U2's $31M Spider-Man Musical Hits Delays

Official word is she's too busy, but friends say she was forced out

(NEWSER) - After days of rumors , the producers of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark made the official announcement last night: Director Julie Taymor is out. The problem-plagued musical has also been delayed yet again, this time until “early summer 2011,” according to the show’s blog . Taymor has been replaced with Philip William McKinley, who directed The Boy From Oz, and the script will be revised by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who has written for the Spider-Man comic books. More»

But wowed audience loved 'heart-racing' stunts

(NEWSER) - Previews of Broadway musicals are rarely perfect, but last night's debut of the long-plagued Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was especially troubled. The start was delayed 24 minutes; the show was paused five times for technical problems; an actress hung upside down in the air for six minutes. Yet none of it was enough to dissuade many of the fans, who tweeted throughout expressing delight at the aerial stunts. Samples from the Wall Street Journal : "My heart was racing," said one audience member; "WOW on flying thru theater," said another. More»

Stephen Sondheim revue stumbles before opening

(NEWSER) - Financial woes are forcing more musicals to face the music: Spider-Man’s Broadway appearance has been delayed until next January, while Stephen Sondheim’s latest couldn’t raise the cash for tryout performances, Bloomberg reports. Spidey’s show, with tunes by U2’s Bono and the Edge, costs a record $31.3 million to perform, while iSondheim’s $4.5 million tryout is steep for a musical revue. More»

Julie Taymor says she's not being fairly compensated

(NEWSER) - More drama behind the curtains for Broadway’s Spider-Man: Former director Julie Taymor is suing the show’s producers over what she says is a lack of compensation for her creative work. “The producers' actions have left her no choice but to resort to legal recourse to protect her rights,” her attorney says. Taymor was fired following much-publicized trouble onstage and off, but she's the only director eligible for a Tony for the show. More»

$9 million on sets, costumes alone

(NEWSER) - Amid injuries, delays, and firings, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark has managed to eat through $75 million, New York state financial statements reveal. To put that in perspective: The play The Book of Mormon cost $9 million, reports the New York Times . Here’s where some of the money—and time—has gone:

• $4 million to rent the theater for two years before opening (most shows need it just months in advance)
• $9 million on sets, costumes, and, er, shoes