By Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Spider-Man finally swung onto Broadway Sunday night, but landed with a thud when technical problems stalled the long-awaited musical production five times, according to several reports.
"Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," which was conceived in 2002, found itself in a sticky situation when several cast members were left dangling in midair because of production problems during the 3 1/2 hour preview performance Sunday, the New York Post reported.
Spider-Man, played by actor Reeve Carney, attempted to fly over the audience to a balcony on the other side of the theater as part of the climatic end of the first act. Instead, he was stalled several yards above the crowd for 45 seconds, as stage managers grabbed at his feet while the audience laughed, according to the New York Times.
The first preview of the show was also marred by a technical glitch, which left the villainous "Arachne," played by Natalie Mendoza, hovering above the stage for at least seven minutes, the Post reported.
The show's intermission dragged on for a whopping 34 minutes, with audience members attempting to "slow-clap" the actors back on stage, the Times noted.
Spider-Man's bumpy start was the latest snag for the troubled musical, which is directed by "The Lion King’s" Julie Taymor and features music by U2's Bono and The Edge. The elaborate production was delayed several times over the years and temporarily bankrupted last spring. The web slinger's debut was also recently delayed by the Department of Labor due to safety concerns.
"Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" is already the most expensive show in Broadway history, costing producers $65 million so far. It needs to be the most successful show in Broadway history just to break even on its $1 million per night operating cost, according to a "60 Minutes" report.
Producers spent millions pioneering the suspension devices used to zoom actors around the theater, the program noted. The technology was based on the kind used to shuttle cameras above the field during NFL football games.
Previews are scheduled to continue on Wednesday night at the Foxwoods Theatre, with ticket prices starting at $76.50.
