Bloomberg: "Producers of Broadway’s much- delayed $70 million “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” are in talks to replace its high-profile choreographer, Daniel Ezralow, two people familiar with the situation said.
Ezralow is likely to be replaced by Chase Brock, a Brooklyn dance maker in his late twenties, said the two people, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized by the producers to discuss changes in the show.
8 comments:
I guess I haven't been keeping up to date with my Spidey News. I didn't realize the new opening date was June 14th. This poor show seems doomed. I guess this article highlights one of the things I was curious about when Taymor was originally given the boot. Would this have a negative impact on the rest of the creative team? Well from the cast member quote, it seems like yes in fact, at least this gentlemen, was a Taymor loyalist, and left the project. This despite the fact that he is responsible for the most successful elements of the show. It seems just more problems for a doomed show.
I guess I haven't been keeping up to date with my Spidey News. I didn't realize the new opening date was June 14th. This poor show seems doomed. I guess this article highlights one of the things I was curious about when Taymor was originally given the boot. Would this have a negative impact on the rest of the creative team? Well from the cast member quote, it seems like yes in fact, at least this gentlemen, was a Taymor loyalist, and left the project. This despite the fact that he is responsible for the most successful elements of the show. It seems just more problems for a doomed show.
I have little faith that a show can almost completely change their creative team two months before opening and expect it to be a completely different product, especially when the cast and designers have already been established. It's almost as if they will have to start from scratch. With all the bad press, I am sure it is also not helping morale to loose the heads that were steering the production. Also, the cast and production team do not seem to help the situation by constantly feeding the press with leaked information. This is the 4th article I've read in the past week that has anonymous sources from the inner sanctum of the show.
I feel that this is a sad case of the cliché "rats jumping from a sinking ship." Once they fired Taymor it showed everyone how desperate and scared the creative team really is. Now everyone is just waiting for it to fail. That's really not a good place to be working from, and the show does need definite work. I saw it myself over spring break and I find it really disturbing that they have lost the choreographer of the aerial fight scenes. They are by far the best part of the show. (although Green Goblin did get stuck, and had to restart) The thing that the show really needs in my opinion is better lyrics. They are not only shallow but also repetitive and boring. I found myself wishing the character would just to singing and get back to the action. A very sad thing to think about Broadway, but it also means the things I most wanted to see were created by the man that has now left the team. All I see is more bad news and the more people who give-up on the project the less likely it is that it can be saved. Which makes this show a horrible waste of time, money, and talent.
We had an interesting discussion about choosing Taymor as the director of such a high tech show. Her roots as an avant guard artist place her a bit far away from the comic book musical genre (if that's even a genre) to begin with. Despite her success with the Lion King and experience with puppetry, someone affiliated with circus style performances (like her replacement) would have been a better choice from the beginning. I'm sure if they throw another 20 million dollars at the show it will go fine, though.
Is it better to try and save a sinking ship if you've invested millions of dollars into it? Taymor's firing is not exactly surprising, but for some reason this makes it seem to me that the producers are willling to scrap everything to make this show work. And they're right, if there is some potential in the show to actually make it successful, then do what is necessary. However, do the producers actually see success in Spiderman's future? It's pretty hard to imagine that with all of the negative publicity as well as with the negatively-received book and score, that Spiderman will be a success. The question is interesting though--is stopping always the right thing to do, and when is it time to stop?
Mary is right. Rats on a sinking ship. I am sure moral is low. Especially when so many people that aren't supposed to be talking are. If they get found out, they could be fired too and they can go hang out on a beach with Julie. It think it is time to cut their $70 million loss. This has gone on too long and has lived way past its prime. Its just an embarrassment to Broadway and the entire theatre community. I wonder how much they had to pay to get rid of Julie and now how much more they will have to buy out the choreographer's contract.
At this point, one of the worst parts is still the music. But now without Taymor, they are only down to Bonno and the Edge for names. If they replace them, then they have to pray that the show's bad press and spectacle will keep it afloat.
Cut your losses, lick your wounds and invest in something else that has real potential.
mary this time was Mary Lepiane. So as not to confuse it with Mary Stein. Sorry
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