Other Producers Comment on SPIDER-MAN Delays; Bono Leaves Town; Critics Mulling Next Moves

 According to the NY Times, SPIDER-MAN producers have been quick to defend their recent decision to again delay the show's official opening, postponing it until March 15. Producer Michael Cohl told NYT, "The best idea to market the show would be to open."

He added, "Listen, this is a very different kind of Broadway show: a rock 'n' roll circus drama, a piece of action theater. A lot of theater people thought Julie was nuts when they heard what she was doing with 'The Lion King,' before anyone saw the final product. We're not bound by old expectations of when to open or not to open. We'll open when the show is ready to open."

Cohl also made cleaar that Bono, who has been attending performnaces and participating in rehearsals, has left New York and that his extact return date to the show remeains 'unclear.'

Tony Award winning producer Jeffrey Seller commented on the situation, "What the 'Spider-Man' people are doing is completely cynical. With eight performances a week, you can only rehearse on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for four hours each because of union rules and crew work, unless you want to pay overtime. If you want to write a new three-minute number, stage it, orchestrate it and tech it, the whole process takes at least a week. If they were serious about improving the show, they would shut down and do the work. But that would cost money."

Tony winner Emanuel Azenberg added, "The producers are getting endless free publicity out of these delays."

New York Theatre critics have also been expressing concern about the newest delay.  Daily News' Joe Dziemianowicz wrote, "One concern I have is that I can see having reviews come out by dribs and drabs, which just dissipates the impact of a critical consensus. It wouldn't surprise me if the producers want that."

To read the full article, visit:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/theater/15spider.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&src=twr

BroadwayWorld.com reached out to multiple major critics after last night's announcement that the opening was being delayed (again) who have told us that they were talking to their editors and expect that given that the show will now have been seen by potentially 200,000 audience members before its opening night, that they will NOT wait until opening night to review the show and were instead looking at seeing the show near to the February 7th previously scheduled opening night.

Lead producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris announced last that SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark has delayed its opening night (previously set for February 7, 2011) to Tuesday, March 15th to allow for more time to fine-tune aspects of the show, including the new ending. Also to that end, the scheduled performances on Tuesday, January 18 and Tuesday, January 25 have been cancelled, and all ticketholders for those performances will be offered refunds or exchanges. All other preview performances will go on as scheduled. Directed by Julie Taymor and featuring a book by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger, and new music and lyrics by U2's Bono and The Edge, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark is now in previews at Broadway's Foxwoods Theatre (213 West 42nd Street). Last week, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark was the number one box office grossing show on Broadway.

In a statement, Ms. Taymor said, "We are so grateful for the enthusiastic audiences who have been coming to see SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark and we are dedicated to giving them the very best show we can."