SPIDER-MAN Delays Opening Night AGAIN - March 15- Page 3

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 1/13/11 at 11:25pm

crewdude, it was never my intentions to insult you. When they move(d) the opening date, you had the opportunity to refund, or exchange your ticket. If you don't wish to see a preview, then take advantage of this option.

My "brain dead" comment was only meant that it would be a rare audience member now who didn't know they were attending a preview.

My bigger point is that the producers are going way out on limb here. I am sure that they were fully aware that more critics would ignore their new "opening" date and review the show. That's a given. They are doing their best to make Spider-man both an artistic and commercial hit. I applaud them. AND, can't wait to see the show!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/13/11 at 11:49pm

Rule of thumb: the longer a show previews, the bigger it will flop.

Look at the stats posted above.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 1/13/11 at 11:55pm

Honestly, this show just sucks. It does. No amount of "tweaking" is going to fix it and make it "ready" for any opening date they set. Without a complete rewrite of the book and score, none of this is going to matter whatsoever.

[broadwayjunkie3]

Posted: 1/13/11 at 11:57pm

To Quote PTO

"Bad news on soprano's scene
First Carlotta now Christine
Still, at least, the seats get sold
Gossip's worth its weight in gold

What a way to run a business
Spare me these unending trials
Half your cast disappears but the crowd still cheers
Opera!
To hell with Gluck and Handel
Have a scandal and you're sure to have a hit!

Damnable!
Will they all walk out?
This is damnable!

Andre please don't shout!
It's publicity!
And the take is vast
Free publicity!"

They have a point....I think it will be a hit!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 12:16am

Ohhh, Broadwayjunkie! GREAT idea. I think I will play that track on my program next weekend! (This weekend's programs are already done and loaded.) Hmmm..I wonder if I could use the theme from the movie Spider-man as a lead? Don't suppose anything from the show score has been recorded as yet.

[finishmyhat]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 12:35am

Don't know if anyone's seen this. But from The NY Times:

"Rick Miramontez, a spokesman for the musical, said on Thursday that the changes did not include an overhaul of the music. Bono and the Edge “are not writing new songs for the show,” Mr. Miramontez said."

[misto625]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 12:41am

Well if the comments I've been reading about the score or correct, then that's a real shame.

[misto625]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 12:41am

Well if the comments I've been reading about the score are correct, then that's a real shame.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 12:52am

^ I've heard the music and I think its fine. It has both rock songs and slow songs. The problem is the plot which has a second act that is beyond incoherent. I actually really like the music though and I personally have no complaints about it.

[finishmyhat]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 1:00am

I have personally heard the music as well. It's the worst score I've ever heard written for a musical, film or stage, and Deeply Furious battles Out For Blood as one of the most WTF moments ever created.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 1:02am

I actually like parts of the score, but Deeply Furious is actually MORE "WTF" than Out For Blood. Out For Blood was used to tell an essential part of the story.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 1:09am

I think its far from the worst score ever written, but that's just me. There a lot of really good songs in the show especially Rise Above and Picture This. I also think the orchestrations are fantastic.

[ActingIsLovee]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 1:12am

This is probably a stupid question, but what about the contracts of the actors involved? standard contracts agreements last about a year, by the time the show opens it will have been over a year since their original opening date. couldn't some actors' contracts end right around opening? or have they been updating contracts with every move of the date?

[After Eight]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 1:25am

"Is this the longest preview period ever?"

To my knowledge, the longest preview record is held by the 1969 comedy, "A Teaspoon Every Four Hours," which played 97 previews and 1 performance. I haven't counted to see if "Spider-man"s previews with its new extended preview period will surpass that.

But as one who was gravely disappointed in the first preview, and has not gone back, I'm encouraged by this delay, because it's giving the creative time enough time for a major overhauling of the book and score, both of which are absolutely essential if they want this show to be any good. Let them use this time wisely and well, get rid if Arachne and the Geek chorus, refocus the plot on Spiderman, put in some more action involving Spiderman fighting villains, write some new good songs, and they can still pull it off.

[finishmyhat]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 1:27am

After Eight,

According to the Times, no new music is being written.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 1:36am

I'm glad that ATC went down just in time for this news...

[crewdude]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 2:08am

Mr. Scott Briefer- I do applaud your uncanny ability to discuss the merits of a show you admittedly have never seen. I am also perplexed at your inability to understand theatre box office practices. You claim it would be a rare audience member not a "brain dead" one that doesn't know they are seeing a preview.

You apparently do not understand that the box office has been selling tickets for months. IF people really did research, they were able to find out that the show was "opening" on Jan11 but "previews" started on Nov28. I say research since the Ticketmaster website did not nor does it now distinguish the "previews" from "performances".You do research to find out the show opens Jan 11. People bought tickets all the way into MARCH. Then the show is changed to opening Feb 7. People were buying tickets thru April. NONE of these people believed they were buying a ticket for a "preview". You keep blaming the ticket buying public as though they are either "brain dead" when they they have been buying tickets for what even the most informed of them thought was an actual "performance" of a finished show.

Producers going way out on a limb?? Doing their best to make the show an artistic and commercial hit?? Ok, NOW who's naive? Producers could have paid the money to FULLY tech this show before one person bought a ticket. They could have had the balls to tell Taymor she screwed up the Spiderman brand. They could have told Bono, your score sucks! They could have done sooooooo many things during the NINE YEARS this show was being developed but they didn't. There is zero, i repeat ZERO reason that the show with no stars has a $1 million operating cost per week.

I'm not sure where you got your information about having the opportunity to refund or exchange a preview ticket, but I certainly never received an email from Ticketmaster informing me of this. Sure if you work hard and go to the box office or are willing to spend time calling and dealing with Ticketmaster and find out your options that they try to talk you out , you MIGHT be able to do something with your NOW preview ticket but no "OPPORTUNITY" was ever presented to ticket holders.

I'm glad you can't wait to see the show, not sure when you're going, but it'll either be in "previews" or have been laughed out as an expensive flop when the reviews start hitting.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 4:09am

Because Mr. Scott Briefer is a child. In like 8th or 9th grade, I believe. He likes to think he is the most knowledgeble person on the face of the earth when it comes to theater.

Lucky for him being that young: he still believes the world is fair.

[alterego]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 5:00am

But will they continue to sell tickets through to March if the audience don't get another
near death experience?

[dramarama3]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 5:59am

It is beyond me why anyone would want to see a show that isn't a finished product. Let alone review one.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 6:11am

It's is encouriging that the team are working on the show. With all the money its making they could just open it and say 'f**k it, we are making money so who cares' but it's obvious everyone involved is very passionate about the show and want's it to work.
My only gripe is i wish they would just give up a couple of weeks of ticket sales and close to rehearse then re open, i think it would get much more respect from the critics etc if it did that.

Ive never mentioned the music as i did not want to review a bootleg audio but since everyone else is....
I like the score, i think it's quite unique and original for Broadway. I like about 8 songs from the show and they fit the comic book world great (it's exactly the kind of music that you hear in the movie versions).
A few of the songs are naff but theres always a few in every musical. This is a score that i don't think is going to appeal to everyone, it's very rock, i can see why some people don't like it. I do though, the Edge guitar riffs are great and i love the melodies.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 6:28am

But most of us (except the first three weeks or so of the run) bought tickets EXPECTING to see a finished product. My tix SHOULD have been for after its orginal opening (well THIS ROUND) which was Christmas Week.

Anyone that bought tix for christmas week or after SHOULD have been seeing a finished product. Then, anyone that had tickets up until Feb went from seeing what SHOULD have been a final project to seeing previews, and NOW those that had tickets for ANOTHER 5 or 6 weeks are being switched to previews.


While I don't see this ACTUALLY changing much, I agree with the posters that they are better off cancelling shows for several weeks and being back in full time rehearsal rather than just piecemeal it together with occaissional Tuesday rehearsals.


And the music is beyond boring, it nearly all sounded the same and had little dramatic dynamics to it.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 7:10am

I saw that there were still playbill discounts until the end of February, which I thought was odd. I think regardless of what goes up and gets frozen that the show is here to stay. I mean let's face it...the people who are going to be flocking to this are no where near as discriminating as this board is; if you ask them what the "book" of a musical is they will answer that it's their playbill or something you buy at the merchandise counter.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 7:13am

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 1/14/11 at 7:21am

Ms. Taymor...

Tear. Down. This. Show.

(But not before I see it, kthx)