Crossing the Blues

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

'Spider-Man' Never Rehearsed in Full Before Debut

Troubled Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" encountered a last-minute problem on Saturday, November 27 when the production's only full rehearsal was canceled ahead of its first preview performance on Sunday, November 28.

The play, directed by Julie Taymor and featuring music by U2's Bono and The Edge, has suffered numerous setbacks in recent months as producers scrambled to solve a series of technical and safety issues and the launch date was recently pushed back until January 2011. But the show, which cost more than $65 million to stage, had its only complete run through scrapped this weekend - and will instead be performed in its entirety for the first time on Sunday, in front of reporters and 1,800 paying audience members, reports the New York Post.

An industry insider tells the publication individual scenes, which include an array of aerial stunts, had been rehearsed, but the cast and crew had yet to go from start to finish prior to Sunday night's debut at the Foxwoods Theatre.