Though we've yet to meet a person who enjoyed it, Spider-Man: Bring Out Your Dead Turn Off The Dark turns out to be a moneymaking (if not yet profitable) hit for its producers and Disney corporate overlords. So clearly it's time for them to start digging into their Marvel pockets for another property to make into a Broadway smash. To that end, our first thought was that a Fantastic Four musical could be a campy kick...but then we saw this amazingly edited X-Men: The Animated Musical video, and well, see for yourself: more ›

Apparently nobody told the folks at the Foxwoods Theater that Whiplash is one of Iron Man's villains, not Spider-Man's. Either way, whiplash is what appears to have taken down actress T.V. Carpio, who last week reportedly hurt her neck in an onstage battle during Spider-Man: Love Never Dies Turn Off The Dark. To recuperate, Carpio will be out of the show for the next two weeks—coming back to the boards just in time for a few more life-threatening performances before the show takes its scheduled hiatus. more ›

Acclaimed director Julie Taymor will be leaving the beleaguered Broadway monstrosity Spider-Man: I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Turn Off the Dark , sources tell multiple news outlets. U2's Bono, who co-wrote the score, has reportedly been negotiating the terms of her exit/surrender, so the news doesn't come as a huge surprise, but it's stunning nonetheless; Taymor co-wrote the show and has been working to bring the spectacle to Broadway for almost a decade. It's unclear if Taymor jumped or was pushed, but a source tells the Daily News, "Taymor is out. She's left the building." So who gets to take care of her deformed orphan mutant stillbirth? How about Aaron Sorkin? more ›

Finding themselves snared in Julie Taymor's monomaniacal web, the producers of Spider-Man: There Will Be Blood Turn Off the Dark are considering cutting the acclaimed director loose. And the Times reports that U2's Bono (who co-wrote the tinny score with The Edge) has had "a direct role in the talks." According to the latest gossip, producers are determined that changes must be made, ahem, with or without her. But be careful Bono—rumor has it that like the Black Widow, "she mates and then she kills": more ›

Just as we were starting to forget about all of those accidents that marred the early performances of Spider-Man: There Will Be Blood Turn Off the Dark along comes the U.S. Labor Department to bring it all back. The Department's office of Occupational Safety & Health Administration took a look at Julie Taymor's crucible and found it wanting. The Office today smacked the show's production company, 8 Legged Productions, with "three serious violations of workplace safety standards" worth $12,600 in fines. more ›

Despite receiving some of the most terrible (and entertaining) reviews in Broadway history, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is currently playing to 93.6% capacity and making enough to at least cover its operating costs. So why mess with a good thing? Cast and crew members tell Arts Beat that they now expect the show to postpone its opening night—currently scheduled for March 15th—for a sixth time and "perhaps for a significant period of time." Sources say the delay has to do with the recent hire of veteran musical supervisor Paul Bogaev. You may remember Bogaev from such Broadway sensations as Starlight Express (a.k.a. the Rollerskating Musical). With any luck, the collaboration between Bogaev and Taymor will top Zoo Animals on Wheels! more ›

Yesterday the NY Post's Michael Riedel reported that Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark director Julie Taymor would be forced to share the shuddering wheel of the $65 million musical. Sources told Riedel that Julie Taymor is "exhausted" with the production, and producers are looking to bring on a co-director. But the report was quickly quashed by a spokesperson for the musical, who told Playbill, "The production has not brought anyone on and the original creative team remains firmly in place, with Julie Taymor at the helm." Note that the statement did not say anything about future plans, so stay tuned. In the meantime, there's another fun negative review from a major critic! more ›

When about a dozen critics simultaneously published their generally negative reviews of the Broadway mega-musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark last week, we wondered if their opinions would make a difference to the production's target demographic: people who just want to see flying shit. And so far, it looks like audiences just don't care what fancy Ben Brantley and the rest of the theater snobs think. According to Playbill, attendance actually rose slightly after the reviews dropped, from almost 90% capacity to 92% capacity last week. And despite the critical drubbing, producers have found a way to turn the lemons into lemonade, with their old friend Mr. Pullquote! more ›

The Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark shitshow marketing nightmare just keeps racking up wins: the much-maligned musical has been hit with two safety violations from the New York State Department of Labor over the accidents that have befallen the cursed production. But you didn't need your spider sense to tingle to have seen that one coming. more ›

Another day, another batch of news from the mess that is Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Today we get reports of yet another technical mishap (Spider-Man and the Green Goblin got stuck in mid-air for a few minutes much to the audience's delight) as well as word that the critically-panned production has begun hiring focus groups to see the show—but only one act at a time. And what do you get for seeing half of a $65-million-dollar show? A $60 goodie bag. more ›

So what did the producers of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark think of yesterday's critical pile-on? They were very disappointed. The idea that those selfish scribes wouldn't keep their mouths shut, even after they were asked nicely, is just not fair. “Changes are still being made, and any review that runs before the show is frozen is totally invalid,” a spokesman whined to the Post. more ›

In what looks to be a collective agreement by several theater critics, including Big Ben Brantley at the NY Times, the local dailies and New York magazine have abandoned professional courtesy and published reviews of $65 million mega-musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark before the official opening night (currently set for March 15th, after innumerable postponements). Brantley's pan is the most entertaining—and having seen this folly ourselves, we can safely say that his review is actually far more fun than the show itself. Big Ben asserts that it's "not only the most expensive musical ever to hit Broadway; it may also rank among the worst," and goes on to opine: more ›

Yesterday the battle-scarred Broadway mega-musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark debuted an elaborate new finale in which the titular character triumphantly flies out over the audience in an extended aerial maneuver. Shockingly, the stunt failed last night, and the actor in the Spidey suit was left dangling over the audience for a full minute. Then the lights came up and the show ended. (To the egress, suckers!) Fortunately, a group of Upright Citizen Brigade comedians were in the audience to skewer the whole debacle on Twitter. Here are their funniest japes: more ›

The oft-postponed opening of the most expensive production in Broadway history, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, has been pushed back again. The battle-scarred show will now supposedly open on March 15th (the Ides of March), instead of February 7th. And the musical's lead producer swears that this is definitely, for real, seriously—he means it this time, stop laughing you guys— the etched-in-stone Opening Night. Traditionally, critics wait to file reviews of productions until after opening night, but some media outlets (ourselves included) have been publishing reviews anyway, arguing that ticket buyers deserve some warning that they're throwing their money away on a soulless enervating spectacle. To which ticket buyers have responded, "That's EXACTLY what we want!" more ›

The latest critic to break the traditional embargo and review Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark before opening night isn't actually a theater critic, but more of a critic of rational thought and intellectual integrity. On Saturday, right wing demagogue du jour Glenn Beck saw the big-budget, high-tech rock musical—which we delicately likened to watching a spandex clad fat man with a flesh-hook suspension fetish masturbate onto a giant pile of money, while singing Muzak versions of all your least favorite U2 songs—and LOVED it. Here's his rave review, which he shared with his millions of radio listeners today: more ›

The troubled Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark needs to run for roughly four years of sold out houses to make back its $65 million investment, and its off to a strong start. The show, which has yet to open, was the top grossing show on Broadway last week. It even out-earned perennial title holder Wicked. But just barely. The Oz-folk grossed $1,588,456 while the webslingers grossed $1,588,514, a difference of just $58. Expect to see more close calls like this as the show's opening (still February 7!) approaches. Meanwhile the New Yorker got in on the Spider-bashing with a classic cover. more ›

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark has a new enemy besides Arachne and Swiss Miss to add to his villains gallery: Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. In a January 5 letter to the commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs, de Blasio blasts the webslinger's musical for selling pricey preview tickets without letting unsuspecting patrons in on the fact that the show is still a work in progress. Those poor unsuspecting souls are being subjected to a theater-going experience of "confusion and frustration" and it must be stopped! more ›

The blood-drenched publicity machine for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark continues! Last night not only did T.V. Carpio have her first official performance playing the role of Arachne (though she'd been filling in off-and-on since the orignal villainess, Natalie Mendoza, was injured in December), but she also had a very special guest in the audience. Bono, the guy who wrote the music and lyrics to the show with The Edge, was there to see the carnage in all its gory glory for the very first time. more ›

Producers of the battle-scarred new Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have chosen the actress who will step into the role vacated by Natalie Mendoza, who quit because of the show's repeated safety problems. (Four performers, including Mendoza—who suffered a serious concussion—have been injured during previews.) The role of Arachne will now be filled by T.V. Carpio, who was originally cast as the girl in the "Geek chorus" of annoying comic book nerds. That's right, the producers are cannibalizing their young. And funnyman Stephen Colbert couldn't be more tickled by all the carnage (skip to 1:45): more ›

Tune in to Channel 2 News tonight at 11 p.m., when CBS 2 broadcasts the first interview with the aerialist who is lucky to be alive after falling nearly 30 feet during a performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark last month. Performer Christopher Tierney, 32, suffered a hairline skull fracture, four broken ribs, a bruised lung, internal bleeding and cracked three vertebrae from the accident, which occurred when the harness and wire that should have lifted him in the air instead went slack. Here's CBS 2's sensational teaser trailer for the big interview: more ›

Conservative theater critic John Simon, whose sneeringly negative reviews in New York were always a great way of knowing what shows you should see, is indignant that critics for Newday and Bloomberg News are beginning to break longstanding theatrical tradition and publish reviews of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark while it's still in previews. We're proudly guilty of this as well—having paid to see a performance last week, we likened the show to "watching a spandex-clad fat man with a flesh-hook suspension fetish masturbate onto a giant pile of money, while singing Muzak versions of all your least favorite U2 songs." But hey, if that's how you like to spend your paycheck, then step right up; it's enervating fun for the whole family! more ›

Producers of the battle-scarred Broadway mega-musical Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark have yet to issue an official statement, but sources confirm that leading lady Natalie Mendoza will be leaving the production. Insiders tell the Post that Mendoza, who suffered a debilitating concussion when she was hit by a rope during the show's first performance, will be released from her contract with a "substantial" exit package. And other actors may follow in her footsteps and get out before they're carried out. more ›

The Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark star who suffered a concussion during the show's first preview performance is quitting the production, Arts Beat reports. Producers have not issued an official statement yet, but Natalie Mendoza, who plays Arachne, is presumably leaving the show while she can walk away without a cane. The actress had been struck in the head by a rope holding a piece of equipment during the November 28th performance, and despite a doctor's recommendation that she take time off, she appeared in the next performance three days later, but later complained of headaches and nausea. more ›

Any rubberneckers who paid big bucks to see some death or dismemberment at last night's Spider-Man musical were destined for disappointment. The performance—the first since the show's main aerialist fell 30 feet and broke his ribs—went off with out incident or injury. And while it's good that no actors were hurt last night, what about the damage done to the lives and wallets of ticket buyers? If the state Labor Department can't save theatergoers from this enervating abomination, shouldn't the Department of Consumer Affairs intervene? Sadly, many of them don't even know they need help. Here's video of audience reactions after last night's performance: more ›