Julie Taymor News

SPIDER-MAN is now offering a unique opportunity for theatregoers to see a Broadway performance without feeling guilty about spending too much on tickets. Proceeds from tickets purchased for SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK's February 3 performance will be donated to The Actor's Fund. Tickets for the event range from $145 to $250.

For the first time since Christopher Tierney was inured, Julie Taymor, Director of SPIDER-MAN : TURN OFF THE DARK gave an interview to NY1's Frank DiLella. In an attempt to clear her name from any fault, Taymor said, 'It's physical theater. Someone said it was action theater. And it's a terrible thing to happen but I don't think you can point to someone who actually didn't do the thing and say that they're at fault. We all know what we're doing in here and all of the safety issues have been covered -- and that one there was a mistake on -- and hopefully it could never happen again.' Taymor claims that Tierney will do 'something on stage on opening night.' The opening date for the musical has been delayed once again to March 15.

Many critics still haven't decided (or announced) if they'll review SPIDER-MAN, but now New York Magazine's Scott Brown says that he will review the show on February 7th and then return to see the 'final product' on March 15th.

The attention of the world is still lasered in on SPIDER-MAN as is the New York Times, who reports that the long talked about new finale for the show has finally gone in today.

The attention of the world is still lasered in on SPIDER-MAN, and Fox News at 10 reported tonight that 'the curse of SPIDER-MAN seems to be continuing with another stunt mishap stopping today's matinee. The TV network is reporting that SPIDER-MAN was left hanging in the air for several minutes during Wednesday's matinee performance. Witnesses say that he was left hanging in mid-air while the show was stopped, but that thankfully no one was hurt.

Noted critic John Simon has expressed his opinion on the debate that seems to be taking place among newspapers, websites, and readers alike: should reviewers wait out SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark's lengthy preview period, or review the show while still in previews?

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. '9 To 5,' 'Wicked,' 'Working,' 'Spamalot,' Hollis Resnik, 'Tomorrow Morning,' more....

Back in November, Oprah Winfrey stopped by Broadway's Foxwoods Theatre to chat with SPIDER-MAN:TURN OFF THE DARK director Julie Taymor on her newest project. Much news has circulated around SPIDER-MAN since Oprah's interview, however Taymor still revealed some unknown details about her involvement in the production.

Now, the New Jersey Star-Ledger's music critic, Jay Lustig has gone in, noting that they considerer the number of previews that SPIDER-MAN has had to be 'an unreasonably long period of time' and also cite the fact that the audience is paying non-discounted ticket prices and therefore to wait would be 'absurd'.

The New York Times reports that SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark's new website text advertising their preview period has been considered by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, and has been found to be satisfactory to warn potential ticket buyers that they will may not be attending a fully completed performance to date through March 15th.

Piers Morgan, whose show 'Piers Morgan Tonight' debuts tonight in the time slot previously occupied by the legendary Larry King, has discussed what he ideally plans to do with the show with the New York Post. This included Katie Holmes, star of the miniseries 'The Kennedys', a Twitter-themed show starring Twitter's founder Jack Dorsey and gossip columnist Perez Hilton, and the reality TV star Kardashian sisters. Producers of the new show are also, however, in talks to have the creators of SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark on for an episode, including director Julie Taymor and songwriters Bono and the Edge.

Broadway Speaks OUT and Vig27 are proud to present ANYTHING GOES WITH MARTI hosted by cabaret glamazon Marti Gould Cummings.

Well, the major critics haven't gone in (yet) but MTV has now posted their review of SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark, in two parts. The first, entitled 'Five Things We Liked' includes the Set Design, The Costumes, The Aerial Work, It's Family Friendly and 'Splash Page' the show's opening number.

According to the NY Times, SPIDER-MAN producers have been quick to defend their recent decision to again delay the show's official opening, postponing it until March 15. Producer Michael Cohl told NYT, 'The best idea to market the show would be to open.'

Just in from Rick Miramontez, Spokesman for SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark 'The official position of the Spider-Man team is that critics should not review the production until invited by the production. We deem critics to be theater lovers, and to review the show before it is frozen is not, in any way, in the spirit of Broadway and all it represents.' BroadwayWorld.com reached out to multiple major critics after last night's announcement that the opening was being delayed (again) who have told us that they were talking to their editors and expect that given that the show will now have been seen by potentially 200,000 audience members before its opening night, that they will NOT wait until opening night to review the show and were instead looking at seeing the show near to the February 7th previously scheduled opening night.

Lead producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris announced tonight that SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark has delayed its opening night (previously set for February 7, 2011) to Tuesday, March 15th to allow for more time to fine-tune aspects of the show, including the new ending. Also to that end, the scheduled performances on Tuesday, January 18 and Tuesday, January 25 have been cancelled, and all ticketholders for those performances will be offered refunds or exchanges. All other preview performances will go on as scheduled. Directed by Julie Taymor and featuring a book by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger, and new music and lyrics by U2's Bono and The Edge, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark is now in previews at Broadway's Foxwoods Theatre (213 West 42nd Street). Last week, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark was the number one box office grossing show on Broadway.

Deadline.com has just announced that SPIDER-MAN's Bono and The Edge have recruited British record producer Steve Lillywhite to assist the creative team in working with the cast on the multi-million dollar mega-musical. Lillywhite has collaborated with U2 on 8 of their hit albums. Writes Deadline's Mike Flemming: 'I'm told that he's been a fixture this week at the Foxwoods Theatre, helping the cast with the songs penned by Bono and The Edge as they prepare for the February 7 opening...'

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater is delighted to present The Arabian Nights, written and directed by Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman (Metamorphoses). The production, presented in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company, has been recognized as "Zimmerman's most theatrically complete and perfect creation" (Chicago Tribune).

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) continues its 2010/11 Season with R. Buckminster Fuller: THE HISTORY (and Mystery) OF THE UNIVERSE, written and directed by D.W. Jacobs from the life, work, and writings of R. Buckminster Fuller. The production features Thomas Derrah as Bucky Fuller. Set and lighting design is by David Cuthbert, costume design by Darla Cash, projection design by Jim Findlay, and sound/composition by Luis Perez.