Spiderman Preview Thread!- Page 20

[rorschach37]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:38pm

All the bad press surrounding this is just ridiculous. I can honestly say if Julie must have her "circus extravaganza", she should take care of the tech stuff and bring in Stan Lee to do some rewrites for the book.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:40pm

Marvel is ultimately in control here. Stan Lee had many opportunities to put his foot down on some ghastly film adaptations of his characters many times before and chose to do the cameo aka seal of approval anyway.

[leefowler]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:43pm

I'm no fan of the show, and even I think all this press has gone too far. They just had a first preview, and it's now an international story that they're in trouble.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:46pm

That is true...I just don't understand why Stan Lee lets it all go like that. Fantastic Four was like his baby and we all saw how that turned out. They even warranted a sequel that was WORSE than the original!!

You'd think Disney would be breathing down Julie's neck like with The Lion King since they technically own Marvel now.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:48pm

It could be that with an operating cost as high as this show, it will not play the entire year. It makes good business sense to shutter in Jan/Feb and save some $$ (not 2011 obviously)

Even if it's the greatest most fantastic event in the history of history it would be hard to sell out in non-tourist months.

Maybe Foxwoods and the Spiderman team are considering bringing in a cheap place filler that can work around the sets and mechanics of Spidey.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:48pm

Maybe if they incorporate nudity it will sell better.

[alliez92092]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:50pm

Not if there's a gunshot though. And a bad show curtain.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:02pm

@leefowler

I completely agree. Having been involved in several local productions I can say that these things take time. I knew from the second rehearsals began they wouldn't be ready by November. They are attempting things that have never been done before. Some of the posters on this board are being extremely naiive. They're saying they had plenty of time to rehearse this and get it perfect/near-perfect. Four months of rehearsal is no where near enough time for production on this scale. They think the cast has been rehearsing since the original performance dates when rehearsals didn't begin until August! Production was halted early this year because of money issues, and Reeve was on tour with his band up until the end of the summer, so there's no way they could have begun before August. Being a Taymor project, I think this show will definitely be style-over-substance, but Julie doesn't exclude plot and character development completely. Do think this show will be perfect? Hell no. Do I think it will be worth the money after it opens. Maybe. Only time will tell. I will see it regardless as I've been anticipating it since they announced it's creation; but I hope with all my heart that this show will find an audience and be a remarkable production that stays on Broadway for years.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:08pm

They're saying they had plenty of time to rehearse this and get it perfect/near-perfect. Four months of rehearsal is no where near enough time for production on this scale.

Doesn't that just beg the question "why start previews after 4 months then"? I mean, if they knew this they could have had 6 months rehearsal.

And all this hoopla about this never being tried before is such crapola. It's been done for years in other shows like KA and other Cirque productions. It's not like Taymor invented the concept of acrobats flying through a theater.

It may the first time it's being done on Broadway, but no one is inventing the wheel here.

[jdtp12]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:09pm

While I agree that they could've had more rehearsal time, they have had a long time to work on the book and score, which seem to be what people are saying need the most work.

[mikem]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:17pm

And I thought the Women on the Verge thread was busy...

A little over 24 hours since the curtain went up for the first preview (and about 32 hours after this thread was started), and there are 484 replies and 98,000 page views! (For comparison, the WotV thread, which I thought was crazy busy, had that many replies after 5 or 6 days into previews, and only had about 40,000 page views in this time period, and about 200,000 views by opening night.)

Updated On: 11/29/10 at 07:17 PM

[dancinfan]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:19pm

I don't care who is directing a new musical or how much it costs. THE first task at hand is to workshop the book and music until they tell a strong, clear story and excite the listener. The visuals, the blocking, the designs, the puppets, the masks, the costumes, the flying, the sound, the lighting should only enhance the storytelling. They are not the starting place! If all the tech elements were to break down and the audience could only watch the actors walk around in worklight singing to piano accompaniment, the audience should still get to see a good story! Good example: Les Miz without a turntable or a barricade is still a moving, thrilling piece of storytelling.

[crewdude]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:19pm

To state that Marvel or Stan Lee are in control or that they have or had the ability to stop anything in this show would require knowledge of the exact conditions of the contract that licensed out the rights to a Broadway musical telling involving their intellectual property. Statements like this also don't take in to account what if any changes happened to said contracts after Disney's purchase of Marvel.

I definitely agree with the post saying they should bring in Stan to at least put a story into Act 2.

[crewdude]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:24pm

"They just had a first preview, and it's now an international story that they're in trouble. "
Actually, considering the show has made such a to do about Bono and The Edge, from the internally known band U2 were doing the music AND since this show was already supposed to have been open last February....it has been an international story for quite some time. The fact that last night was so abysmal has not suddenly brought the international attention to the show.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:30pm

To say that four months' rehearsal time isnt enough for a spectacular of this scale is one thing. Considering that, as reported on 60 Minutes, the scenery was loaded in six months ago and that they were in rehearsal last winter suggests a *slightly* longer rehearsal time than four months.

[jovie27]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:41pm

I know this may sound like a weird question...but are Patrick and Reeve during their own flying/stunts or are stunt men doing that?

"To say that four months' rehearsal time isnt enough for a spectacular of this scale is one thing. Considering that, as reported on 60 Minutes, the scenery was loaded in six months ago and that they were in rehearsal last winter suggests a *slightly* longer rehearsal time than four months."


^ Well that depends. Just because the scenery was loaded in 6 months ago, does not mean that the actors and creative team could rehearse in it. I have done shows and I know professional shows where the sets, lights, etc load in and only a week till first preview does the cast ever get to set foot in the theater. So they could be rehearsing only 4 months in a rehearsal room while all of the labor is being done in the theater. 4 months sounds about right for the focus of rehearsal time for this show...even though I think the average show is 4-6 weeks.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:57pm

OH MY GOD!!!!
Really?, one preview and people on here are talking about it closing, a new show coming in, not making its money etc? I know many on here can be drama queens who get swept up in gossip and speculation but this has to be taking it to whole new level, even for Broadway World.

On here we have about 5 people who saw the show last night, we saw a few tweets and that has been enough to say it’s a flop?, what about the many tweets and postings on other boards that say they liked show? Do you really think the fact the papers are reporting it had such a heavy stop and start first preview and a few have said they don't like the book or music means that’s the be all and end all?

The book is something they can fix and im sure heavy work will be done. Ive heard many pulling out songs from the show saying they loved them and all seem to agree that the show looks incredible.

When Spiderman was announced nobody in their right mind thought the book was going to be great...i mean come on, it's Spiderman. This show was always going on to be a visual feast and everybody knows that. Yes they need to get the book to a level than can engage but im sure they will work on that. The reason it’s a 65 million dollar musical is because it’s a visual show and in that sense its seems to be delivering.

"And all this hoopla about this never being tried before is such crapola. It's been done for years in other shows like KA and other Cirque productions. It's not like Taymor invented the concept of acrobats flying through a theate"

Actually with the technology they are using for specific stunts etc it is the first time it’s been attempted on this level. Where other spectacles have used flying many times (Cirque etc) the technology behind how they are doing it, in the space they have and bringing it so close to the audience is very much a new thing.

People need to get off this drama train and allow the show some time to do what it needs to do in previews. Yes it should not be charging those prices for a preview but it's only doing what other shows do.

As for the money it has to make back to stay open
Well last night it made 200 grand for 1 show, even if it’s a few hundred empty seats each week it looks like it will still make it's running cost back each week. Remember shows like Wicked always make over a million and Spiderman to a tourist is offering a lot more and a more trustworthy name. It's advance is healthy and I’m sure rising, if they can work out the kinks and get some good reviews it has the potential to do very well, even if the critics hate it (Wicked, Les Mis) it does not mean the show will fold, many shows live through negative reviews.

And it had a tough first preview, BIG DEAL. How many shows have tough previews, Billy Elliot was stopped and started loads, Titanic the same, Gone with the Wind ran almost 5 hrs during its first couple of preview, Witches of Eastwick struggled through previews etc, it happens, especially on a show of this scale, stop blowing it out of proportion. I’ve worked on new musicals where the preview was bumpy and I produce new shows and know exactly what a preview period can be like. You open a show to a preview when you believe that you have something in place. They clearly thought they did, you can’t judge these things until you get it in front of an audience (like movies with test screenings) and only then can you see where the problems lie. The press are only talking about last night because of what it is, it’s not an unusual thing to happen.

Also the press are not reporting the show is abysmal, they are all talking about it had a bumpy preview because of the tech issues.

I knew a few drama queens would jump all over this show when they heard about any kind of problems but this is just stupid.........ONE PREVIEW, IT'S HAD ONE PREVIEW.

The sheer drama is just headache inducing

Updated On: 11/29/10 at 07:57 PM

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:06pm

And what happened to 3 of the 4 shows you used as examples? They flopped.
95% of the people who saw the show said the music and story sucked big time and the visuals have been both praised and bashed. This is NOT a good sign for a show that has been called "The best Theatrical experience you will ever have" (a quote by the producer before the show started)
This show has a budget of mammoth proportions...it has a manic director who loves attention more then life itself and is well known, music by a internationally renowned band, and has been begging for publicity. IT has been in the works for close to a decade, and it took a theater and GUTTED it and then had to stop and postpone crap for almost a year. So yes, we are allowed to come on here and say our peace. They have had PLENTY of time to fix these kinks. PLENTY. They have been in rehearsals for much longer then "4 months" and if Taymor wanted to bring a such a innovative show to a Broadway stage...then she should have lined up her ducks before letting paying audiences in.

And another thing...the reason why WICKED and Les Mis lived past the critics is because both have a story that is interesting to follow and (although people will argue this about WICKED...its obviously true since the CD sold over 2 million units) the music is something people like to listen to and they both connect with the audiences. Spider-Man so far has not one of these things. The visual thrill wont carry the show for long...esp. if they keep breaking down. And shows cant rely on visuals to stay afloat...if that was true, SHREK, Young Frankenstein, Tarzan, Dance of the Vampires, Carrie, Lord of the Rings (London) and numerious other shows would still be running today.

Updated On: 11/29/10 at 08:06 PM

[Eris0303]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:07pm

Jovie, I read somewhere that it's "Team Spidey" and there are several stunt doubles for Reeve. I would assume the same for Patrick.

[Taryn]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:07pm

When Spiderman was announced nobody in their right mind thought the book was going to be great...i mean come on, it's Spiderman.

Yeah, that loyal fanbase sure loves Spider-Man because of the lack of storytelling and good writing.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:10pm

Yes, yes, we know, it's all drama.

BUT...

This is not the sort of show where you just say, "We'll put this song here and change this scene here." Having worked in tech-heavy productions, I can assure you that this thing is programmed start to finish, probably only one or two steps away from the SM hitting a button and the banks of computers taking it from there, for everything from lighting to flying to scenery moving to bringing on the plastic blow up doll. To make a change now, no matter how minimal, would require new programming on a massive scale, something no doubt the production team wants to avoid because it would just jack up the budget that much more... by a truly grand amount.

Some people here seem to think that these shows are just as flexible in the "fix" period as a traditional line-run musical. No freaking way, kids. They've built themselves a very expensive technical monster here, and right now it's calling the shots.

[tazber]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:14pm

What do you expect this thread to be songanddanceman? Rainbows and unicorns?

It's a discussion. Good and bad. There have been comments on both sides and several in the middle. If you want to start a fan page go write a blog.

You've been around here long enough to know what these threads are like.

What is your aversion to honest criticism?

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:15pm

>> "the reason why WICKED and Les Mis lived past the critics is because both have a story that is interesting to follow"

I'll admit it: I HATED Wicked when it opened, but gradually the show won me over. I'll probably see it again this trip, and it'll be my third viewing.

Les Miz is another story. I always fall asleep watching it.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:15pm

Sorry, double-post.

Updated On: 11/29/10 at 08:15 PM

[Katurian2]

Posted: 11/29/10 at 8:41pm

"Yeah, that loyal fanbase sure loves Spider-Man because of the lack of storytelling and good writing."



Well for the last few years, as with many Marvel comics, Spider-man's plot lines have been getting pretty absurd. Maybe not baddie fashion show absurd, but still pretty ridiculous in scope. I used to be an ardent Spidey fan buying all the weeklies, but I stopped after the MJ/Satan soul exchange nonsense. And I know I wasn't along there. That was the last strand (pun intended). It actually isn't out of character for the franchise right now to have some completely out of left field ideas like are in this musical. Personally, I preferred the pre-crazy Spidey. Now I look for good story and plot and writing in Superman instead. Marvel's comics haven't been universally quality in about a decade now.

*end comic book geek rant*