Spiderman Discussion - Part III

[mama cass]

Generally the producers are the boss, and afaik, the only one credited with that role is Micheal Cohl.

exactly... and he has been catastrophically inept... (and was brought in by Bono)

(it was a rhetorical question btw... )

there are loads of producers credited, including Paul McGuinness...

eta: here we go, i knew there was a list somewhere in the other thread...

Produced by Michael Cohl & Jermiah J. Harris, Land Line Productions, Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle/Tony Adams, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Norton Herrick & Herrick Entertainment, Billy Rovzar & Fernando Rovzar, Jeffrey B. Hecktman, Omneity Entertainment/Richard G. Weinberg, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, S2BN Entertainment, Jam Theatricals, Mayerson/Gould/Hauser/Tysoe Group, Patricia Lambrecht and Paul McGuinness; By special arrangement with Marvel Entertainment; Associate Producer: Anne Tanaka

 

[Pop Artist]

Has it been announced not?

I think the reports are saying the shutdown for new rehearsals would be late April - Early May (sounds like the same time period where U2 has another tour break).

 

[VintagePunk]

there are loads of producers credited btw, including Paul McGuinness...

Oh, okay, I didn't realize that. I know there has been talk of many investors, but I hadn't heard of any other production credits. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[mama cass]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20041112-10391698.html

Bono replacing Julie Taymor at "Spider-Man" helm?

(CBS) Reports are swirling that "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" director Julie Taymor may be leaving the troubled Broadway production - and rocker Bono may be the one to replace her.

According to The Daily, Bono and U2 guitarist The Edge, who helped create the show and recruited Taymor as director, saw the show in New York after returning from their tour of South Africa. Bono suggested some improvements, but she wasn't receptive.

"She's an artist, and she's proprietary and territorial. She was standing in the way of fixing it," a source said. "Bono will do some more work on the show. He really feels it can be a masterpiece, as opposed to a survivability test for young actors. Bono and Edge will make it more of a Broadway musical."

"Taymor didn't want to make changes. Her attitude was 'take it or leave it'" another insider said. "When she lost the trust of Bono, that was it."

The New York Times is reporting that negotiations are under way to either expand the show's creative team, or possibly have Taymor leave altogether. The cable channel NY1 and the New York Daily News are reporting that she has already left the production, citing unnamed sources.

It's also being reported that the show may incur yet another setback and will push its opening date until June, instead of next Tuesday.

i'm sure it's probably just a half-baked rumour... but i just really really wanted to say:

oh please god nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[corianderstem]

Considering they're starting the tour again later this month with no big break until the end of the summer, I can't imagine that's even remotely the truth.

How does one direct a Broadway show still being revamped, whilst rocking the masses around the western hemisphere? Talk about multi-tasking.

And at this point, I can't imagine the others involved would want to assign someone with no previous experience at a) directing; and b) Broadway musicals to head up the entire thing. Isn't the point of this to get the damned thing fixed and ready to go?

 

[mama cass]

Oh, okay, I didn't realize that. I know there has been talk of many investors, but I hadn't heard of any other production credits. Thanks for the clarification.

no problem! i just remember seeing the list in the old thread and being really shocked that Paul McGuinness was in it...

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

He could fly back to new York after every NA show... just sayin

 

[Catman]

damn, they really do want that tony award

 

[corianderstem]

See my edited comment - why would anyone let Bono be in charge of this thing? And yes, that's a serious question.

 

[mama cass]

See my edited comment - why would anyone let Bono be in charge of this thing? And yes, that's a serious question.

because it really was "his thing" all along???

hilariarse!!!

this is getting funnier by the minute, in a very cruel twisted kind of way

 

[Earnie Shavers]

There is no way in hell those that tipped money in, after all of the rubbish this has been through already, are going to allow a completely, totally, wholly inexperienced rock star become the $65 million question.

Have a quick google of some of those names on that producer list - all very, very experienced Broadway people. No chance Bono is taking this over. Surely.

 

[edge-evans]

Holy fart. This would be so Bono for it to all be true. All we need now is for Boner to punch up dialogue/lyrics. A little "hot as hell, like butter on toast." "the bee and the flower" references. Do I hear a "force quit: and-move-to-trash"? Damn dude. Spidey: Not exactly a "pocketful of sunshine."

 

[mama cass]

He could fly back to new York after every NA show... just sayin

don't give him ideas Headache! stop! stop it!



i've lost the fucking plot now really i have lmfao

 

[mama cass]

yeah, i still say it's a half-baked rumour

but a pretty scary one at that!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Ha - this one suggests Bono forced Taymor out because she wanted to mess with his music. Ouch!

'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' director Julie Taymor lost Bono's support, leading to exit: sources

 

[mama cass]

There is no way in hell those that tipped money in, after all of the rubbish this has been through already, are going to allow a completely, totally, wholly inexperienced rock star become the $65 million question.

unless B-man is the main investor?

it's going to turn into a one-man show with B-man as spidey, mary jane and the green goblin, directing, producing, singing and playing guitar, all at once, i knew it!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Bono should stop investing in things

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Seriously. He should take Edge's lead and spend it on awesome stuff.

Like this.

 

[powerhour24]

that's ok, we will have 3 months to correct it.

 

[VintagePunk]

Bono replacing Julie Taymor at "Spider-Man" helm? - Celebrity Circuit - CBS News



i'm sure it's probably just a half-baked rumour... but i just really really wanted to say:

oh please god nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Oh god NO. Not that I think there's a chance in hell of that being accurate, but that would be the worst idea in the entire history of ideas, ever.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Ha - this one suggests Bono forced Taymor out because she wanted to mess with his music. Ouch!

'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' director Julie Taymor lost Bono's support, leading to exit: sources

Yep, this is what I figured would be the problem. Every musical drops songs that aren't working and adds new ones while in previews...it's my opinion that Bono/Edge thought this would be easy. They tossed off some quick songs and figured they were done. The music and confusing second act are the biggest problems of this production, but I figured that Bono wouldn't budge since he really doesn't have the time to come up with new material or rework the other stuff. It just seems absolutely ridiculous that a song like the reviled shoes number would continue to stay in the production this late in the game...

Bono & Edge never should have taken this project on. It's not like they're huge musical theater fanatics to begin with and tossing off third-rate U2 B-sides does not a successful musical make. Neither does working with someone that's known for little substance and heavy bombast (see The Tempest/Across The Universe).

 

[VintagePunk]

It just seems absolutely ridiculous that a song like the reviled shoes numbers would continue to stay in the production this late in the game...

Maybe that song stayed because Julie refused to cut the scene, despite pretty much everyone hating it...? Just saying.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Why would Julie care? If it isn't working, she could just drop it. Suddenly, the musical is five minutes shorter but the reviews/audience reaction improves. It seems more likely that the songwriters would be pissed, especially because they would need to come up with a new number to fill the gap.

As far as we know, there hasn't been one instance out there where it's been reported that a song has been changed in the slightest. That's just odd.

 

[mama cass]

oof! we're safe - it seems Bono is not the new director after all!

Breaking News: SPIDER-MAN Announces New Creative Team; Taymor Out; Opening Delay; New Songs & More

Wednesday, March 9, 2011; Posted: 07:03 PM - by BWW News Desk

Lead producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris announced today that SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark has a newly expanded creative team in place. The team will be implementing a new plan to make significant and exciting revisions to the production. Opening night (previously set for March 15, 2011) has been rescheduled to an evening in early summer, 2011. This amended schedule will allow the time necessary to execute the plan, which will include revisions to the script.

We're told that a shutdown of the production is still in the cards, and will be revealed at a later date.

The additional time commitment required by this new plan will make it impossible for director and co-book writer Julie Taymor to continue on in her day-to-day duties with the production. Philip William McKinley and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa have joined the creative team to help implement new staging and book rewrites, respectively. McKinley has vast experience directing technically complex productions on Broadway and beyond. Aguirre-Sacasa is both an acclaimed playwright and a noted writer of Spider-Man comic books. The expanded creative team also includes musical consultant Paul Bogaev (Tarzan, Bombay Dreams, Aida, Sunset Boulevard) and sound designer Peter Hylenski (Elf, Scottsboro Boys, Rock of Ages, Shrek), both of whom have already been working on improving the musical arrangements and sound quality (respectively) over the past few weeks, thereby vastly enhancing the audience experience.

Producers Cohl and Harris said, in a joint statement, "Julie Taymor is not leaving the creative team. Her vision has been at the heart of this production since its inception and will continue to be so. Julie's previous commitments mean that past March 15th, she cannot work the 24/7 necessary to make the changes in the production in order to be ready for our opening. We cannot exaggerate how technically difficult it is to make such changes to a show of this complexity, so it's with great pride that we announce that Phil McKinley is joining the creative team. Phil is hugely experienced with productions of this scale and is exactly what SPIDER-MAN Turn off the Dark needs right now."

Bono and The Edge added, "Julie is a truly gifted and imaginative director. This is an epic ride, and the standing ovations we have seen from the preview audiences have confirmed our absolute faith in the project. We are listening and learning and, as a result, we have a couple of new songs we are very very excited about putting into the mix. All of us on the creative team are committed to taking SPIDER-MAN to the next level. We are confident it will reach its full potential and when it does, it will open."



Read more: Breaking News: SPIDER-MAN Announces New Creative Team; Taymor Out; Opening Delay; New Songs & More 2011/03/09

 

[nirniva]

If real, this "Bono might be the new director" thing may actually be the worst idea in human history. Harsh competition, I know, but it's got a shot at the title. The B-man is many things, but an experienced Broadway director is not one of them.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I love how they've hired someone to improve the sound quality...I'm sure the sound system and acoustics are just fine, Bono. It's that Reevey kid's mumbling that makes the songs sound unintelligible.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Also, noteworthy that nothing is being done to the songs, just as I predicted. Bono won't let them touch his tossed off little babies.

Sure, they've brought in an arranger, but that's just going to deal with subtle changes, mostly concerning what instruments to use. Nobody is re-tooling the dreadful songs, or better, writing new ones. They can easily fix Julie's confusing second act and all, but this musical is dead in the water critically (and eventually) commercially with those songs based on the reaction so far.

 

[prbiker15]

Early summer opening? Pretty sure it may be in that 10-day gap between the Oakland and Anaheim shows.

 

[VintagePunk]

Why would Julie care? If it isn't working, she could just drop it. Suddenly, the musical is five minutes shorter but the
reviews/audience reaction improves. It seems more likely that the songwriters would be pissed, especially because they would need to come up with a new number to fill the gap.

As far as we know, there hasn't been one instance out there where it's been reported that a song has been changed in the slightest. That's just odd.

It's been reported numerous times that she wanted that scene in there, that she refused to cut it. Given what we know and how all this has played out, which is more likely - that Julie was in love with that scene despite everyone hating it so she kept it in, or that she wanted the song out and Bono and Edge had a hissy fit like a couple of divas because they wanted their song left in, so she reluctantly kept the scene in only as a context for the song, just to pacify them?


Come on. It's not hard to put two and two together and figure out how that would have gone.