Supporting Spider-Man Player Gets Promoted Following Actor Injury
Posted January 4, 2011 2:10 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A supporting player in the problem-plagued Broadway musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” has been called upon to take over a leading role played by an actress who suffered a concussion during the show’s first performance.
Teresa Carpio has officially been handed to role of Arachne after Natalie Mendoza announced Dec. 30 she was quitting the production after she was hit by a weighted rope during a performance on Nov. 28. Mendoza said she needs time off to recover from her head injury.
The production, directed by Julie Taymor and featuring music written by U2, is the most expensive show ever mounted on Broadway. The $65 million musical has been plagued by problems, including opening delays, budget problems and actor injuries. Two stunt performers were hurt during rehearsals and another, Christopher Tierney, fell 30 feet into the orchestra pit during a show.
Despite his extensive injuries, which included a fractured skull, fractured shoulder blade, four broken ribs and three broken vertebrae, he says he’s excited to suit up again in the Spider Man costume.
The show is now slated to open on Feb. 7.
Carpio was originally cast as Miss Arrow. The actress has worked with Taymor before, appearing in her Beatles-inspired film “Across the Universe”.
