SPIDERMAN: THE MUSICAL Given the Green Light

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 4:04pm

That may not be the official title, but Marvel Studios is putting the pieces together for a musical on the Great White Way starring the popular superhero, which will be directed by Tony winner Julie Taymor, with U2's Bono and the Edge creating new music and lyrics for the project.

Auditions are taking place, and a reading is scheduled for the summer. No dates for a Broadway opening have been set.



Backstage Article

Updated On: 4/19/07 at 04:04 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 4:14pm

Kill me now.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 4:23pm

Yuck.

[morosco]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 4:23pm

Okay....that's it....Broadway is officially dead.

[timote316]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 4:30pm

On the bright side, Taymor is the one person who could make this work, and I'm extremely excited for the forthcoming score.

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 4:37pm

Ohhhh dear.

[Shakespearean]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 4:48pm

Excellent, I now resubmit my sample lyrics for consideration:

My hand swelling up, a spider had bit me!
The room spun around, the floor came up to hit me.
On waking I found that there was somethng amiss
Instead of in my palm, some white goo shot from my wrist!

I cannot think straight, my thought are all mingling
And now my newfound spidey senses are tingling.
I gotta find MJ, she'll let me confide her
I mean, ohmahgod! I'm turning into a spider...

And additionally offer:
I can't believe I made it here cause Broadway is for singers
Now they have to open up the stage for teen web slingers.
Ten hours of rehearsal and the ache and pain still lingers
But I'm headed down to Chelsea to meet other kinds of swingers!

I now return to my work on Animal House: The Musical and my pilot teleplay for CSI: Mayberry. I'll write anything with a colon in the title. It sooooo reflects the quality of my work.

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 5:04pm

I am a huge fan of Broadway musicals. I am a huge fan of Spider-Man. Why can't I stop shuddering?

[Weez]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 5:06pm

I hate to sound like a broken record, but you can't judge it until you've seen it, so let's give it a chance!

'sides, I LOVE the idea of a SpiderMan musical. :3

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 5:14pm

Well, the only way I could see this working would be to give this a rock score...

I try to be very optimistic about show ideas...

But, wow! That's all I can say.

Updated On: 4/19/07 at 05:14 PM

[harris007]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 5:16pm

sounds cool

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:01pm

Not to add to the negativity but...maybe like superheros just don't work on Broadway. If Superman and Batmna have taught us anything, it should be that.

And this whole concept sounds too much like Tarzan in theory for me to like this. Take a popular material that involves a guy swinging around a stage on wires and have songs written by a pop star who has never done any work in theatre before...

[jewelchk]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:25pm

Oh, come on. That's like saying *vampires* don't work on Broadway!

:)

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:26pm

As Esther Rolle once said:

Damn! Damn! Daaaaaaaaaamn!

[James885]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:27pm

I just cannot see characters like Spiderman singing.

[Weez]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:28pm

Yet people have no problem with Jesus or Eva Peron or the King of Siam bursting into song... odd...

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:42pm

Well, I can see Peter Parker singing, just think it would be hard for Spiderman to sing with a mask covering his face.

And Shakespearean, that was hilarious, you need to submit those lyrics to Forbidden Broadway so they can put in their spoof as soon as Spidey hits Broadway.

And Julie Taymor, maybe Spidey will be played by a puppet?

[The_Jackal2]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:43pm

I have to admit, I'm a little worried about this...but I'll try to give it a fair chance before I judge it...it could be fun, I guess.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:46pm

While I don't think this is the best idea, I'm nevertheless excited for it. People thought Legally Blonde was going to be a major disaster and look how that turned out. That being said, if this goes well, this might pave the pathway to other superhero-related musicals, such as Batman, which even if it's a flop, I'd pay to see. Julie Taymor has her work cut out for her with this one.

[Julian2]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 6:52pm

"If Superman and Batmna have taught us anything, it should be that."

Bull****. Superman got good reveiws, and Batman never even happened.

OK, here is my condensed rant on the show . . .

-Anything has the capability to be a musical.
-And Spiderman is just another possible story.
-It has inheirint drama.
-Taymore, Bono, and The Edge are all very good artists.
-That other guy won some playwriting awards, so hopefully he has talent.
-Knowing Bono, he wouldn't be doing this if it was deviod of artistic integrity, its not like its an unknown team killing for ANY sort of break.
-If its good, it has the possibility to be big step towards reuniting good theatre and the rest of america.
-I know its unconventional, but change in any artform is nessacary.
-GET YOUR HEADS OUTTA YOU COLLECTIVE ASS!

I'm ok with being a little leary, but some of this (yuck / broadway is dead!) is rediculous.

I guess that's tellin' 'em, ugh?

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 7:22pm

I feel like I've been waiting my whole life for Bono to write a musical, and while I don't the Spiderman appeal, I look forward to seeing how this turns out. The approach they seem to have taken with the script (specifically the "geek chorus" and Arachne mythos) is interesting.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 8:19pm

Don't hold your breath for this to happen.

[desiree armfeldt]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 9:04pm

what do you guys think about casting?

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 9:36pm

Me--Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Catherine Zeta Jones--Mary Jane

And the whole time I will be making out with her. OH YEAH!

[harris007]

Posted: 4/19/07 at 11:22pm

spidey i knew somehow you would find this