BWW JR: SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK- Scary Cool

For the past several months, I've been getting a lot of emails from all of you asking if your child is the right age to see Spiderman.  I haven't answered because I saw the old version, before they did a complete overhaul of the script, score, structure and pretty much everything else.  The new version features a plot that is much easier for kids to follow.  Luckily, my favorite character THE LIZARD is still there.  He kind of looks like Barney's cousin which gives me such joy because I think I'm going to dress my dog up like him for Halloween.  I just need a tiny lab coat.

Not only is Spiderman a good show for older kids, it's MEANT to be enjoyed with kids.  This isn't designed for your average theatre snob or Master Thespian worshipper.  With incredible special effects, those brilliant, "Taymoresque" design elements and awesome flying sequences, Spiderman is just, well, really freakin' cool.  If you are looking for something deeper than that, go three blocks north and catch Jerusalem before it closes.   And hire a sitter.

But sometimes cool can also be scary, and what I found interesting was that my seven year old daughter wasn't scared by most of the live action she saw on stage at the Foxwoods theatre.  The scariest parts were the video sequences.  It's amazing how much more terrifying an image can become when it's on a screen.  I suppose that's why the creators of Spiderman chose to use some 2-dimensional digital imagery to enhance and define the villain in their story.  In a show that breaks the fourth wall with ease and makes contact with the audience physically (a little girl across the aisle from us got high-fived by Spidey!), it's the cinematic media that freaks you out and those parts (located mostly at the end of Act I and again in the middle of Act II) caused my seven year old to cover her eyes and bury her face in my shoulder.

But the truly frightening parts are few and far between.  At the performance I attended (a 7:30 show which is good for families), there were tons of kids in the audience and all of them seemed to be having a great time.  There are parts of this show that are just a wonder to the eyes. The flying is truly spectacular and I can't imagine any child (or adult) wouldn't be blown away after seeing what these aerialists can pull off.

A few tips:

Booster seats: On  your way into the theatre, be sure to pick up an extra seat cushion by coat check in the lobby for your little shorty.  They are very comfortable and go a long way towards helping your kid enjoy the show from a slightly more "fair" latitude. 

Where to sit: When I saw the old incarnation of Spiderman, I was up in the balcony.  The "nose bleed" seats.  And while I did have problems following the story back then, I was blown away by the flying sequences and a few of the more creatively staged numbers that use the entire space, from the top of the proscenium to the lip of the stage (and often beyond).  This time around, I found the new and improved Spiderman plot much easier to follow, but while I still enjoyed the high-flying moments, I really missed seeing them from the top of the house.  In other words: Don't stress getting orchestra seats.  Your kids will love the show from the balcony, and they may even get up close and personal with a flying Spiderman,

Running time: This show is long.  At slightly over two and a half hours (including the intermission), it might be hard for some kids to sit through.  It's exciting and intense and there are few dull moments, but many kids can't stay in a seat for over an hour no matter what the main attraction happens to be.  For this reason, you need to make sure your kid has a Spidey-worthy attention span....you don't want to have to leave early and miss the coolest parts at the end.

Props to the company: The cast and crew of Spiderman have gone through the ultimate and never-ending Olympics of rehearsal periods and they all showed up last Thursday night in full voice, dancing their butts off and selling the show with all their fully-committed might...which is precisely what Broadway pro's always do.

In the end, I'd have to say that the show was just a bit too intense for my sensitive seven year old.  However, I know other seven year old kids who could handle Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark with ease.  There's no bad language, the violence is cartoonish and the guns look like toys.  Still, it's loud and intense with bad guys in scary costumes and people die.  So for the record, I'm going to say that this show is best for ages nine and up, but if your seven or eight year old can handle a little intensity in the name of cool theatrical experiences then go for it.  My daughter might have had a few rough moments but ultimately she loved the show and came away from it feeling like she'd seen something really special.

GET TO THE POINT, MOM!

• Best for your average nine year old and up, but seven and eight year olds who don't scare easily and have a long attention span will have fun too.
• 7:30 PM performance times make your late night a little less late.
• Pick up a booster cushion by coat check and don't worry about shelling out for orchestra seats because the mezzanines are really cool.
• For more information including performance times and ticket sales, visit the show's web site: http://spidermanonbroadway.marvel.com/.
• If your child gets scared of the bad guys during Act II, just point out how much The Lizard looks like Barney and you'll both laugh through the scary parts. Worked for us!