# FOURTH accident at the Broadway show Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 21, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963 "2010-12-21T15:49:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/1 "2010-12-21T15:49:19Z")
[Story here](http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/12/21/new.york.spiderman.fall/). That’s four accidents and an opening that keeps getting pushed back. The creative team doesn’t seem to realize that real live human beings cannot do what comic strip and cartoon superheroes can. This show is not only a mess, but a hazard and apparently cursed. I think they ought to turn off the lights and admit it is not going to work. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/2 "2010-12-21T15:53:11Z")
Heh. At this point I can’t even imagine wanting to go to a preview; I’d be too worried I’d be witness to someone dieing. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/3 "2010-12-21T16:24:51Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I think they ought to turn off the lights and admit it is not going to work. Impossible, this is a multi-million dollar investment (20m+, IIRC). The show has to be a massive hit for many years before anyone can make a cent on it. Unless someone really dies (God forbid), they are not going to can it before opening. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/4 "2010-12-21T16:31:39Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > Impossible, this is a multi-million dollar investment (20m+, IIRC). The show has to be a massive hit for many years before anyone can make a cent on it. $20m? Try [$65,000,000](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_Turn_Off_the_Dark#Production). Yes, _sixty-five million dollars_ Most expensive show in Broadway history. Also has had tons of free publicity, including a segment on _60 Minutes_. It might turn into a money loser bigger than _Carrie_. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/5 "2010-12-21T16:32:17Z")
What can I say? It’s the old Parker luck. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/6 "2010-12-21T16:37:59Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > Heh. At this point I can’t even imagine wanting to go to a preview; I’d be too worried I’d be witness to someone dieing. You’ve surely never been to a NASCAR race, then. I predict the show will be packed for a long time, and not everybody, but a certain percentage of the audience will be secretly hoping for exactly that. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/7 "2010-12-21T16:40:11Z")
The biggest technical problem they face is that it’s freaking musical about spider-man. Not sure how they can solve that one. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/8 "2010-12-21T16:46:47Z")
And given the technical complexities, how can they take the show on the road with a national touring company, or run another production in London or Berlin? Because as I understand these big Broadway shows like Mamma Mia or Starlight Express, the real money is in the multiple productions throughout the world. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/9 "2010-12-21T16:47:58Z")
Here is a video of the fall, if you are curious. Filmed by an audience member. [Spider-man falls into pit](http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/performer-is-injured-during-spider-man-performance/#video) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/10 "2010-12-21T16:52:32Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > Impossible, this is a multi-million dollar investment (20m+, IIRC). The show has to be a massive hit for many years before anyone can make a cent on it. I agree it’s unlikely they will call it off at this point. A lot of money has been spent, and if the show doesn’t open, they have no chance of making it back. But it’s bad press every time this happens, there may be legal issues about safety, and every time the opening gets delayed, they lose more money. The show is going to be at least a year behind schedule, and that’s assuming it really does open in February. In theory they could decide to cut their losses at some point, but they probably won’t cancel the opening unless someone dies or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/11 "2010-12-21T17:09:15Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > $20m? Try [$65,000,000](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man:_Turn_Off_the_Dark#Production). Yes, _sixty-five million dollars_ Most expensive show in Broadway history. Also has had tons of free publicity, including a segment on _60 Minutes_. > > It might turn into a money loser bigger than _Carrie_. Whoops! I knew it was the most expensive show ever, but $65m? Dang, that beats Wicked 3:1 pretty easily (if that is so far the most expensive show, I might be behind on that as well). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/12 "2010-12-21T17:29:08Z")
I predict there will be 10,000 people at opening (and closing) night. Or at least 10,000 people who claim to have been there, just like **Moose Murders.** Don’t you love watching a slow motion train wreck? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/13 "2010-12-21T17:30:42Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Here is a video of the fall, if you are curious. Filmed by an audience member. > > [Spider-man falls into pit](http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/performer-is-injured-during-spider-man-performance/#video) It looks like the worst carnival funhouse ride ever. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/14 "2010-12-21T18:38:32Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > Impossible, this is a multi-million dollar investment (20m+, IIRC). The show has to be a massive hit for many years before anyone can make a cent on it. > > Unless someone really dies (God forbid), they are not going to can it before opening. The New York Times did an interesting piece on this last week. Using some rough back of the envelope-type calculations, the writer figured the show would have to play to a nearly sold out crowd every night for four years, at over $100 a ticket, before it could even begin turning a profit. [http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/spider-man-economics-recouping-that-initial-investment/](http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/spider-man-economics-recouping-that-initial-investment/) ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/15 "2010-12-21T18:49:20Z")
Equity has halted performances until back-up safety measures are in place. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/16 "2010-12-21T18:57:04Z")
The fact that cameras and the like are just something we have to take for granted at Broadway shows is pretty sad, too, IMHO. I’m not sure if it’s worse or better than the fact that they sell candy and soda in the aisles. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/17 "2010-12-21T19:09:18Z")
If I thought the show actually had a chance of opening any time soon, I might consider putting some of the principals on my '11 Dead Pool list. Btw, the idea for a superhero-themed musical isn’t _that_ crazy. Joss Whedon made it work in _Doctor Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog_. Although I guess not everyone can be Joss Whedon or Neil Patrick Harris. (Alas.) ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/18 "2010-12-21T19:24:57Z")
Oh, I misunderstood; the show has opened, but is on temporary hiatus due to the injury. I thought they were still in rehearsals or something. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/19 "2010-12-21T19:30:24Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > Equity has halted performances until back-up safety measures are in place. My Spidey-sense is tingling. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963/20 "2010-12-21T19:43:39Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Oh, I misunderstood; the show has opened, but is on temporary hiatus due to the injury. I thought they were still in rehearsals or something. They’re still in previews, so they haven’t officially opened yet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fourth-accident-at-the-broadway-show-spiderman-turn-off-the-dark/564963.md?page=2)