Music News Net

INXS' MICHAEL HUTCHENCE Musical in the Works

MUSIC NEWS - Nearly fourteen years after the suicide of INXS frontman, Michael Hutchence the Sydney Moring Herald is reporting that a documentary and Broadway musical about the singer are in the works, under the development of Hutchence's former manager, Martha Troupe.

L.A. literary and talent agencey APA is working with Troupe and ''Michael's Trust'' to develop ''various projects that highlight Michael's creative genius'' which "owns and controls significant assets that celebrate [Hutchence's] life, death and work," according to a statement. The five surviving members of INXS last year denied a request to use the group's music in a documentary. It's still to be determined  whether they'll approve of Ms Troupe's upcoming projects.  

SPIDERMAN Musical Brings on Broadway Expert for Help

MUSIC NEWS - Broadway's troubled musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" has brought on a veteran director to assist with the show's sound and arrangements.  Spokesman Rick Miramontez says that Paul Bogaev will work with Bono and The Edge to improve the $65 million show's music.   

Bogaev comes on board with considerable theatre music experience, he was musical director on Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express and Sunset Boulevard.  He won a Tony nomination in 2004 for his work on Bombay Dreams and has a history of working with rock musicians and their musicals.  He worked on Tarzan with Phil Collins and Aida with Elton John.   But the clock is ticking for this assignment, as Spider-Man is now scheduled to open on March 15 after several delays and problems. The show lost a main actress after she was injured and has experienced numerous accidents that have left several actors hospitalized.

MELISSA ETHERIDGE to Fill in at "American Idiot" on Broadway

MUSIC NEWS- Rocker Melissa Etheridge will hit the Great White Way next month to star in the Green Day Broadway musical,  "American Idiot" at the St James Theatre in NYC.  She'll fill in for Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong in the role of St. Jimmy from February 1 thru 6.   Armstrong, the show's composer and co-author, returns on February 10 to complete his 50-performance engagement on February 27. 

“Billie Joe and I always believed that it would be incredible to have a woman take on the role of St. Jimmy,” said the show’s director, Michael Mayer. “This character is seductive, thrilling and dangerous.  Melissa Etheridge is all that and so much more.”

SPIDERMAN Musical Delayed Again, Being Re-worked

 MUSIC NEWS- SPIDERMAN : TURN OFF THE DARK, the musical scored by U2's Bono and The Edge is under another delay; this time in order to allow the cast rehearse a new ending for the show.  The troubled 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' has suffered numerous problems, including lead actress Natalie Mendoza pulling out earlier this month following an onstage injury, as well as other delays. In December, another actor from the musical was hospitalised after falling off the set.

The February opening has now been scrapped and the production will officially open at the Foxwoods Theatre on 42nd Street on March 15, with the show's producer, Michael Cohl, promising the latest delay will be "the final postponement".

Bono and The Edge finally saw the show recently and have been personally working on the show.  they even brought in producer Steve Lillywhite to work with the cast on its music, reports Deadline.com.

BONO and THE EDGE to Join "Spider-man" Creative Team to Help "Fix" the Bway Show

MUSIC NEWS - We've asked previously about where Bono & The Edge were while Spider-man on Broadway deals with its ongoing problems, and now we learn that the U2 members plan on attending several preview performances of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" in an effort to help fix the troubled Broadway musical.

A spokesman for the $65M show has told EW.com the two rock musicians, who wrote the score for director Julie Taymor's "Spider-Man" show, will join the creative team in an effort to fine-tune the musical, though neither have Broadway experience.  "Julie and Bono and Edge … will be in the theater next week and for all of the preview performances leading up to the opening night working on the show," production representative Rick Miramontez told EW.com exclusively. 

Spider Man : Turn Off the Dark Loses Lead Actress

MUSIC NEWS - The most expensive (and most talked about) Broadway show, SPIDER MAN - Turn Off the Dark has turned off its' lead actress.  Natalie Mendoza, who suffered a concussion last month during the first preview performance, is leaving the show, reports ArtsBeat.

Her exit agreement is reportedly still being negotiated, but an official announcement regarding her departure (and replacement) is expected on today.  Ms Mendoza quite ably played the role of Arachne, a villain created for the production.  Her departure marks one more incident in the Julie Taymor written/directed show that had been anticipated by many for some time, especially with music by U2's Bono and The Edge.  Which makes us take note on the low profile BONO & The EDGE have taken lately concerning the production.

SPIDER MAN : Turn off the Dark Resumes Preview Performances

MUSIC NEWS - Good news from the Foxwoods Theatre in NYC and Spider Man as the Julie Taymor directed Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (music by U2's Bono and The Edge) resumed performances without a hitch.  Broadway's costliest show had to cancel two performances on Wednesday following the recent fall by stunt actor, Christopher Tierney.

Director and co-writer, Julie Taymor, credited the show's injured actor with inspiring the show's cast to rise above recent troubles. "We all got together before the show tonight and talked about Chris," Ms taynor told AP after the show. "Chris gave us the spirit tonight."

Mr Tierney underwent back surgery and was "walking today," Taymor said happily. "He says he wants to come back to the show, soon-ish."  Tierney is scheduled to be released from the NYC hospital today, or Saturday and will complete his recovery at home in New Hampshire, reported his brother Patrick. 

More @ CBSNews.com

SPIDERMAN Musical Comes to A Halt After Accident

MUSIC NEWS - Not to dwell on the continued problems with SPIDERMAN : TURN OFF THE DARK Broadway musical  after the producers announced over the weekend they delay the opening until February 2011), we now have the unfortunate news that an actor performing an aerial stunt fell about 30 feet, fire officials said. 

IAnd now, after last night’s accident, the, Actors’ Equity Association has announced it will halt performances of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark until improved safety measures are instituted.

“Actors’ Equity Association is working with management and the Department of Labor to ensure that performances will not resume until back-up safety measures are in place,” the labor union, which represents live theatrical performances, said this morning in a statement released to Broadway World.

Troubled SPIDERMAN Broadway Musical Still Trobuled, Opening Delayed 'til February

MUSIC NEWS- The January 11, 2011 opening of the SPIDERMAN Broadway musical, the vision of Julie Taymor that features new music by Bono and The Edge of U2 fame has been again delayed (for the 4th time).  This time it's due to "unforeseeable setbacks", says the show's producers. 

The show was delayed previously and has now been pushed back to a February 7, 2011 opening, reports  the New York Times. There have been numerous technical problems in the show's preview run one preview show stopped five times.  One incident had the lead actress Natalie Mendoza injured with a concussion after she was hit by a rope.  She's since left the production. 

DAVID CROSBY Returns to L.A. "Solo" Stage After 20 Yr Absence

MUSIC NEWS- After almost twenty years, David Crosby make his L.A. solo concert return on Monday, December 13, 2010 at the Avalon in Hollywood in a concert to benefit The Blank Theatre Company. 

The theatre company was formed back in 1990 and is dedicated to excellence and innovation in the theater arts with a goal of becoming Hollywood's first regional theater company.  Noah Wyle, of E.R. tv fame, is the group's artistic producer and vice chairman of the board with Debbie Reynolds, Tiffani Thiessen and Vanessa Williams among the advisory board members.

"SPIDERMAN : Turn Off the Dark" Gets an Opening Date, and a Partner

MUSIC NEWS - The eventual Broadway musical, SPIDERMAN:Turn Off the Dark has set an opening date of  January 11, 2011 and will begin preview performances at the Foxwoods Theatre (213 West 42 Street) on Sunday, November 28 and today announced that Syfy, the cable entertainment destination for imagination-based entertainment, would be a lead media partner for the show.  The Broadway show is  the vision of Julie Taymor with the music of U2's Bono and The Edge. (tickets are now on sale at the box office and via Ticketmaster.com / (877) 250-2929). 

The often challenged production; due to a result of budget, staging, talent problems and just bad luck, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark represents a collaboration of cultures with the theatrical and cinematic vision of Julie Taymor and the musicality of Bono and The Edge, along with the iconic Spider-Man (now a Disney) brand. This project has allowed these artists to create a work specifically designed for a theater environment, one that can't be produced as a stadium show, and is the natural evolution of three remarkable careers. SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark promises us that it will be the most ambitious production ever undertaken on Broadway.

Troubled SPIDERMAN Musical Delayed on Broadway (Again)

MUSIC NEWS - The problem plagued SPIDERMAN : Turn Off the Dark musical that will feature new tunes by Bono and The Edge is experiencing another delay and its Broadway opening will be postponed.  The show was due to open for previews on November 14, but now the New York media is reporting that the run will now be delayed by a likely three weeks.

According to reports, the production needs additional time to rehearse some of the stunts, receive Department of Labor approval, and there has yet to be a full run-through by cast/crew.  The musical, which has a reported budget of $60M, will miss the lucrative Thanksgiving holiday and probably not open officially until December or possibly early 2011.

More @ NY Times, NY Post and see our previous Spidey coverage here

SUFJAN STEVENS Music Inspires New Ballet

MUSIC NEWS - A ballet inspired by the music of Sufjan Stevens will open in New York City next month as part of the New York Choreographic Institute's 10th Anniversary Celebration.  The performances will take place on November 5 & 6 at Columbia University's Miller Theater.

Choreographer Justin Peck is using the music from 'Run Rabbit Run', a reworked version of Stevens' 'Enjoy Your Rabbit' album, which was performed by the Osso string quartet, for the performances.  "The choreography I have been developing is wholly inspired by Sufjan's music," Peck recently told Pitchfork. "Which acts as sort of a blueprint to build the movement off of."

Tickets for the shows are on sale now.  More info @ MillerTheatre.

RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles Announces Broadway Run

MUSIC NEWS- The acclaimed Beatles concert RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES will expand from Las Vegas and make its Broadway debut this autumn with a limited 12-week run of performances at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52^nd Street).  Special preview performances begin Tuesday, October 19  with the official opening happening on Tuesday, October 26.  The NYC run will be through Sunday, January 9, 2011 with plans later in 2011 for a national tour.  The Broadway run is presented by Annerin Productions, Magic Arts & Entertainment/Tix Productions and Nederlander Presentations, Inc.

RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES marks the first time The Beatles’ music has been licensed on Broadway. While for the past 45 years the music of The Beatles has touched millions of people around the world, the Fab Four were experienced live in concert by very few. The group’s final concert tour of 1966 was long before the release of the legendary Sgt. Pepper, The White Album and Abbey Road albums. 

BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG To Make His Broadway Debut in American Idiot

MUSIC NEWS - The producers of the critically acclaimed AMERICAN IDIOT  Broadway show today announced that Green Day frontman and the musical’s composer & co-author Billie Joe Armstrong will be making his Broadway debut as “St. Jimmy” on Tuesday, September 28 and perform in the role through Sunday, October 3, 2010, at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44 St, NYC).  Immediately after this special engagement, Mr. Armstrong will join Green Day in Caracas, Venezuela on October 8, 2010 to kick off their South American Tour. 

 

Original Broadway cast member and current “St. Jimmy,” Tony Vincent, will resume performances on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 following a leave of absence due to a personal family matter.   Vincent’s understudies, Joshua Kobak and Andrew Call, will cover the role from Tuesday, October 5 thru Sunday, October 10, 2010.