Spiderman and U2 ready to weave a spell

Broadway opening now certain

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U2's 'Spiderman' show set to open in December

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Lead producer, Michael Cohl, has announced, in New York, that "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" is set to begin preview performances on Broadway on November 14. The official opening night will take place on December 21, just in time for Christmas.

The music and lyrics for the, estimated $50 million show, were created by Bono and the Edge of U2.

The show itself is based on a book by and directed by Julie Traymor famous for on screen creations such as the Beatles tribue "Across the Universe" and the more recent "Tempest" starring Russell Brand. On stage Traymor's greatest success in the recent past was the hit show "Lion King".

Also the final cast list has also been released. Reeve Carney, from the rock band Carney, will play Peter Parker / Spider-Man. Alongside Carney Jennifer Damiano will play Mary Jane Watson and Patrick Page will play Norman Osborn / The Green Goblin. Evan Rachel Wood and Alan Cumming had been cast for the show but they quit the production due to the lengthily delays over the last year.

The first problems began almost a year ago when production was suspended due to lack of funds. Then in October the show was delayed again when Wood and Cumming quit the cast. Again there was a third delay when rumors circulated that the show could not afford to pay for ticketholders refunds. Marvel comics, now owned by Disney, had to step in to help them out.

Finally, back in June, it was announced that Carney was beginning choreography and training for the show. At the time he wrote "Wow, man, I can't wait for the world to see this thing. ... It's finally happening!!...I honestly can't believe I'm getting paid to do things my mom would have killed me for when I was a kid! Ha!"

The producers released these notes on the production "Drawing on more than 40 years of Marvel comic books for inspiration, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" spins a new take on the mythic tale of Peter Parker, a teenager whose unremarkable life in Queens is turned upside-down - literally - when he's bitten by a genetically-altered spider and wakes up the next morning clinging to the ceiling.

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