Spiderman Musical

[Fan2]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 2:55pm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/bazbamigboye.html?in_page_id=1794&in_article_id=494457

Spinning a spectacular web with Spider-Man musical

Julie Taymor is slowly untangling the web that is Spider-Man: The Musical.

First off, she wants handsome British actor Jim Sturgess to play the spandexed superhero and his alter-ego Peter Parker, with Hollywood beauty Evan Rachel Wood to play his main love interest Mary Jane Watson.

"There, I've said it. Now I have to go through a web to get them," Ms Taymor told me at a Lincoln Centre gala where she and others, including director Stephen Frears, were honoured for their work with the Rolex-funded mentor arts programme.

She added: "Jim's certainly interested, but his film career has taken off, so I have to nab him between movies. Same with Evan. They'd be my ideal pairing, though, if they're free."

The award-winning director worked with Jim and Evan on the movie Across The Universe, a film unfairly drubbed by UK critics, which was set in the Sixties and featured countless Beatles songs.

Both Jim and Evan have great rock voices and, with coaching, could manage eight performances a week.

Ms Taymor, who mixed puppets with stunning imagery to make The Lion King into a 20th-century theatrical extravaganza (the Disney show had its tenth anniversary on Broadway last Sunday), has been working with U2's Bono and the Edge on the score and lyrics.

Ms Taymor plans to weave her Spider-Man into a magical event, with trapeze artists, giant puppets and incredible costumes.

"I hope it will be a cross between a play, rock 'n' roll and circus. The movies with Tobey Maguire worked on their terms, but the show will be very different.

"In fact, it's based more on the original comic books than the movies," Ms Taymor explained.

"This notion that you can transplant movies onto the stage is absurd - a theatre show has to live in its own world."

There's no set date for the production yet. I suspect it won't hit Broadway (there's a slim chance it could come to the West End first) till late 2008 or early 2009.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 2:58pm

I love Rachel Evan Wood, but really, it has turned me off by this statement: "I hope it will be a cross between a play, rock 'n' roll and circus. The movies with Tobey Maguire worked on their terms, but the show will be very different.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 3:19pm

Why would that put you off? Would you expect anything less in terms of the musical's style from Julie Taymor. And she certainly isn't dissing the movie franchise.

Sturgess and Wood, who did the recent reading of ACT 1, were supposedly fabulous, according to some friends who were also involved. I hope Taymor gets them.

[Weez]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 5:43pm

I still want Michael Arden for Peter.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 5:48pm

So far all of the names that have been mentioned to be involved in this show were in Across the Universe.

Yuck!

[TheFriarsDruggist]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 12:17am

Yes to Jim Sturgess...

Keep Evan Rachel Wood away from it.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 12:24am

Why do they insist on casting Mary Jane as a simpering damsel in distress? She's supposed to be a kick ass buxom movie star vixen who teaches Peter how to live, live, live, tiger!

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 12:43am

So, you're suggesting Roz Russel for the part?

[SNAFU]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 12:56am

Ah I smell Taymor's Waterloo approaching!

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 3:42am

With so many American Actors dying for a role on stage, I wish she would at least try to find one first. Rather than just clinging to those she seems overly attached to.

It would be nice to see someone give Disney a run for their money. As long as she doesn't get too corny. Kids these days expect a lot. Maybe she is aiming for the Sesame Street crowd?

Singing bad guys? This would have to be seen to believe. My first advice would be, don't over budget! I'm getting weary of hearing Producers whine about their budgets.

Let's also hope she can, oh never mind..how much U2 Music can I stand in one Musical? Hopefully more than I can stand of ABBA's.

Haven't even seen Universe yet because I can only stand so much of that in one sitting. Best on Video and in small amounts.

Like Elvis, too much of a good thing is just that, too much! Honestly can handle more of Elton John's Music. Love listening to the Lion King, great soundtrack.

We will see. I really though like some variety in the Music.

Maybe Spidey is going to kill them with his singing?

[spidey_882]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 12:23pm

I adore Spiderman, but the idea of this is really making me cringe. I have no idea how they'll pull it off without it being incredibly cheesy. Giant puppets? No thank you.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 6:37pm

The big Puppets in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE looked like left overs from Old Taymor projects.
I liked the two leads and their voices but singing a rock score everynight is very different than film dubbing.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 8:43pm

So true CPD. I know she likes these two but maybe she can save them for further projects she has planned. Too many rising stars right now who could really use the work.

Who knows what she will come up with for this. At least Marvel has to approve the work and they have been fairly good judges on Actors/Characters. Hopefully she won't get away with any cheap sock puppets that will make us long for better days.