It is an excellent occasion for schadenfreude for those who thought a high-budget Broadway musical based on Spider-Man would fail in a spectacular way. But what about a no-budget, independent musical, intended to mock the former by opening first in less time (and without causing bodily harm to its cast)? And how about if it involved a guy who worked on The Tick? Have I got your attention? Good! Because now I’m going to tell you how to buy tickets!
Justin Moran, who wrote POPE! The Musical, gave himself a challenge: prove that a good Spider-Man musical doesn’t have to cost 65 million dollars. And then beat said $65 million-musical to opening night. Mission: Accomplished! Moran confirms in his latest YouTube video that he has secured a score, a cast, and a place to rehearse before they open The Spidey Project at the People’s Improv Theater in New York City. While the musical doesn’t not appear on the PIT calendar as of this writing, the show is set to take place on March 14, a day before the projected opening night for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, assuming it doesn’t run into any more problems. (Which, if that didn’t happen, would be truly unbelievable at this point.)
The score was written by composers Adam Podd (POPE! The Musical) and Doug Katsaros (The Tick), and they most likely cost less than Bono. The script, which will be based on the original storyline from The Amazing Spider-Man comic book, is by Moran — a resident writer at NYC’s Magnet Theater — and co-writer Jon Roufaeal. And nobody was paid a thing. Since Moran was hell-bent on a $0 budget, he is making sure that tickets will be as cheap as possible since he understands that “it costs money to keep a theater opened.”
This, friends, is a victory for fandom, creativity, and independent productions. And Spidey. Thank you, Justin Moran.
(The Spidey Project via Comics Alliance)
