Spider-Man Swings To The Great White Way
While I am hardly a Broadway Baby by any stretch of the imagination, I've been known to venture the mighty Hudson River to catch a play in New York from time to time. While I tend to prefer dramas and more low-key stories (such as The Farnsworth Invention), there is now going to be one musical I will be first in line for.
Playbill.com reports what's been rumored but unconfirmed for some time now. Julie Taymor is currently hip deep in development of a Spider-Man musical for Broadway. Taymor is most well known for creating the Lion King show for Disney's Broadway productions as well as directing 2007's Across the Universe, the musical film sporting Beatles music and some amazing visuals.
Providing the music for the forthcoming production is none other than U2's Bono (who appeared in and provided a song for Across the Universe) and The Edge. Whether you're a fan of U2 or not (and you should be), that's a fairly high pedigree of talent across the board. It looks like Marvel's first foray into theater production is going to be a big deal and they're taking it seriously. Anyone else thinking Rita Moreno for Aunt may?
And better news for any New York area readers, they are holding auditions for Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson and others on July 28th at the Knitting Factory.
Think you have what it takes to play the Web-slinger on stage? Hit the jump t find out more and read the Playbill.com article.
An open singer-actors call for the new Julie Taymor musical Spider-Man will be held in Manhattan July 28.The show's producers are searching for the lead roles of Peter Parker and Mary Jane as well as one "Principal Woman." The auditions will begin at 10 AM and continue to 5 PM at The Knitting Factory.
Lion King Tony winner Taymor will direct the new musical, which features a score by Bono and The Edge of U2. No timetable for the musical has been announced.
As previously reported, the comic giant Marvel Entertainment will share producing credits with Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle and Martin McCallum.
Peter Parker is described as "male, 16-20's [with a] great rock voice, can be nerdy with understated sex appeal, good sense of humor." Mary Jane is "female, 16-20's, beautiful girl next door, strong pop/rock singing voice." The Principal Woman should be "female, 25-35 years old [with] amazing rock vocals. Think Sinead O'Connor with a Middle Eastern/Bulgarian/Greek twist. Foreign, world music types are great, foreign accents are great." All ethnicities are encouraged to audition.
The Knitting Factory is located at 74 Leonard Street.
Goblin
Posted to Other, Superheroes on 17 July 2008
· Comments (4)
WTH spidey musical!! And Rita Moreno would be perfect for aunt may. I remember her from Sesame street and OZ too ahha.
The professional union actors who I am friends with must be wanting to throw things.
Trying to cast two lead roles like this from a gaggle of teens who sing in their bedroom (which hopefully is merely a publicity stunt!) even makes me angry.
Why would professionals be pissed over open casting calls? This is done all the time. Seems to me the professional would end up looking that much better against a cast of hopeless wanna-be's, but if they are afraid of a little competition then they must not be very confindent of their abilities. Anyway, holding open casting calls doesn't automatically mean they will cast anyone they see there.
It's true that is how the cast of Rent was found. Open call back in the off-Broadway days of the project, and that turned out great.
The problem is the industry is much different these days.
With the glut of reality tv recently here in the states, where shows are cast after 20 so episodes of reality competition and roles to carry the show are rewarded to actors with no resume - it's rough.
And typically those 'wanna's-be's' are cast because the buzz on them from tv overcomes the lack of experience. Or even the losers of said shows go into auditions later and producers of other shows go with this person or that person in hopes the tv fame pays off with ticket sales.
I see open call casting as very similar... especially when - the open call turn into a press release. That is meant to build buzz.
Stunt casting, of any kind, drives me crazy when the industry has built this mentality. And it hits close to home as I have watched people I care about lose out on roles over someone with no 'stage' resume simply because of the publicity they bring to the table.
Perhaps two separate issues, I know, but similar enough to be annoying.