Spiderman: Broadway Bomb in the Making?

The New York Post's Michael Riedel has written a lengthy article on the impending debacle that is Spiderman:  Turn On the Dark.  The show was originally to be produced by Broadway veteran Tony Adams.  When he died suddenly at 52, the task fell to his lawyer, David Garfinkle, who had no Broadway experience but, like Hillary Swank, he had a dream.  Bono had been hired for the music (his only stage work being the Toronto flop, The Lord of the Rings) and The Lion King's Julie Tamor would direct.  Reportedly, Tamor considered building an entire new Broadway theater just for this production.  As of now, it's scheduled to open in November at The Hilton Theater on 42nd Street, home of such productions as Ragtime, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Pirate Queen and Young Frankenstein.  Gee, what do those big-budget shows have in common? 

Garfinkle left the show last year after stagehands were ordered to stop working because there was no money left and the production was $25 million in the hole.  The new producer is Bono's friend Michael Cohl, who also produced The Lord of the Rings.  The budget is now $52 million.  Alan Cumming and Evan Rachel Wood have dropped out due to "scheduling conflicts."  Smart move. 

"Some investors reached out to experienced Broadway producers, offering a big stake if they’d sort out the mess. But when the veterans examined the books, they balked. Just to break even, “Spider-Man” would have to sell every seat at the Hilton every night for five years."

See it in previews, if it gets that far.  It might not last much longer.