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 Kevin Melrose did and Taymor shows off designs for Green Goblin and Swiss Miss, which are…cutting edge.
Bonus: producer Michael Cohl talks to the Times and reveals that this is just as crazy as everyone thinks.
“I got involved because I believed deeply in three artists: Bono, Edge, Julie,” he said. “But there have been a lot of moments over the last year when I said, ‘This isn’t doable,’ when I went home and thought: ‘What am I doing? I could be on a beach in Florida.’ ” “Then there have been moments when you go, ‘This is exciting, this is why I did what I did for all those years,’ ” he added. “It’s nice to get the buzz back.”
Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
So cocaine, rock stars, comic books, more cocaine, and the theatre equals this.
Obviously you know nothing of Julie Taymor, or you would’ve included “crazy awesome artist” in there as well (as she’s much more then just the “theatre” aspect of your equation). maybe replace the word “cocaine” with “Taymor”. She doesn’t need any drugs. She’s to damn good for that.
Now, I can’t believe this thing is ever going to make it’s money back, but it won’t be visually boring with Taymor involved.
Oh, it will make its money back. It might take a decade, but it will.
First there’s the merchandise to be sold during the production. (See: Mary Poppins, Spamalot Spam)
Then there’s the soundtrack. Theatre geeks will buy it. U2 fans will buy it. A few comicbook fans will buy it. If it has memorable music, then there’s ringtones and airplay generating more royalties.
Then there’s the required book about the musical, featuring the book and lyrics and behind-the-scenes photos. Also, sheet music.
Once it finishes on Broadway, it goes on the road. Or, if it’s like many Broadway productions, gets anchored on the Vegas strip and sells tickets to tourists (just like Broadway productions). Perhaps it becomes a fixture in Orlando or Anaheim or the Disney Magic.
To every naysayer who has said or probably will say “gonna suck,” “oh, Lord” and “are you kidding, me,” I give you two words: JULIE TAYMOR.
I lived in NYC for a while, and I count myself fortunate to see just about everything that she has directed/conceived during that time, and everything that she did gave me great hope for theatre, which to me had been in a slow state of decay since the 1970′s. Taymor has a sense of adventure that many American directors lack.
Look at “The Lion King;” the naysayers said “The Lion King” it would be a major failure, that she was too downtown for Broadway, too Brooklyn Academy of Music if you will. And now look at it: “Lion King” is one of the biggest successes in Broadway history.
I agree, it will be a uphill climb to recoup the investment with this economy. But Broadway has not been hurting re: tourist dollars, especially in regards to musicals.
Julie hasn’t let us down yet. I doubt she will here.
Lance Roger Axt
The AudioComics Company
One other point: SMTOTD is an easy sell. It’s a character everyone knows. It’s by that lady who did the Lion King. U2 wrote the music. Guys and boys, who generally do not enjoy musical theater, will watch this. Families will come, theatre geeks will come, comics fans will come.
This is why there are so many musicals based on movies and pop rock catalogs. People come to New York and MUST see a Broadway play.
Add a spectacle, like Lion King or Cirque du Soleil, and word of mouth will spread.
remember- it took awhile before Lion King could go on the road. Taymor productions are big expensive things, and don’t travel cheap.
I hope the best for this, just due to Taymor. Heck, I sat through the audio crapfest that was Lion King just for the 30 minutes of visual orgasm that was Taymor’s puppet designs. Brilliant stuff. The rest, however, made me wish for the sweet release of death. Especially the bad modern dance sections.
My hope is that this one will give me MORE TAYMOR…
I was going to say- and no Disney…. but I guess it still is Disney…
so at least no Elton John.
“To every naysayer who has said or probably will say “gonna suck,” “oh, Lord” and “are you kidding, me,” I give you two words: JULIE TAYMOR.”
The director of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE? Oh, yeah, I remember the overall mixed critical reception over that box office BOMB of a movie. And that flick at least had the music of The Beatles, not later period U2.
if that’s al you know of Julie Tamor, that’s a shame.
If you expect every artist to never fail, that’s a shame as well.
Odds are that this will at least be unique and cool looking. Can’t say anything about the music. That might stink, but so did the Lion King music…
@KET: Juan Darien. Titus. Lion King. Julie Taymor is more than “Across the Universe.” She is an artist first who is true to herself FIRST, who’s going to follow the muse instead of the money. Give me someone willing to take a risk over someone playing it safe any day.
I give you two words: JULIE TAYMOR.
Lance Roger Axt
The AudioComics Company
“I give you two words: JULIE TAYMOR.”
I guess two more appropriate words might be, “so what?”
“She is an artist first who is true to herself FIRST …”
I can see that by that concept sketch. If that’s the Green Goblin, according to JULE TAYMOR, she could have at least made the outfit green.
Guys. Give her a chance. She may totally surprise you.
Lance Roger Axt
The AudioComics Company
Follow the link, rich. That’s not the Green Goblin above, it’s “Swiss Miss” whoever the hell that is. The Green Goblin, is, in fact, quite green.
I don’t think this will be bad, per se, but I can’t believe it won’t be unbearably stupid. Swiss Miss? As brilliant an artist as Taymor clearly is, does she have to keep creating vehicles for heavily merchandised corporate properties? Can’t she make something even slightly more substantive? I found Lion King to be painful.
Well, Titus is pretty fucking amazing anyway.
I’m looking forward to Taymor’s The Tempest.
This? Oooooh not so much.. At all.
This is looking like Schumacher levels of not getting the character. A Spider-man musical isn’t a bad idea, but the execution looks so off!
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