Just In: Julie Taymor Will Attend SPIDER-MAN's Opening Tonight!

After more than 185 previews, onstage and offstage drama, and the critics descending long before the opening, the official opening of SPIDER-MAN  TURN OFF THE DARK is - at last - here tonight. 

The New York Times has just cleared up the speculation has whether original Spider-Man creator Julie Taymor would attend the opening, having been replaced by Philip William McKinley back in March.  

Despite Taymor's forced exit after nine years on the project, the show does maintain a good deal of her original vision.  According to the New York Times, "Her decision to go comes after several cast members and friends called her recently to encourage her to attend, including the star, Reeve Carney, who said in a recent interview that 'Julie deserves to be at our opening as much as anyone.'"

Reportedly, Bono also recently reached out to Taymor regarding the opening, marking their first communication since March.

Says Taymor spokesperson Mara Buxbaum: "She is so proud of the cast, crew, musicians and creatives with whom she worked on this amazing project for so many years, and she looks forward to sharing in tonight's celebration." 

For the full report on tonight's exciting opening, click here.

The show features creative consultation by Philip William McKinley (The Boy From Oz), original direction by Tony® Award-winner Julie Taymor (The Lion King, Across The Universe, Frida), music and lyrics by 22- time Grammy® Award-winners Bono and The Edge, and book co-written by Taymor, Glen Berger (Underneath The Lintel) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics, “Big Love”).

The complete cast includes Reeve Carney as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Tony® Award nominee Jennifer Damiano as Mary Jane Watson, T.V. Carpio as Arachne, Patrick Page as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Michael Mulheren, Ken Marks, Isabel Keating, Jeb Brown, Matthew James Thomas, Laura Beth Wells, Matt Caplan, DWayne Clark, Luther Creek, Kevin Aubin, Gerald Avery,Collin Baja, Marcus Bellamy, Emmanuel Brown, Jessica Leigh Brown, Daniel Curry, Erin Elliott,Craig Henningsen, Dana Marie Ingraham, Ayo Jackson, Joshua Kobak, Megan Lewis, Ari Loeb, Natalie Lomonte, Kevin Loomis, Kristin Martin, Jodi McFadden, Bethany Moore, Kristen Faith Oei, Jennifer Christine Perry, Kyle Post, Brandon Rubendall, Sean Samuels, Dollar Tan, Joey Taranto, and Christopher W. Tierney.

Inspired by over 40 years of Marvel comic books, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark follows the story of teenager Peter Parker, whose unremarkable life is turned upside-down when he's bitten by a genetically altered spider and wakes up the next morning clinging to his bedroom ceiling. This bullied science-geek suddenly endowed with incredible powers soon learns, however, that with great power comes great responsibility as villains put both his physical strength and strength of character to the test.