Two of the three principal roles have been cast so it's time to discuss.
Alan Cumming the Broadway Diva, X-Man, Gay Celebrity and Fragrance Hawker will be playing The Green Goblin. That seems like an inspired choice to me and I smell another TONY nod unless this things a disaster. Will this role make Cumming the first actor to have played two different famous characters within the Marvel Universe?
Kirsten Dunst might want to warn the new Mary Jane -- that'd be Evan Rachel Wood -- that playing Spider-Man's girl can be a thankless chore. If you're in New York next spring and you can part with $100+, you'll be able to hear the young star belting live. I only hope that Bono and The Edge (they're doing the song score), give her an 11th hour number called "Tiger". I also hope the book writer doesn't let Mary Jane swing towards the mopey on stage. Y'all know I love Kiki (an unpopular affection to be sure) but the Spider-Man film franchise didn't do her many favors when they decided to make MJ a sadder and less sassy girlfriend than she was in the comic books.Julie Taymor (Frida, Across the Universe) is directing this unwieldy beast. She was buried in an avalanche of praise when she brought The Lion King to the stage many years back but can "it can't be done!" lightning strike twice?
They still haven't announced who is playing Spider-Man himself, though tickets are already on pre-sale. One wonders if the producers will choose a Broadway star for Peter Parker or shove another movie name without stage experience into the mix ... though if they do spend the money for a name one will also have to wonder why an already expensive Broadway production would pay for a "name" when the production itself comes with instant pre-sale name recognition.
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