with Broadway right now. they're going to spend millions and millions of dollars on a bit of mindless spectacle, hoping to cash in on the tourist crowd. it's going to be somewhat cool to look at i'm sure, and have a few great tunes, but it's going to suck. it's going to suck because it's a stupid idea and the people involved have tipped their hand that they don't know what they're doing by inventing a really stupid sounding new villain and giving it a really stupid sounding subtitle. what, there weren't enough quality villains in the decades long canon of this character for you to pull from? what, did SPIDER-MAN: THE MUSICAL seem like too lame a title? there's a reason for that. it's because making it a musical is fucking stupid. half the fun of the first movie was finally getting the visceral thrill of flying through the city with Spidey, and it took a long time for technology to give us that. i'm sorry, but i've seen TARZAN and DE LA GUARDA and FUERZA BRUTA and while they all had pretty cool aerial effects, they're not going to be able to give us that by a longshot.

    and look, even if it's great, nobody in the target audience range is going to go see it because it's going to cost a hundred and fifty dollars a ticket. when people don't go and it bombs, then we'll have to listen all over again to how Broadway is dead. the sad thing is, it isn't. take REASONS TO BE PRETTY, the new Neil LaBute play. it's fucking fantastic. it's a play that even most talkbackers would love because it is quality, and it is relevant to their lives. it's funny, it's moving, it has something to say. it is of our generation. if i were a producer on the show i'd be advertising right here, and offering huge discounts to get young people in the seats. if Broadway theater is going to survive it's going to have to eventually motivate people in our age bracket to start going, and it has to offer more than just a two hour, hundred and fifty dollar theme park ride to do it. good for you if you land a job with this thing, but my advice is save your paychecks and hope that a gig comes open on JERSEY BOYS.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 10:38:15 PM CDT

    and, Paralyzer Pro...

    by drmanhattanstaint

    TARAN flopped and closed two years ago, THE LITTLE MERMAID and SHREK were both pretty soundly panned and aren't selling nearly as well as anyone involved would have hoped. back in January, there was a day when something like eleven shows closed, and everybody was going on and on about how the economy was killing broadway. but, nobody sat back and said, "wait a minute, maybe people are sick of getting hustled under the big top for a two hundred dollar evening out and walking away thinking the show was shit. Maybe the reason half of these shows are closing is because people weren't COMPELLED to buy tickets because the show looked terrible. maybe we should stop rushing every halfway decent movie of the last twenty five years into development as a musical because people aren't so stupid, anymore." they're doing fucking DIRTY DANCING the musical, for fuck's sake.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 10:44:23 PM CDT

    Spider-Man the musical sounds ridiculous?

    by bass ackwards

    Bright costumes, broad stupid stories, showy stage effects, sounds perfect for broadway actually. Given what Taymor did with Lion King and Titus, I imagine she's got quite the fun spectacle lined up. And it's fucking Spider-Man for godsakes, it's not like someone trying to do something truly outrageous like make a musical out of genuinely great literature like Les Miserables...oh wait.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 11:02:07 PM CDT

    How's he gonna sing through the mask?

    by balzacs_ballsac

  • Apr 02, 2009 11:08:26 PM CDT

    Wonder Boys

    by dominic-vobiscum

    When I was in acting/film school, they put up a casting notice looking for "A COMPLETE UNKNOWN" for the main (non-Michael Douglas) role in Wonder Boys. They really stressed that in the posting. "COMPLETE UNKNOWN!" And then despite what was clearly written on the casting notice, they cast Tobey Maguire, veteran of at least 15 films by that point. I've always hated him a little because of that.
    Long story short, the part about no experience necessary? No.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 11:36:00 PM CDT

    OK DRManhattan

    by paralyser-pro

    At least I'm corrected by someone who knows what's going on. I found this interesting article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/theater/11bway.html and I also see that Disney have discounted their ticket prices. But anyway, my point is that Spidey won't look that strange in comparison to what else is playing, and at least it's got some world class artists attached to it. Comic strips have been an inspiration or B'way shows for a long long time. Little Orphan Annie is another example. I don't think it's a bad idea at all, and really, so what if it is?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 11:37:57 PM CDT

    Turn off the dark? Sounds like an Evanescence song title

    by spifftacular squirrel girl

    There's a small part of me that kind of wants to try out in Chicago even though I have no shot in xenu. Still would be fun to take in the scene.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 11:56:00 PM CDT

    DrManhattansTaint...

    by fuzzinate it

    You didn't actually say anything there that says anything about your theater experience. I tend to assume that anyone who sees a new show with lots of money behind it as bad thing ISN'T actually an IATSE member, because real stage-hands like to work, and eat.
    Snark aside, I do disagree with many of your points. You mention "our" age bracket. I'm mid 20s, and very few of my friends from outside the work circles are into theater. They are into comics. Maybe I'm excited because of my unique situation. Maybe I'm excited because this is the kind of thing that traditionalists hate. I dunno. I do AGREE with many of your points at well... This awesome thrill ride that I've built in my head did not include a ticket price, and you're right. This is going to cost a fortune, and so will the tickets. (Man, I wish AICN let us put in paragraph breaks to separate thoughts.) Many of your critisisms of the state of Broadway also strike a chord with me. I agree 100% that future of theater is (or should be) in a form that is more financially and socially accessible to everyone. I love buildin' stuff, sir, but I know for a fact that if this weren't my industry, my entertainment money would be spent in the Movie Theater, not in a playhouse. Man, I'd love to actually have this conversation. Stupid commenter limitations. (paragraph break here) I think my initial post was more trying to express surprise at the outpouring of hate that this story triggered. I'm frankly confused by the reaction with so little details about the production here. I also am west coast, so don't have the True Broadway Perspective at all. Very interesting to hear.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 02, 2009 11:59:52 PM CDT

    DOH!

    by fuzzinate it

    A thousand apologies, I meant to delete everything from "Snark Aside" going backwards before hitting return. I re-read your post halfway through typing and had realized that I'd mis-read, and... Yeah. I fail at intelligent conversation. To bed!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 12:08:58 AM CDT

    Oh, and Lazar's Myspace page?

    by fuzzinate it

    Is a hilarious read. He gives his entire life bio on it (Cliff notes: Middle school drop out, proud to be drugged out, and a long career in the pizza industry) that really makes you feel kinda sorry for him. The best part is that he namechecks like, three friends, and the way that he name checks them kinda indicates that they're the only three friends he's made his entire life. I've always wondered EXACTLY what kind of special person acts like he does on comment threads... And now, thanks to his linking and openess, I know. Thanks, Mr. CryForHelp!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 12:09:05 AM CDT

    Fuzzinate It

    by spifftacular squirrel girl

    without the spaces.

    They are your new friends. ;)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 12:16:51 AM CDT

    And this has to be better than Shrek the musical

    by spifftacular squirrel girl

    I've only heard a couple of songs so far but both songs were just ear-bleeding awful.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 12:17:04 AM CDT

    Doomed, but it'll be a cool trivia footnote in 20yrs

    by rsanta74

    I think it would be too easy to call U2 sellout due to their involvement in this. To be honest, it wasn't ever an unforeseen career move.

    In 1995, right around the time of "Achtung Baby" and "Zooropa", they were involved in the "Batman Forever" soundtrack via their contribution of "Hold Me, Thrill Me. Kiss Me. Kill Me." Even the video itself was comic book inspired.

    In 2004, The Edge wrote the title theme song to the cartoon "The Batman" - a track which was probably too edgy (no pun) for a Saturday morning kiddie toon.

    The announcement that ole Paul & Dave are at the sonic helm never came as any surprise. It's an extension of their affinity for comics. Nothing more.

    At this point in their career, calling them sellouts makes little sense. It's not like they even need the money. They could buy & sell every one of us, get Harry to squeal like Babe the pig every day of the week, and STILL have money to burn on booze and hookers for the rest of their lives.


    U2 sold out the moment they formed in the 1970s and decided that they wanted to be make it big. You don't get 22 Grammys without compromising yourself.

    As far as this musical goes.... File it with "Captain America the Musical" and call it a day. It's stupid now because it IS stupid. However, it'll be one of those cool bits of trivia you can tell your kids one day - giving them a reason to call you a filthy liar. =)

    To me, the fault is all Marvel's. This deal was made before they started tightly wrangling their properties and doing more movie stuff in-house. This deal was made before the economy hit Broadway. At this point, the die is cast and they'll have to take their contractually stipulated lumps.

    Marvel is just full of so many "yes men" who don't know when an idea reeks too much to avoid it like Paris' cooter. Today, Marvel EIC Joe Quesada is singing the virtues of this abomination. Tomorrow, when it fails, he'll say something along the lines of, "Yeah. I knew the concept had some problems from the get go. I warned them."

    The man's a tool. The guys who approved this concept are tools. U2? Just stretching out their creative wings, even if it's a REALLY ill conceived sorta move.

    If anything, this thing will blow up in Marvel's face and not U2's. If they survived "Pop" and being trapped in the giant lemon disco ball then they can survive a bout with Spider-Man on Broadway.

    Then again... Who knows? Shit like Shrek does good box. Maybe people have no taste. Yep. People have no taste. Evidence? The People VS Dane Cook.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 12:27:03 AM CDT

    Stupid talback

    by rsanta74

    Killed 1/2 my post. Screw that.

    Anyway....

    My points?
    - It's a dumb career move for U2, but not really a risky one. They survived Pop and being trapped in a giant Lemon. A Broadway flop is nothing.
    - It's Marvel's cred on the line. It'll diminish the integrity of the source material much in the same way that the 60s Batman TV show did.
    - In terms of U2 selling out... Any artist looking to become famous sells a bit of their soul at every turn. Every Top 20 hit is one more loss of artistic credibility. An artist with 100% integrity is a poor artist.
    - At the very least, you can watch the look on your kid's face in a decade when you tell them about it and they call you a dirty liar. =)

    This will fail to be sure. Then again, a population who thinks that Dane Cook is funny or that Jessica Alba can act is a stupid population to be sure.
    Put this in perspective. Broadway made a musical about cats. CATS!!!! Broadway people are idiots.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 12:51:00 AM CDT

    slone13

    by mr_incredible

    No, you shut the fuck up!

    Signed,
    Annoying Douche

    P.S. Musicals suck!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 12:56:44 AM CDT

    Spifftacular Squirrel Girl

    by fuzzinate it

    Aaah, THANK you!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 2:14:21 AM CDT

    The project...

    by lazarus long

    This would seem a lot more bizarre if Steven Soderbergh wasn't currently working on a Cleopatra musical with Robert Pollard from Guided By Voices.

    Anyway, people who assume the music is going to be crap should be reminded that the last time Bono & Edge lent their talents to a superhero adaptation, we got Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me for Batman Forever. The song was fucking awesome, and needless to say, better than the film it was attached to. As was the music video for it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 3:55:53 AM CDT

    I loved it! It was much better than CATS.

    by dingbatty

    I will see it again and again.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 5:44:30 AM CDT

    Re: New female villain. She's called "Swiss Miss"

    by tylerdurden3395

    I am not making this up. Here's the link. http://www.superherohype.com/news/spider-mannews.php?id=8194

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 7:35:33 AM CDT

    Wow- can geek culture get any lower?

    by deckardbladerunner

    I agree with the poster who said that this is like the 60's batman. With the recent horrible run with Spiderman in the comics (deal with Mephisto) in the horrible "One More Day" storyline, to the shitty emo-spidey in "Spiderman3" this franchise is going down faster than that Kristin Dunst's huge face on a small screen.

    Anyway, check out the new site that replaced jumptheshark, bonethefish.com . I just found out that TV guide raped the old JTS site- so now Im going to say "Spidey Boned the Fish at the Musical", Tv guide rapes JTS, Marvel Rapes JTS, maybe Southpark got it right with the Indiana Jones episode...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 8:34:37 AM CDT

    So it's the dancing emo P. Parker from Spider 3

    by ricarleite2

    But 100 minutes of it?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 9:08:54 AM CDT

    Swiss Miss

    by mr_incredible

    So, Martina Hingis is the villain?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 10:57:09 AM CDT

    Is Joe Quesada behind this?

    by obese_wan_kenobi

    I'm just assuming. Since he hates Spider-Man and everything.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 2:35:48 PM CDT

    No.

    by cletus van damme

  • Apr 03, 2009 3:16:56 PM CDT

    Crimminals ARE a superstitious

    by rufferto

    cowardly Lot!

    I want Batman the musical! It would be totally shwey.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 4:09:17 PM CDT

    This is going to be fucking epic!

    by thewaqman

    I can't wait to see how it will all work out.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 03, 2009 9:45:18 PM CDT

    I have to say...

    by jsm1978

    It sounds fairly ridiculous, but...
    If I fit what they were looking for, I'd be driving down to LA. Too bad I'm too old (even if I was in that sort of shape). If they were looking for any other parts, I'd definitely be going to the audition.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 04, 2009 1:39:10 PM CDT

    Spider-Man musical? LORD NO!!! NOOOOO!!!!!!

    by mrmysteryguest

  • Apr 04, 2009 6:54:55 PM CDT

    So this is how it ends...

    by ignignots rage

User Login

Forgot password? Retrieve it here

or register as new user

Quick Talkback Form

Please login to post talkback