UPDATE: First-Hand Reports on Last Night's SPIDER-MAN Injury; Official Statement and Morning Updates

By: Dec. 20, 2010
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Twitter was flooded last night with messages from audience members at SPIDER-MAN, with word that an actor fell during the middle of Act 2 when a cable snapped. The show was first put on hold, and then cancelled as ambulances arrived on the scene. 

We've reached out to the production for official word, you can follow what's being said on Twitter here and here in the meantime. 

BroadwayWorld spoke to an audience member who was there and told us that it right was near the end of the show when the bridge comes down and MJ falls and Spider-Man goes after her. Basically, she went down and he went jumping after her, and you saw the rope come down and then snap back up and then all of a sudden, the stage manager's voice came on and said that there was going to be a pause. The theatre then stayed dark for a minute or two and then they called the show and brought the house lights back up. 

Our source tells us that for most of the audience, there was a moment of "did I really just see that?" foliowed by horror and concern. Coming from where the actor fell, a voice was heard screaming as well which was believed to be lead actress Jennifer Damiano's voice. As audience members left the theatre, at least one ambulance and fire truck were seen. 

Another audience member has contacted us to tell us that "The person taken away was the person playing Spider-Man at the time. He tried to get up and stagehands told him not to move.

I was in the audience and I'm an NY EMT. Although I am not involved with the care of the patient they didn't use a back-board and collar as they brought him out. The ambulance stayed on site longer then expected, which would lead me to believe the injury isn't critical."

The FDNY confirms they were called at about 10:45 p.m. to treat a man who fell at least twenty feet.  It was unclear which actor was involved in the accident, but we're told that it was a 31 year old man, who has now been taken to Bellevue Hospital.

This is the show's fourth injury and there's no word on what affect this will have on future performances.  Two shows are scheduled for Spider-Man on Wednesday, there is no word at this time if performances will be cancelled. 

Update 12:15 AM: A representative for the show tells us that "An actor sustained an injury at tonight's performance of Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark. He fell several feet from a platform approximately seven minutes before the end of the performance, and the show was stopped. All signs were good as he was taken to the hospital for observation. We will have more news shortly.."

Update 12:45 AM: We're told via a stagehand that this was NOT a flying sequence and that Spider-Man was NOT supposed to drop at all. He was supposed to run to top of the ramp as if to jump with the lights then set to go to black. The cable that snapped is what stops him from going over the edge, and that is what failed. He then fell approximately 30 feet.

Update 8:00 AM: The New York Times has an audience bootleg video of the injury up on their web site. Additionally, the Associated Press has identified the actor in question as aerialist Christopher Tierney, who is reported to be in stable condition. 



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