Source Riedel 007
So they've re- christened the Hilton -- that big old boondoggle of a the ater -- the Fox woods.
This is delicious.
A theater housing the biggest gamble in Broadway history -- the $50 million "Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark" -- has been named after a casino.
Foxwoods is said to be shelling out $1 million a year to Live Nation, which owns the theater, for the thrill of having its name in lights.
The casino isn't investing in "Spider-Man." Nor is it financing refurbishment of the theater, which has been completely gutted for this production (there aren't any seats in it yet).
The refurbishment money is coming from a single investor, who cut a check the other week for $6 million.
I don't have his name, so let's just call him Mr. Chump.
As for the $50 million needed to put on the show, it's all in. This week, producer Michael Cohl announced that "Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark" will begin previews Nov. 14 and open Dec. 21. Actor Reeve Carney plays the title role.
Cohl, a rock promoter who produces U2's concerts, was brought in by Bono, the show's composer, to sort out the financial mess created by David Garfinkle, the original producer.
Last summer, The Post broke the news that the hapless Garfinkle had raised only a fraction of the production cost -- and that paychecks were bouncing at the Hilton. As a result of his ineptitude, "Spider-Man" found itself in financial limbo for a year.
Tuesday, at a private reception for ticket agents held in the theater, Cohl recounted a phone call he received last August from Bono.
"He told me, 'The house is on fire. You need to come in and put out the fire.' "
Cohl has, and he wanted the ticket agents to see for themselves that "Spider-Man" really is on track for the fall.
The reception was a tightly controlled affair. No tickets or invitations were issued. Unless your name was on the guest list, you couldn't get in.
"They want to keep certain people out," one source said, adding, "and you know who you are."
Cute.
But I sent a spy.
Here's 007's report:
"Cohl was dressed in a Hanes T-shirt. He has a scruffy beard. He looks like a hippie panhandler. If you saw him on the street, you'd give him a quarter.
"He took us down to the stage. The production is going to be spectacular. There's a big set of the Brooklyn Bridge and a huge Green Goblin with his tongue sticking out.
"There's a gigantic diving board-like thing that comes from the floor of the stage and goes out into the audience. It's a launching pad for the characters. They're going to be flying all over the theater. They're going to be landing in the orchestra. If you sit in the orchestra, you're going to be in the show. There are wires all over the place. They were afraid we'd trip over them, so they took us up to the mezzanine.
"There are 19 scenes in Act 1 and 16 in Act 2. There are 40 different set changes. The money they're spending is crazy. I have no idea what the story is like, but the production is going to be pretty damn cool.
"They gave us a glass of wine. It wasn't very good, but I guess they have to economize somewhere."
Cohl's tour of the set paid dividends: The agents bought more than $600,000 worth of tickets Tuesday.
Only another $49.4 million to go, and the show's in the black!
.gif?width=300)
