How a Spider-Man musical became a theatrical disaster

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20201125-how-a-spider-man-musical-became-a-theatrical-disaster

How time flies!

Do you think we'll ever see another superhero (or vampire?) musical in our lifetimes?

I wonder what happened to that documentary Jacob Cohl made about all the behind the scenes issues regarding the show. I know it was mentioned in the original lawsuits surrounding the show but not much has been heard about it since

Updated On: 11/28/20 at 08:44 PM

joevitus said: "It's interesting to me that the lousy plot was mandated by the argument "a musical must have a soprano among the lead characters." Why? It seems the antithesis of sound musical theater thinking think a show has to have anything. It's always a queston of what works for the specific show (no soprano leads in Pacific Overtures). And rock rarely uses a soprano voice, anyway.

But there were so many problems, just pointing to one doesn't really explain the disaster this show was."

Proof, once again, that people like to make up rules that don't exist. (Although I am obliged to point out that "rock rarely uses soprano voice" is also off base.)

The show was a trainwreck, a massive confluence of problems that I would attribute, in the first instance, to bad producing. Or maybe more to the point, no producing.

HogansHero said: "joevitus said: "It's interesting to me that the lousy plot was mandated by the argument "a musical must have a soprano among the lead characters." Why? It seems the antithesis of sound musical theater thinking think a show has to have anything. It's always a queston of what works for the specific show (no soprano leads in Pacific Overtures). And rock rarely uses a soprano voice, anyway.

But there were so many problems, just pointing to one doesn't really explain the disaster this show was."

Proof, once again, that people like to make up rules that don't exist. (Although I am obliged to point out that "rock rarely uses soprano voice" is also off base.)

The show was a trainwreck, a massive confluence of problems that I would attribute, in the first instance, to bad producing. Or maybe more to the point, no producing."

What percentage of rock bands (or rock albums, if you prefer) would you suggest employ a soprano voice?

I agree with VotePeron, Song of Spider-Man is a very interesting book.

Here's my two cents: The producers were not experienced Broadway producers and this often is a death-knell. One of the lead producers, Michael Cohl had been very successful with rock arena shows, but that doesn't translate. A similar problem arose years earlier with Via Galactica in 1972, the supposed follow-up to Hair and the first show at the Uris Theater (now the Gershwin), which has the distinction of being the first Broadway show to lose $1 million. (Such a different economic environment back then!)

Julie Taymor is a great talent but she needs an active producer, as I'm sure the Disney folks were on The Lion King.

Add to that, as you read in Song of Spider-Man, that U2 and Bono were busy with their own careers and spent little attention to the musical, and you have an additional reason the show was so bad.

I saw it in a fairly early preview and the scenery and flying effects were extraordinary. I left the theater humming the scenic effects.

Similarly, I think the puppet in the musical of King Kong deserves a Tony. Little else in the show did.

HogansHero said: "joevitus said: "What percentage of rock bands (or rock albums, if you prefer) would you suggest employ a soprano voice?"

I have no clue how one could make that calculation, but it's a lot of rock albums (bands would be a misleading metric), and certainly not rare. However, let me point out that the topic is not rock albums but rock musicals and few of those don't have soprano voices.

"

The majority of rock bands are all-male, and there are no male sopranos past puberty. That should go a long way to helping you answer the question. Percentage-wise, yeah, a soprano voice in the world of rock music fairly is rare.

joevitus said: "HogansHero said: "joevitus said: "What percentage of rock bands (or rock albums, if you prefer) would you suggest employ a soprano voice?"

I have no clue how one could make that calculation, but it's a lot of rock albums (bands would be a misleading metric), and certainly not rare. However, let me point out that the topic is not rock albums but rock musicals and few of those don't have soprano voices."

The majority ofrock bands are all-male, and there are no male sopranos past puberty. That should go a long way to helping you answer the question. Percentage-wise, yeah, a soprano voice in the world of rock music fairlyisrare."

Why are we still talking about this? This has nothing to do with anything here. But as long as we are here:

First, I resisted Bands and went with albums. Considering the heavy presence of female rock singers in rock music (including, notably, the famous ones fronting rock bands but I digress) you obviously are off base. Second, I attempted to steer you back into relevant terrain, rock musicals. Most of em have sopranos in them and in fact, if you look, you'll notice that many of them are based on the music of, guess who, female rock singers who, coincidentally, are sopranos. Perhaps you have not noticed that a majority of the Best Musical Tony noms reflect this.

It's a very fine detour you've stuck us with here but better move along before you add to your embarrassment.

joevitus said: "There is no "heavy" presence, so my commentscan't be off base. There are, and almostfrom the start have been,amazing women in rock. Women in rock are still a minority. Even going with albums rather than bands (though as the vast majority of rockalbums are recorded by bands,it pretty much comes down to the same thing), far more albums by men than women in this genre.

Don't know if "we're still talking about this," but I am responding to your comments, which are simply incorrect. We can go back to Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and leave off talking about this.Idon't mind."

I don't think they are nearly as much of a minority as you are painting them, but as I said that's neither here nor there. How about you tether your Spidey comment to the facts about sopranos in rock musicals? Or don't bother.

sorry Joe, you are the one not chilling out, and you also have no idea what you are talking about and you obviously do not want to talk about sopranos in musicals because I am sure you finally dawned on you how silly what you said was. It's ok. Move on. There is no there here.

HogansHero said: "sorry Joe, you are the one not chilling out, and you also have no idea what you are talking about and you obviously do not want to talk about sopranos in musicals because I am sure you finally dawned on you how silly what you said was. It's ok. Move on. There is no there here."

What a bizarre response. I "don't" want to talk about what I've been talking about all along--the foolishness of requiring the material to incorporate a soprano singer?

Don't be like Trump. Don't get testy or dismissive when reality doesn't jibe with what you need to believe. Move on, indeed.

I don't know if any of these woman are sopranos, but they are all in Rock.

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-female-rock-singers/