Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Spider-Man the musical

Remember, a couple of days ago when I said opined that the appearance of Marvel Apes was one of the signs of the oncoming apocalypse? Well, I think that I just might have seen the second sign. Word (extensive word) that a Spider-man Musical just might be on its way to Broadway.

To be sure, a few years ago there was a Spider-Man play at Radio City Music Hall (which I attended), entitled Spider-Man Live! A Stunt Spectacular!





While that show was fun and all (essentially telling a version of the origin of Spidey, but shortening it to fit on stage in a kid-friendly show) I can’t help but to think that a musical version of Spider-Man would be some sort of travesty (anyone remember It’s a bird It's a Plane It’s Superman!, the Broadway musical?)

Well, apparently the talk is more than just talk, as — according to an article in the April 16, 2007 edition of Playbill:

A reading of the new musical Spider-Man will take place in New York City July 12 and 13, Playbill.com has learned.


Then, on April 19, 2007
NME reported that U2 was slated to write music for the new Spider-Man musical:

U2’s Bono and The Edge have signed on to write music for the forthcoming Broadway musical, 'Spider-Man'.

The singer and guitarist will team up with director Julie Taymor to pen songs for the musical based on the Marvel Comics hero.


This story was also carried in April 20, BBC News announced that:

Bono and The Edge from U2 are to write music and lyrics for a Broadway musical based on comic book hero Spider-Man, according to film trade paper Variety.
.

Still, all of that was just talk, right? People talk about stuff all the time and noting ever really comes of it, only then there was this report back in February from The Bad & the Ugly.

Hey-O Superhero Fans!

There have been strong buzzings that crazy genius cum commercial sellout Julie Taymor (Titus, Across The Universe) had cast her Across The Universe leads – Jim Stugress and Evan Rachel Wood - as Peter Parker and Mary-Jane in her upcoming Broadway adaptation of Spider-Man featuring music by Bono and The Edge.


The most recent news I have is from NY Mag, from Aug 3, 2008:

Hundreds of aspiring Peter Parkers showed up at the Knitting Factory last Monday to try out for the upcoming Julie Taymor–directed Spider-Man musical. Left, auditionee head shots; below, their choices of audition tunes (pop/rock was requested—Bono and the Edge are writing Spider-Man’s music and lyrics) and selected explanations as to why they should get the part.


With all of this info available, I ask you now...can the End Times be far away?

Oh yeah, right...

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Is this going to be like someone wearing a Spider-Man costume and singing his origin? Or is someone going to show-up dressed as Spider-Man showing off while his story is turned to a song?

rjsodaro said...

Not sure, but I’m betting that it will be traditional in the sense that it will be a play about Spidey and (probably) the Green Goblin where they they are about to fight and then break out into song (like West Side Story “When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way...”)

But, like I said, all I know about this is in the post (and the stories linked to it). If I learn more I’ll let you all know.

Oh yeah, if anyone out there knows anything about this, please post a link!

Tommy said...

Looked like a great show from those clips. Some nice choreography and what seems to be some martial arts moves taken from Jujutsu (usually referred to as Jiu-Jitsu) and Capoeira.

I'm not a practitioner, but if you observe things in movies, games, etc enough or know someone who practices martial arts, you'll recognize some of the moves. Someone who really knows about them would probably be able to expand on that. [If you're reading this, Reg---Shenmue! Play it if you haven't!]


Another thing I wanted to mention was that the Spider-Man show reminds me of the Batman ones I saw at Six Flags, but obviously without the same level of finesse as Spider-Man, as per the different styles of the characters.


As for the musical, it sounds pretty scary. I saw something at this link...

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=109329

...that seriously made me go cross-eyed.


"The character breakdowns provide some insight to plot points as the character Arachne ("female, 20-35 years old, any ethnicity") is described as "a beautiful, boastful young woman turned into a spider for her hubris and lack of respect for the gods. She subsequently appears to Peter Parker and the audience as in turn a powerful spider-woman who comes from another time to inspire Peter; an otherworldly lover; a bride; a terrifying (and sexy) dark goddess of vengeance; a dance partner in a charged and violent spiders dance of death; and, finally, a lonely, fragile young woman." Casting is seeking a "strong Celtic, Balkan style, e.g., Sinead O'Connor," noting, "outside the box ideas are welcomed. Could be someone from the music industry."


What...the...****?!?!?

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