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Feb. 8, 2013
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Jewish World Review
Nov 29, 2011
/ 3 Kislev, 5772
Surprise! Spider-Man may weave a profitable web
By
Dale McFeatters
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
It is a timeworn plot device that generations of ridicule have failed to kill, as a group of youngsters, faced with the loss of their beloved orphanage, beloved farm or beloved 401(k)s, suddenly decided, "Let's put on a show!"
Unsurprisingly -- otherwise, it wouldn't be a timeworn device -- the show overcomes all kinds of humorous and near-heartbreaking obstacles to succeed, the sinister minions of Wall Street are paid off, the farm is saved from being paved over by developers, Skippy is released from the pound and the young thespians rethink their opposition to capitalism.
Broadway investors know that putting on a show requires tremendous amounts of money, luck and talent, and then will probably fail anyway. And that is why the survival of the musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" is this season's feel-good, and potentially very profitable, story.
The extremely high-tech stage adaptation of "Spider-Man," based on the popular comic-book series and subsequent movies, opened for previews a year ago Monday. The reviews were disastrous, suggesting that, at $75 million, "Spider-Man" was a clear front-runner for Broadway's most expensive flop.
Surprisingly, audiences showed up and grew steadily -- less, one suspects, from a commitment to the legacies of Thalia and Dionysus than on the chance of seeing one of the show's numerous mechanical malfunctions fling an actor into the second balcony or drop one into the basement or leaving him dangling high above the expensive seats while stagehands worked frantically to lower him back to safety.
In December, the official opening was postponed to February; in January, the opening was postponed until March; in March, the original director was fired and the opening postponed yet again, to June 14. And the show closed for three weeks to be thoroughly reworked, usually a sign that a production is on life support.
But, finally, on June 14, "Spider-Man" formally opened and the audiences kept on coming, a miracle on 42nd Street, site of the production's theater.
Movies that open poorly are usually rushed overseas, and that appeared to be "Spider-Man's" fate, but now the producers are planning to keep the show in New York, perhaps adding some new music and plot flourishes, in the increasing likelihood that the show will recoup its investment while on Broadway.
Apparently magic still happens on the Great White Way.
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Previously:
• 11/28/11 Italians entertain novel proposition: Paying their taxes
• 11/25/11 No time to let up on al-Qaida
• 11/24/11 Congress Quietly Abolishing Friday
• 11/23/11 Cleaning up after supercommittee implosion
• 11/22/11 Jailing minors with adults adds to problems
• 11/21/11 Brilliant strategy? Action by inaction
• 11/18/11They're going to eat horses, aren't they?
• 11/17/11 A pretend stick shift for pretend drivers
• 11/16/11 Clinton's vast experiences: Did NBC pick the wrong Chelsea?
• 11/15/11 Occupy protesters, you've made your point. Now, scat
• 11/10/11 Our vets are a national problem?
• 11/09/11 Requiem for a once-great sport
• 11/08/11 A toilet as smart as its occupant
• 11/07/11 Prerevolutionary gems in need of TLC
• 11/04/11 Feds must stop scam of stealing from dead children
• 11/03/11 Bank listens very closely to customer lynch mob
• 11/01/11 TV that's leading the people away from core socialist values
• 10/31/11 NATO should not be a victim of its success
• 10/28/11 Iran mulls getting rid of president and presidency
• 10/27/11 Bienvenidos a Dayton and bring your businesses with you
• 10/26/11 Archivists long for Obama's teleprompter
• 10/25/11 United Nations to run the Internet?
• 10/24/11 Attention, world: You've got the cash. We've got the houses
• 10/19/11 Oil pipeline must be in America's future
• 10/18/11 U.S. plans limited mission in an Africa with no limits
• 10/17/11 Social Security's grave mistakes
• 10/12/11 NASA's help-wanted sign for astronauts
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• 10/06/11 Uncle Sam's answer to deadbeats --- robo-calls
• 10/04/11 Christie should ignore jibes on his weight
• 10/03/11 Iran says its warships will head for Jersey shore
• 09/29/11 Europeans bristle at Obama's lectures
• 09/28/11 Jessica Rabbit for the defense
• 09/27/11 Russia learns outcome of next March's presidential election
• 09/26/11 Another try at leaving no child behind
• 09/23/11 This generation needs a job more than a name
• 09/22/11 In the lane next to you: A driverless car
• 09/20/11 Cloudy, cool, chance of falling satellite
• 09/14/11 Humanitarian extortion
• 09/13/11 Paging Dr. Watson; he's there in 3 seconds
• 09/09/11 Forecasting 100 percent chance of heavy metal
• 09/08/11 A jobs program at Obama's doorstep
• 09/07/11 Iran's government afraid of the water
• 09/06/11 Congress returns, tanned, rested and testy
• 09/05/11 Space nations must clean up after themselves
• 09/02/11 Osama bin Laden died a failure and he knew it
• 09/01/11 Time to retire political pie in the face
• 08/31/11 Labor Day celebrates what, exactly?
• 08/30/11 These arrestees really are framed
• 08/25/11 When in an earthquake, block traffic
• 08/23/11 A case for discretion in deportation arrests
• 08/22/11 Tough times or not, parents shell out for school
• 08/18/11 Being unpleasant for fun, profit, promotion
• 08/17/11 Time to prepare for the end game in Libya
• 08/16/11: Super Committee starts facing reality
• 08/15/11: World's fastest plane disappears even faster
• 08/12/11: British cops track rioters through security cameras
• 08/11/11: Relax. There is no Death Star
• 08/10/11: House pages run final errands
• 08/09/11: U.S. treading water on job creation
• 08/08/11: Uncle Sam, the world's permanent guest
• 08/05/11: Most 9/11 victims not on federal death records
• 08/04/11: Russian PM calls U.S. a parasite. He should be so lucky
• 08/03/11: Congress goes from one bind to another
• 08/02/11: D.B. Cooper may no longer be a mystery
• 08/01/11: Libya's latest weapon against NATO --- lawsuits
• 07/29/11: He'll always be known as Hot Wheels Handler
• 07/25/11: Recruiting children to save a dying town
• 07/22/11: Bachmann's admirable medical candor
• 07/12/11: Social Security's grave mistakes
• 07/08/11: Debt crisis need not be constitutional crisis
• 07/07/11: Startups entice new talent with kickball, treehouses
• 07/05/11: Stranded tourists get rare treat
• 06/30/11: The dollar Americans refuse to spend
• 06/27/11: The hangman doesn't cometh
© 2011, SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
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