Question about KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Broadway production

[Sant]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 8:42am

Anyone who saw the Broadway production of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, how did they stage the title number? What happened there? And how was the "Anything For Him" staged? I heard something about a projection of the Spider Woman's face...

[Jon]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 9:14am

In the title number, she was actually on a gigantic spider's web - she was about 15 feet in the air. She had a safety harness (like a flying rig) so she could climb around to different parts of the web without fear of falling off and killing herself.

Posted: 1/7/07 at 11:17am

Sounds odd. Any pics?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 11:40am

Forgive me, but I don't remember any climbing or harness for the title song. I remember a large projection of a web, and I believe Aurora remained fairly stationary throughout the song. I also think there was a wagon that she was standing on that brought her downstage near the end of the number.

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 11:42am

i liked vanessa better than chita in it. the marquee was so cool at night with her face with the web on the side of the broadhurst

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 12:21pm

Smaxie is right. There was a projection and she stood in front of it. There were no Elphaba moments. I do seem to remember her climbing a web - but it wasn't during the title song.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 12:21pm

In the title song, the night I saw it, I remember Vanessa walking downstage from upstage to mid-stage, then downstage. I distinctly remember her walking off stage right when the lights went out.

Anything For Him, I remember the gents standing downstage of the cell, with Vanessa standing on a catwalk (or whatever the word is) upstage.

Updated On: 1/7/07 at 12:21 PM

[morosco]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 1:00pm

"I do seem to remember her climbing a web - but it wasn't during the title song."

You are right...Aurora did her climbing during three brief musical sequences called "Come" (Come...I am the answer...Come...I can stop the pain...Come I am the rainbow...that follows the rain...Come and find me...hear my song...let me hold you here where you belong...Come...Come...)that took place during the Act I interrogation scene.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 10:49pm

I have a question about the original too that includes a SPOILER for anyone unfamiliar with the show: How did the ending sequence play out? I know that Molina gets shot and goes from prison garb to white tux, but how did it all happen? When in the music and the like? If you can help me, thanks.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 1/7/07 at 10:57pm

tobesureof: I personally think it was written for me. A musical about political oppression in the Argentine Dirty War? Seriously.

Nevermind that I wasn't born when they made it, haha.

Posted: 1/8/07 at 8:58am

I saw the touring production with CHita in Vancouver when I was 11 (my grandma of all people took me--I *loved* it but was kinda shocked to be seeing something so graphic with my grandma) but I honestly remember very little of the actual staging

[JBSinger]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 10:37am

Kiss of the Spider-Woman was successful on many levels and certainly not terrible. This show had 3 tour-de-force performances, a stellar diva still kicking up her heals, a terrific score and actually something to say. I think the future will look back on this show as one of the highlights on kander & Ebbs career.

tobesureof, you are clearly on the wrong board if you have a problem with gay people. Just go watch Oklahoma so you won't be offended by anything.

[BobPopa]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 10:51am

I don't quite remember how Molina went from dying to the fantasy finale sequence, I want to say a scrim came down after he "died" but my memory is a little fuzzy on that

For Mr. Homosexuals and Terrorists. A)Grow Up B)I didn't know 1 of each is considered full of.

[Sant]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 12:01pm

Thanks guys!

Another question about this show:

how and where did Aurora/Spider Woman appear in "The Visit" scene (after "Morphine Tango" and Molina's Mother's visit)? The music implies she appears all of a sudden and out of nowhere.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 3:24pm

BobPopa: He gets shot and suddenly most of the cast shows up, and Aurora dances with Molina.
Sant: Aurora just walks onstage(from the sides of the stage) for those songs.
Like Sporkgodess said, the story happens in Argentina, it wasn't a "dirty war" or a war, but people would dissappear out of nowhere, mostly people who disagreed with the government.
The movie was shot in Brazil, but that's not where the story really happened in the book.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 3:30pm

Some pictures of the show can be found on:

http://www.theatre-musical.com/spiderwoman/performers.html

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 3:31pm

Tobesureof, I am almost certain that you are RTFan and AmericaRight under different screen names. Clearly, your account has been deleted before. It will be a matter of time before you are off this board for good.

As for Kiss of the Spider Woman, you'll all probably kill me, but this is my favorite Kander and Ebb score.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 3:42pm

Mattbrain, I think it's my favorite too.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 3:50pm

It's my favorite K&E score too. I remember when i saw it, it was around Dec. 23 or so. Two older women infront of me said sarcastically during intermission, "Wow. That sure was a cheerful musical for the holidays."

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 1/8/07 at 4:14pm

I saw KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN when Brian Stokes Mitchell, Howard McGillan, and the always wonderful Chita Rivera were in it and was very impressed with this extremely theatrical production. The acting, score, book, scenic design and direction were all superb.

We obviously have a first class bigot on this thread.

Updated On: 1/9/07 at 04:14 PM

Posted: 1/8/07 at 4:29pm

Kiss of the Spider Woman is not only my favorite Kander and Ebb score but it is also one of the top five musicals that I have seen in 57 years of theatre-going. I'm fortunate that I got to see it twice in New York City, once with Chita Rivera and the second time with McGillin and Stokes-Mitchell. McGillin is fabulous in what really is the real leading tole.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/9/07 at 9:35pm

As a theatre reviewer I was invited to attend the show's Toronto premiere in June 1992. I liked it so much I BOUGHT tickets to return and see it a week later!

In Toronto the song "Where You Are" had not gone in yet and they was another number called (if memory serves) "Don't Even Think About It."

Chita and Brent were flawless, with Chita appearing a good 20 years younger than she was at the time.

Later I did an interview with Kander and Ebb. Kander said his favourite song in the show was "Dear One" and Ebb's favourite was "Dressing Them Up." They were two of the nicest most down to earth people. I was a bit in awe going into the booth to record but they already knew I a was huge fan of theirs and a big musical theatre fan so we relaxed and the interview was one the best I have ever done.


AS for our "friend" ToBeSureOf - anyone who gets that upset over a gay character on stage or a play or film with a bit of nudity is probably not to sure of his own sexuality.

[JRybka]

Posted: 1/9/07 at 9:40pm

I love dear one...

And i think someone has an issue with terrorists and gays?

He should not watch
Bent
The Producers
La Cage Aux Folles
just to name a few

[Glitter]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 6:55pm

The title song was performed with Aurora standing on floor,and walking downstage with an enormous projection of a spider web that filled the entire stage. It was performed the same way on tour, no projection of a face or logo was ever a part of the staging.

The Spider Woman did climb around in the air on a giant web during the song "Come".

for A Visit, The Spider Woman entered hidden by orderlies holding clipboards, sat near Molina, and then a light came up on her. It was a startling reveal.

Molina's transformation in Only in The Movies happened behind a screen held up by prisoners while the other characters from his life entered for the scene.

Every one of these scenes is available on youtube if you'd like to watch the staging :)
Come

[Marlothom]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 7:17pm

I remember having a two page spread from People (?) on Ms. Williams in Spiderwoman which profiled some of her key costumes - I recall the "come" outfit was very expensive but was only on-stage for about 1 minute behind a screen.