Say goodbye to 'Spider-Man' on Broadway

When "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" turns out the lights at the Foxwoods Theatre after Saturday's finale, it leaves a legacy as one of the most high-profile and talked-about musicals in years.

Press and patrons alike, we were like characters in a comic-book scene, our word balloons crowding each other out of the panel as we jabbered about behind-the-scenes drama, cast injuries and delays that resulted in a record number of previews for any Broadway show. The musical's original director and co-writer, Julie Taymor, was ousted as much for her hubris as for her baroque and unworkable vision. One original performer, Natalie Mendoza, withdrew after being injured in previews; so did her replacement. And aerialist Daniel Curry required unspecified amputations after an August trapdoor accident onstage.

Yet at the same time, despite disappointing reviews, the show was an audience-pleaser running 21/2 years and seen by 1,834,692 people, according to the producers' tally. As it swings into the sunset for Vegas or other incarnations, let's look at the web of numbers this record-setting show has spun.

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SOURCES:

* The New York Times, Nov. 19, 2013

** The Broadway League

*** "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" producers