First word on Spider-Man musical
This LJ writer got a sneak peak at the upcoming Spider-Man musical, which is directed by Julie Taymor with music by Bono and The Edge. We’ve heard a few whisperings ourselves, but this sounds like a must-see:
It’s fairly well-documented that Julie Taymor is a genius, but I was dubious when I first heard about this project. It’s Peter Parker plus Arachne (you know, from the myths about spiders) and it’s Green Goblin and Mary Jane and a greek chorus of geeks (geek chorus, snort snort) and, of course, J.J. Jameson. Glen was kind enough to show us all of the set design sketches and they are amazing - stylish and graphic with forced perspective and vertigo-inducing angles. Lots of LED stuff, also. We also got to see test footage from the swinging and flying and a short video of the team figuring out how to shoot webs. As Glen said, obviously there are going to be a lot of wires in this show. If it bothers you to see them, this is not the show for you.We also got to hear some music from the workshop they did recently and, you know, it rocks. It’s undeniably U2 in the very best way. There’s a beautiful duet between Peter and MJ that I’m sure we’ll all see at the 2010 Tonys.
09/2/08 at 4:18 pm
“Arachne (you know, from the myths about spiders)” Uggghhh…..
09/2/08 at 5:03 pm
Does Joey Q know about this?
Does Mephisto show up in the third act?
Or JMS?
Waid, maybe?
09/2/08 at 6:07 pm
You can see potential Peter Parkers here:
http://nymag.com/news/features/artifact/48950/
Myself… I’d like to see a good old Chinese Opera adaptation!
Of course, the fanboys will have to contend with the fangirls from “Little House on the Prairie”, currently on stage at the Guthrie.
09/2/08 at 7:08 pm
Oh my. Theatre is my profession and even I’m not excited about this. Does no one remember It’s a Bird! It’s Plane! It’s Superman!? haha.
Should be inteersting.
09/2/08 at 7:15 pm
If Norman Osborn sings “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” I will attend. Twice.
09/2/08 at 8:13 pm
i’ve heard some pretty amazing stuff about the flying systems. it’s a foy-like system (might possibly even be foy) that has spiderman on a three point rig and the green goblin on a five point, allowing the two to swing and manuver around each other in mid air
09/2/08 at 9:14 pm
If Doc Ock gets “Happy Feet,” I will attend. Twice.
09/2/08 at 10:03 pm
Sounds like a musical that will work. Is this coming to New York City? That would be awesome and I would go see it!
09/2/08 at 10:03 pm
Sounds like a musical that will work. Is this coming to New York City? That would be awesome and I would go see it!
09/3/08 at 6:05 am
I heard some of the songs on a demo (which I assume was THIS Spider-Man musical - there can’t be two surely) and they were pretty dire - and i love musical theatre…
I hope i heard the wrong songs.
09/3/08 at 8:48 am
I understand that Fred Hembeck wrote the libretto.
Or maybe not.
09/3/08 at 9:32 am
Hey, at least Al Hirschfeld illustrated “It’s A Bird…” for the New York Times!
I would love to see “The MAD Comic Opera” on stage! Dick Tracy! Dagwood Bumstead! Tarzan! Or “Keep on Trekkin’”! Or “South Chicago”! Or “The Ring and I”!
Oooohh…. how about a concert series at NYCC? Royalties would have to be worked out…
09/3/08 at 9:42 am
Maybe an opera based on “Lost Girls”?
09/3/08 at 11:05 am
“…we’ll all see at the 2010 Tonys.”
ALL?
09/4/08 at 8:37 am
U2 and musicals would both rank pretty highly on a list of Stuff I Have No Interest In, but I am up for this like you wouldn’t believe.
09/23/08 at 7:40 pm
[…] This is all from the musical’s 2007 casting calls (via IESB) and in addition to Spidey, Mary Jane, the Green Goblin and J. Jonah, but this should explain why your brain is trying to make you forget this exists. Heidi MacDonald over at the Beat heard word that the show will actually be great, but forgive me if I remain dubious. […]
09/24/08 at 2:35 pm
I don’t know why Ballsroom.com has decided to cut and paste a portion of my article on the subject here in your comments, Heidi, but I do wish they’d knock off cutting and pasting my articles into their site.
http://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/09/the_spiderman_musical_is_really_happening_satan_ca.php
09/24/08 at 11:52 pm
Whoever said the demo was pretty dire, heard the wrong songs.
I heard songs recorded form the workshop and they were…wow! The duet between Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess was truly amazing, and I agree it will be at the Tonys. I just hope it will still have Wood and Sturgess singing it!