The manager of the theater housing the Spider-Man musical is already looking to replace its troubled, expensive tenant.
The $65 million dollar musical Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark will need to run for a few years to even think about turning a profit. The overwhelmingly dubious press the show’s been receiving doesn’t bode well for that plan, but there’s something more immediate threatening the musical’s potential longevity. The show is set to open at the Foxwoods Theatre in New York on January 11, but the theater’s general manager is already looking for another production to replace the comic book behemoth.
Erich Jungwirth is the new general manager of the Foxwoods, and he’s been busy lately making calls to producers. ArtsBeat reports “each of the producers said in separate interviews, Mr. Jungwirth asked if they had productions in the works that might be a future fit for the Foxwoods Theater and asked them to keep the 1,932-seat theater in mind as they developed or optioned productions for Broadway.” Apparently, a new GM calling up producers is a common courtesy, but ArtsBeat continues “each [producer] expressed surprise that Mr. Jungwirth was raising the possibility of a future empty theater while Spider-Man was struggling with a two-week delay in preview performances.”
ArtsBeat quotes an emailed statement from Live Nation Entertainment on Jungwirth’s behalf which covers his tracks a little, saying “we are incredibly positive about the prospects and are optimistic that the show is going to have a fantastic run at the Foxwoods Theater for many years to come. We are thrilled about the opening of this historical show in our theater and are very proud of our staff in their tireless efforts to assist making this extraordinary event happen.”
In case you’re wondering, “this extraordinary event” is going to rack up approximately $1 million per week in running costs.
Source: New York Times ArtsBeat Blog, via Hollywood Reporter
