SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK Has Offers from Russia, Germany & Japan

In yesterday's New York Post, Michael Cohl, the producer of Broadway's SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK opened up to Michael Riedel about the recent news that the show will be closing up shop on January 4, 2014.

Yesterday it was announced that the musical would be moving to Las Vegas, after more than three years at Broadway's Foxwoods Theater. Currently the 16th highest grossing Broadway production of all time, the musical has been seen by approximately two million fans, and will have played 1,268 performances by the time it takes its final bow in New York. However it has been plagued with troubles since its preview period, including cast injuries, cost overruns, harsh reviews and lawsuits.

Cohl, a highly successful rock concert promoter, took over the show in 2010 at the request of the musical's composer and his close friend Bono. He revealed to Riedel that in addition to the Las Vegas production, he has received offers to put it up in Russia, Germany and Japan and expects that in the end, the show will be a profitable endeavor. Estimating that each new production will cost about one third of the Broadway version, Cohl joked, "I guess we'll call the money we spent in New York 'research and development.' "

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark began preview performances on November 28, 2010, and quickly became one of the most famous theatrical events in Broadway history, playing to packed houses and standing, screaming ovations nightly. The show officially opened on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 in front of the most star-studded crowd in Broadway history, including the likes of President Bill Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg,Chelsea Clinton, Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Jay-Z, Barbara Walters, Cindy Crawford, Steve Martin, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Helena Christensen,Lesley Stahl, Gayle King, Salman Rushdie, Liam Neeson, Lou Reed, John McEnroe, Fran Lebowitz, Gina Gershon,Ben Vereen, Harry Belafonte, Jullian Lennon, Spike Lee, and Jimmy Fallon.

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark features music and lyrics by 22-time Grammy Award-winners Bono and The Edgeand a book co-written by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, with direction by Ms. Taymor and additional direction by Philip William McKinley. Scenic Designer George Tsypin and Costume Designer Eiko Ishiokaare winners of Outer Critics Circle Awards and were nominated for Tony Awards for their work on Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark.