RENEE MONTAGNE, Host:
And Jeff, first, why the delay, and what is the new opening date?
JEFF LUNDEN: Well, the new opening date has not actually been determined. A press release came out, and it's going to be some time in the summer. But the delay is because the show has to get more work done on it, and the producers determined that that was what was necessary.
MONTAGNE: And for those who haven't been following it, just a brief thumbnail of the injuries, the delays and the costs.
LUNDEN: The biggest news here is that co-author and director Julie Taymor, who's probably best known as the director of Disney's mega-hit "The Lion King," is out. She's been very much the creative heart of the show. Now, officially the producer statement says she doesn't have time to work on the show 24/7, but I spoke to someone close to the production who says that the songwriters - Bono and The Edge from U2 - and the producers wanted to make changes to the show, and Taymor either didn't want to or couldn't.
MONTAGNE: One thing, though: People have been seeing this play in previews for a long time, paying quite a lot of money for tickets. Are they enjoying the show?
LUNDEN: But at the very first performance, one of the lead actresses got a concussion backstage. And in the most serious accident, Christopher Tierney, one of the Spider-Man stunt doubles, fell 30 feet from a platform and had to undergo surgery for multiple fractures.
MONTAGNE: Right. Well, Jeff, I get the distinct impression of possibly more acts to come on "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." Thanks very much.
LUNDEN: Okay. Thank you, Renee.
MONTAGNE: Jeff Lunden, speaking to us from New York. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
