Spider-Man Hits All the Wrong Notes with Guy Branum & Jessica McKenna | 3
Sep 11, 2023
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Comedians Guy Branum and Jessica McKenna join Misha to discuss the disastrous Spider-Man musical on Broadway. They explore the production process, including the involvement of U2, missed opportunities, and the impact of director Julie Taymor. They also delve into the financial challenges and mismanagement of the show, accidents and injuries on set, and the debate about whether it was a flop or just average.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark faced financial troubles, bad reviews, and a string of injuries, resulting in a historic $60 million loss and raising concerns about the safety of performers.
Director Julie Taymor clashed with producers, leading to major script revisions and her ultimate departure from the show, highlighting the importance of experienced producers in managing large-scale productions.
Deep dives
The Expensive Flop: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the most expensive and technically advanced Broadway show ever, was plagued with disasters from the start. Despite raising $50 million, the show faced financial troubles, bad reviews, and a string of injuries. The preview shows were a mess, with set pieces missing, actors getting injured, and technical difficulties. Even after revisions and script changes, the show was unable to recover. It eventually closed in 2014, leaving a historic $60 million loss. However, it did set a record for the highest attendance in a single week for a Broadway show.
Julie Taymor's Turmoil
Julie Taymor, the director of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, clashed with producers and ultimately parted ways with the show. She sued the producers for unpaid royalties, and they countersued, blaming her for the production's issues. The show's script underwent major revisions, and Taymor's original concept of a Greek chorus was removed. Despite her talents, Taymor was unable to save the troubled production.
Injuries and Safety Violations
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark became infamous for its numerous injuries and safety violations. Actors broke bones, suffered concussions, and endured traumatic accidents during the show's run. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued safety violations and fines for workplace safety standards. The injuries and accidents added to the show's troubled reputation and raised concerns about the safety of performers.
The Legacy of a Mega Flop
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark was a mega flop by Broadway standards. Despite making considerable money, it suffered from financial mismanagement, bad reviews, and a string of disastrous events. The show's failure highlighted the challenges of adapting superhero stories for the stage and the importance of experienced producers in managing large-scale productions.
Marvel’s attempt at bringing Spider-Man to Broadway didn’t go as planned. With high-flying action and music by U2, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, was one of the most-hyped Broadway musicals of all-time... but by the time the final curtain closed, bones would be broken, lawsuits would be filed, friendships unraveled, careers destroyed, and millions of onlookers would be left wondering: “what the hell did I just watch?” On this theatrical episode of The Big Flop, comedians Guy Branum (Talk Show, the Game Show) and Jessica McKenna (Off Book) join Misha to hear the tangled tale of the Spider-Man musical, and the careers it took down in its web.
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