Michael Riedel on "Song Of Spiderman": The New Spiderman Book

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 1:55pm

Long but interesting article.


SpiderMan

Updated On: 10/20/13 at 01:55 PM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 4:44pm

I cannot wait to read the book. Berger will have a unique perspective on what went on behind-the-scenes, and to an extent, an unbiased one.

It's been THREE YEARS since the show started previews. Hard to believe. For many reasons.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 5:05pm

Oh wow. Thank you so much for posting! God that article alone had lots of information I knew nothing about. I can't even imagine how much other dirt this book is going to have. This was my favorite part...

His doubts grew during technical rehearsals, which moved at a snail’s pace. It took days to create what would amount to a few minutes of stage time. And the multimillion-dollar sets seemed to Berger to be, well, dangerous.
All the while, the budget grew. Taymor wanted to drape the theater in a spiderweb, and the production designer created a giant steel ring to rise to the top of the theater and release a net over the audience. It was installed at the Foxwoods.
But one day Berger looked up and saw it was no longer there.
“Where’s the thingy?” he asked.
“They took it down,” a production manager replied. “The whole thing was going to get in the way of the cables . . . The flying wouldn’t have worked with that thing hanging there.”
Berger was stunned. “A ring of money $1 million in diameter” had been “hauled away to some big dump.”

I'm going to be like kid on Christmas morning when this book is on my doorstep.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 5:15pm

Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 5:49pm

But, really, it's all about Reidel. Isn't it.

[StickIt]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 5:58pm

How short of an attention span do you have to have to call that a "long" article?

Fascinated by the book and will totally read it, but Riedel's a egomaniac and a jerk.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 6:00pm

Exactly my thoughts Stickit. How long do we expect till Spiderman recoups, IF it it recoups?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 6:05pm

I can't see it ever recouping. Remember before it opened, it was written that in order to break even, the show would have to run for 7 years with every single seat sold for every performance at full price, no discounts. And that was before they rebooted it, I believe.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 6:05pm

Everytime I read about this show I get sick to my stomach.
And why is there no mention of Daniel Curry in the article?
I know the book was written before that accident.... but surprised it wasn't brought up in the article

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 7:29pm

I love hearing all the weird ideas that didn't make it. It's still a ver sub-par musical. Just imagine if the musical had actually been good?!

[VotePeron]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 7:58pm

Recoupment Article everyone talks about:

QUOTE: "The Verdict: Again, the total upfront cost of the show was $65 million. At the weekly profit rate above, it will take ($65,000,000) / ($313,489.80 a week) = 207.3 weeks = about 4 years before the show even begins to make up its initial investment."

Recouping Spiderman

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 8:20pm

Ah, 4 years. But that was still before it closed and rebooted, right?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 8:43pm

It will recoup the same time Wildhorn gets raves from NY critics.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 8:46pm

GOOD ONE, ROCKSY!

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 10:16pm

and despite my best attempts to bring it down — “Spider-Man” is still running on Broadway

I have such an issue with that statement from Riedel, just goes to prove the man really is a nasty little c u n t

[kidbroadway2]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 2:55am

The bottom line is that the story needed work, and the songs were very mediocre.

Updated On: 10/21/13 at 02:55 AM

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 5:21am

Julie Taymor unsurprising gets pushed under a bus.

I thought Michael Riedel does an article on a Wednesday and Friday?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 10:20am

"Julie Taymor unsurprising gets pushed under a bus."

Julie Taymor refused to look in either direction when crossing the street and stepped right in front of that bus of her own volition. Nobody had to give her a push to let that accident occur.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 10:53am

^ Probably one of the wisest things I have read on here.

[suestorm]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 12:54pm

""and despite my best attempts to bring it down — “Spider-Man” is still running on Broadway ""


If anything tells you how narcisstic and stupid a person is this is it. To think it, is bad enough, but to actually put it in print, is ca-razy. this is the most vile and unprofessional thing i think a "journalist" can say. He should be fired on the spot for that.


Whether you liked the show or not, and i did, they took risks, took chances. tried to modernize the musical, tried to bring something new to broadway instead of the gazillionth revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, another movie made into a show or another jukebox
He on the other hand just sits on the sidelines critizing and self abusing himself while rewatching his stella SMASH appearances.

Updated On: 10/21/13 at 12:54 PM

Posted: 10/21/13 at 1:09pm

Yes. Reidel is exactly like Fox News.

[suestorm]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 1:30pm

fox news bad.... the devil....Bush knew about 9/11, Man didnt walk on the moon...something, something.

Updated On: 10/21/13 at 01:30 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 1:38pm

"Don't cry for me Julie Taymor

The truth us Lion King royalties etc"

Another Julie song " The Money Keeps Rolling In "

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 1:38pm

"Don't cry for me Julie Taymor

The truth us Lion King royalties etc"

Another Julie song " The Money Keeps Rolling In "

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/21/13 at 1:41pm

... Huh?