Spider-Man stands on the Brooklyn Bridge while the Green Goblin enters in a scene from the musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" during a rehearsal in New York, on Nov. 20, 2010. The play, with music composed by Bono and the Edge from U2, is the most expensive to ever be produced on Broadway.
Sara Krulwich/The New York TimesBroadway stars are speaking out against Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark director Julie Taymor and the show’s producers in light of all the serious on-set injuries.
Blasted Rent star Adam Pascal on Facebook: “They should put Julie Taymor in jail for assault!”
He also had words for U2’s Bono and The Edge, who wrote the score.
“I hope [actor Christopher Tierney] is ok and sues the shit out of Julie, Bono, Edge and every other asshole who invested in that steaming pile of actor crippling shit!” he added.
Tierney is still hospitalized in New York in serious condition after he fell up to 30 feet during Monday’s performance. Natalie Mendoza sustained a concussion when she was hit with a piece of equipment backstage, and another actor broke both his wrists during rehearsal. The New York State Department of Labor opened a second investigation into the $65 million production Tuesday.
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Tony-winning actress Alice Ripley fumed on Twitter, “Does someone have to die? Where is the line for the decision makers, I am curious.”
“Spider-Man should be ashamed of itself,” she went on. “This is completely unacceptable and embarrassing to working actors everywhere.”
9 to 5 actor Marc Kudisch also wrote on Facebook, “I wish employment for all my friends. But I wish them safety and security in their employment even more.”
Taymor said in a statement Tuesday: “An accident like this is obviously heartbreaking for our entire team and, of course, to me personally. I am so thankful that Chris is going to be alright and is in great spirits. Nothing is more important than the safety of our Spider-Man family and we’ll continue to do everything in our power to protect the cast and crew.”
In a statement released Tuesday, the Actors’ Equity Association, which worked with the New York STate Department of Labor, OSHA and the production to determine the cause of the accident, said that the mishap was “in fact, human error.”
The incident caused the cancellation of Tuesday night’s preview and Wednesday’s matinee, but the show will continue Wednesday night.
“[Wednesday] evening’s show, and all subsequent performances, will proceed as scheduled,” confirmed Spider-Man spokesperson Rick Miramontez.
