The Stage

Not unexpectedly, the official opening of the Spider-Man musical has been delayed again; the new opening date is February 7th. The New York Times delves into the story: Originally slated to open in...

For you stage door johnnies who are really into either Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark, U2 or Lesley Stahl, CBS is selling advd of their Spider-Man musical segment from 11/28. BUT!

Well, we were wondering how Spider-Man musical previews were going. Former Marvel editor and DC editor, now writer, Steve Bunche went a few days ago and turns in the most detailed review yet, expressed as only he can. Be forewarned the review includes ALL the major plot points, so spoilers ahoy. However, he and his date were unimpressed but may perhaps be able to tell their grandchildren that they saw something beyond imagining all right. Some excerpts:

The never-ending story of the Spider-Man musical continues: • Director Julie Taymor is out and about promoting her film THE TEMPEST, and also answering questions about the musical. As many have pointed out...it's still a work in progress. Maybe that book -- the script -- does need a bit of work:

Well, it has actually happened. We've been covering the Spider-Man musical story since it was first whispered, 5 or 6 years ago, and last year, at the Foxwoods Theatre in Manhattan, the very first public performance of the musical, directed by theater great Julie Taymor, with music by Bono and the Edge, of well known rock band, U2. Some thought this day would never come.

The Spider-Man musical is becoming more of a legend by the day. If it wasn't epic cost overruns and cast changes, it was a stage setup so ambitious and dangerous that people were breaking...

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBJ7zLebFw&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3&w=640&h=390] On tour in Portugal, U2 members cranked up Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me Boy Falls from the Sky, the first song from the Spider-Man musical to get play. Via Hero Complex

We're just about to hop in the car to get down to SPX, but GMAs Spider-musical package also had an interview with director Julie Taymor which we haven't had time to watch -- but...

Reeve Carney sings "Boy Falls From The Sky," one of the Bono/Edge penned songs for the Spider-Man musical this morning on GMA. Yep, that was about what we expected from the moment we heard about this project.

STARSTRUCK, the eccentric space opera comedy by Elaine Lee and Wm. Michael Kaluta has led a varied multimedia history -- while it's now coming out as a periodical comic from IDW, it started out...

On Friday, KCRW will replay a 1991 radio adaptation of Vince Waldron's AMERICAN SPLENDOR stage play, starring Dan (Homer Simpson) Castellaneta. The original stage play (which we saw in person) was a wonderful adaptationof the late Harvey Pekar's work, and this version is has a lot of the same charms. The play will be available ONLY on air and by live stream and will not be available for download, so set those tape recorders.

The Boston Globe has a full report on a new comics/dance collaboration, to wit: Art Spiegelman, lit comics mainstay, is teaming with the famed Pilobilus dance troupe for a "multimedia homage to early-20th-century cartoons" called “Hapless Hooligan in ‘Still Moving’,’’ which premieres Thursday at Dartmouth College’s Hopkins Center for the Arts. The piece will feature characters based on Happy Hooligan, and Little Lulu and includes an homage to early animator Oskar Fischinger. Pilobilus is known for its abstract, athletic dance, and this piece includes dancers interacting with projected word balloons and other comics elements.