Christopher Tierney To Visit SPIDER-MAN 1/7

Christopher Tierney, the injured SPIDER-MAN cast member, will be returning to the show on Friday, January 7 - although only as an audience member.

The Associated Press reports that the performer hopes to attend Friday's performance.

Tierney was released from rehab on January 5. NY1 talked to the actor as he left the walked out of the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine.

"I feel great, the fresh air. I can't wait to actually take a walk around New York, and maybe even be on the West Side of the city. I feel like I've been here forever," said Tierney. "I'm going to drop my stuff off at my house and maybe go do some belated Christmas shopping."

T.V. Carpio, who recently took over the role of Arachne, previously played by Natalie Mendoza, praised Tierney on Tuesday evening. "Chris Tierney is Spider-Man, he's the superhero. I saw him today, he's walking," said Carpio. "His spirit is the spirit of Spider-Man. We all love him, he's brought us closer together than before. It's pretty amazing, he's an amazing man."

According to an earlier report in the NY Times, now that SPIDER-MAN's Christopher Tierney is on the mends, the 31 year-old has made it clear that he can't wait to get back to the Foxwoods Theatre.  

Tierney said of director Julie Taymor: "Julie's not a safe person creatively, she doesn't go for artistically safe choices, and I'm a person who loves being - for lack of a better word - a tool for these artists because I don't take things safe. I never have. That goes for things artistically as well as physically. I don't really think in terms of boundaries. One of my talents as a dancer and as a mover is I fall really well. I've never been worried that I'll hurt myself."

He added, "I've been in shows with people whose legs pop out of their hips. An ex-girlfriend of mine has four concussions. People tearing their A.C.L. And for a show that's this technically complex, four injured performers is just not strange."

"You have a lot of time to think when you're undergoing physical therapy and all I can think about is getting my body back where it was, and getting back to the show."

To read the full article, visit: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/four-injured-performers-is-just-not-strange-recovering-spider-man-dancer-says/?src=mtwt&twt=mnytimestheater 

We reported earlier in the week that injured SPIDER-MAN actor Christopher Tierney has left the intensive care unit and has been transferred to a New York City rehabilitation facility, according to his father. Tim Tierney added that his son is now able to walk with the help of a full-torso brace. It's also interesting that yesterday, President of Actors' Equity Nick Wyman put out a lengthy and heated statement about the Actors' Union's position about the entire safety situation at the mega-million dollar musical and opened somewhat stunned that the press has been calling Mr. Tierney a stuntman, which has been repeatedly put out there and is not a true statement. He's an actor that's been gainfully employed by the union.

On December 20, Christopher Tierney suffered an accident which caused the actor to fall 30 feet. Tierney sustained a fracture in his skull, a broken scapula, a broken bone close to his elbow, 4 broken ribs, a bruised lung and 3 fractured vertebrae.

The production's opening night, (previously set for January 11, 2011) is still set to open on Monday, February 7. 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).