Spokesman: 'Spider-Man' Show Will Go On Despite Actor's Injury
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'' will be performed as scheduled Friday night, a day after an actor playing the comic book hero was badly injured during the show.
"Tonight's performance will go on as scheduled. The technical elements of the show are all in good working order, and we can confirm that equipment malfunction was not a factor in the incident,'' said Rick Miramontez, a show spokesman.
The injured actor, Daniel Curry, suffered an injury during the Thursday night performance at the Foxwoods Theatre, which was immediately halted. He was at Bellevue Hospital on Friday in stable condition with a serious leg injury.
Spokesman: 'Spider-Man' Show Will Go On Despite Actor's Injury
Audience members said it appeared he got his leg caught in some type of trap door.
"They had started the show and then suddenly they started to scream," show goer Gabreil Oliveira said. "And then suddenly they stopped the theater and they covered the thing with a black sheet."
"I heard him scream and then a bunch of load groans," said another audience member.
Curry is a graduate of the LaGuardia School of Performing Arts, the so-called "Fame'' school, and appeared in an episode of "Smash'' and toured with the "Man In The Mirror'' Michael Jackson Tribute tour.
He is making his Broadway debut as one of nine actors who play the costumed Spider-Man during each performance, leaping into the audience and swinging over the orchestra. He also understudied various other roles.
A spokeswoman for the Actors' Equity Association, a labor union that represents actors and stage managers, did not immediately comment Friday.
Curry, who is in his 20s, was raised near Minneapolis and told The Star-Tribune in 2011 that he thirsted for a life performing in New York. His mother soon moved the family to the borough of Queens to make his hope to attend LaGuardia High School.
"I had these big dreams,'' he said. "I've always wanted to dance, to be on Broadway, and I'm just thankful for my mom for making that happen.''
"Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'' is Broadway's most expensive show with a price tag of $75 million. It has become one of its biggest hits after a rocky start, with six delays in its opening night, injuries to fellow actors, a shake-up that led to the firing of Julie Taymor, the show's original director, and critical drubbing.
One actor, Christopher Tierney, suffered a fractured skull, a fractured shoulder-blade, four broken ribs and three broken vertebrae during a fall on Dec. 20, 2010; he made a triumphant return to the show.
A lead actress, Natalie Mendoza, suffered a concussion during the first preview performance and left the show. A stuntman, Richard Kobak, sued the producers, saying he suffered a concussion, whiplash and two holes in his knees.
The latest accident comes between two casting calls for a new Spider-Man. Actor Reeve Carney, who has been playing the musical's title character and his alter ego Peter Parker since the show began previews in late 2010, will leave Sept. 15, and casting calls were held in Los Angeles last week and are scheduled for New York on Monday.
Last night, Carney tweeted: "Please send your thoughts and prayers toward our (at)SpideyOnBway family tonight. We rise as one.''
Miramontez, the show's spokesman, said: "Our thoughts are with Daniel and his family.''
Ticket holders from Thursday night's show have been given refunds or tickets to a future performance.
Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
