Last week saw yet another delay in the Spider-Man musical opening. Not only another delay but a new creative team was brought in to take control of the astronomical catastrophy (ok… I had to leave that… I honestly thought it was a -y and not catastrophe… this coming from someone who misspelled p-a-j-a-m-a-s in the 6th grade spelling bee 😉 ). Nine years in the making and in previews for months! I’ll say it again… sometimes it is best to leave things in the mediums they were meant to be. Comic books, cartoons, live action television (remember that?), movies… live theatre (?). By the time this mess is ever (IF ever) straightened out, it might be Spectacular to look at but will it mean anything beyond the $65 million dollar+ price tag? In any case, opening night has been pushed back to sometime in the next decade (or is it this summer).
In other theatre news, Daniel Radcliffe is in previews for his singing and dancing debut in the 50th anniversary revival of the Frank Loesser classic, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The show itself may be extremely dated but I was fortunate enough to see the last Broadway revival in the mid 1990s. It was a fun show that I could see being done in community theatres in my neck of the woods. Perhaps by the time the rights become available again, these theatres will not be so turned off from staging musicals more than once every two years or so 😉
Why would a 21 year old straight from completing one of the most lucrative film franchises in history, choose such an undertaking? As I understand it, the former boy wizard wanted a real challenge. No dance experience, little vocal training, so maybe it was the name (KIDDING… I’d rather see a 50 year old revival than a NEW show that has been stuck in a rut for half a year with no end in sight no matter the premise). Break a leg, Dan!
Local theatres only stage musicals every 2 years or so? It seems more often than that.
hmm… Let’s see. FCF does a summer musical. Perhaps WCCT does one a year (I know they are doing Wedding Singer next month and they did do Working last season). Ok… let’s say one a year 😉
That’s TWO a year at least!! Plus Archbold does some, and Defiance, and others too I know… Oh well, maybe it just seems like more to those of us who wouldn’t call ourselves fans 🙂
No, you are right. Just more convenient for some of us to stay within a 15-20 mile radius.
At least this role doesn’t involve an unmentionable fixation with a large animal (Equus)! I have the revival CD with Mr. Broderick as lead. It will be interesting to hear DR in the role.
Oh, yeah! I wondered when someone going to mention his Broadway debut of a few years ago. Made for some interesting charades games and conversations.
Interesting… Dan is 21 whereas Robert Morse (the original Finch 50 years ago) and Broderick were both in their 30s when they were in the show. When asked what he brings to the new production if not age and experience, Radcliffe replied: “The confidence of youth.’
H2$ OFFICIALLY opens March 27th (hopefully, the very special effects do not delay it for decades 😉 The cast records the album in April and will be released shortly thereafter. Any LURKERS out there looking for a birthday present in July for someone who shall remain nameless… How about a one day bus/train (no plane) trip to NYC with a ticket to see the show?