Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark may be getting all of the attention for its dangerous stunts after another cast member was severely injured last week, but it's not the first show to feature a few risky moves. Here's a look at three of the (other) most dangerous shows on Broadway.

Marry Poppins

Spider-Man isn't the first show to launch one of its actors into the air and "fly" them over the audience, Mary Poppins been doing that for years. And Mary doesn't just fly over the audience with her famous umbrella; she also dances on rooftop sets and spends most of the show jumping and spinning in high energy dance numbers that feature dozens of dancers, a recipe for disaster if just one of them steps out of place. You can purchase tickets to see all of the high-flying action at Disney.go.com. ]]> cmb 2010-12-28T12:44:47-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/30/104219/414

Having trouble distinguishing between movies and plays? In a movie, the characters don't berate you if your cell phone goes off, as one Broadway audience member found out this week while watching Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig tread the boards together.

Jackman and Craig are currently starring in "A Steady Rain," a Chicago-imported drama about two cops who get into some off-duty trouble. Last Wednesday, they didn't even break accent (Jackman's is better, for the record) to call out an etiquette-challenged patron who didn't turn off a ringing cell phone (which proceeded to go off again). Thanks to TMZ, you can watch the video here, and we beg you, do not be that guy. Or, for that matter, the guy videotaping an entire show from his seat—this isn't U2 at Giants Stadium! ]]> egw 2009-09-30T11:23:51-05:00 40.7583232 -73.986444 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/13/134929/884

The glitz and the glamour of the Great White Way has dazzled many a visitor to New York CIty, but you want something... more. You don't mind seeing a little of the magic dissipated if it means you get a glimpse into what goes on when the show must go on. Prove you're not the average Playbill-collecting fan with these New York theater excursions:]]> egw 2009-08-14T09:29:35-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/3/12412/28522

Now they can stay in their pajamas all day: The cast and crew of Broadway's movie-to-musical version of "9 to 5," cowritten by Dolly Parton, will be out of work by Labor Day as the poorly attended musical is scheduled to close. Based on the 1980 female-empowerment comedy costarring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, "9 to 5" opened April 30 but never found its audience, failing to break 70 percent capacity in the house this past week.

Our recessionary theory: A depressed job market has no place for fantasies about getting revenge on your sexist boss. After all, he could read your mind (or your tweets) and fire you, and then where would you be? More likely, the show's producers wildly overestimated the popularity of the movie (and Parton's drawing power when she's not onstage) when they sunk $14 million into the show; without marquee names either for Broadway or the movies—Allison Janney, we still love you—tourists steered clear. ]]> egw 2009-08-03T13:24:29-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/7/14250/45937

The Mouse just couldn't mint that money fast enough: The Broadway production of "The Little Mermaid," one of three Disney shows currently running on the Great White Way, will close August 30 and seek its fortunes on a national tour.

"The Little Mermaid" opened in November 2007 after a very mixed out-of-town try-out in Denver and never gained the hearts and minds of critics, while its siblings were either mostly ignored ("Mary Poppins") or unduly celebrated ("The Lion King"). Stung by the stagehands' strike and widespread mockery of the production's use of rollerskates to make its actors "swim" about the stage, the show nonetheless outlasted box office predictions and as of last week was still at 85 percent capacity, while the critically acclaimed play "Mary Stuart" languished at 55.3 percent. (The second-last show in grosses, "Blithe Spirit," is closing this week.) ]]> egw 2009-07-07T16:29:18-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/3/113148/8838

It's summer in New York and tourists are descending in droves, including us. Kind of. While we're here on a three-week tour to visit family in the Jerz, we've been spending quite a lot of time in the city. One thing we've yet to do however is see a Broadway musical.

As a kid, our school classes took regular field trips to NYC to take in Broadway shows and plays. (There are some advantages to growing up Bridge and Tunnel.) Later on in life, we worked in Times Square (not that kind of work) and we could see a show whenever we and our wallets felt like it. But now that we've moved away, seeing shows is not as easy as it once was. We're here for one more week and we can't decide which show to see. So we thought we'd ask you guys. ]]> juliana 2009-06-05T10:32:06-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/21/102418/722

Jaunted's Ellen managed to score a ticket to the new Will Ferrell show on Broadway while it's still in previews. Here's her review.

One of the first entries on the blog at WhiteHouse.gov yesterday was President Barack Obama's call for "A National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation" on the occasion of his inauguration. As Will Ferrell took the stage last night at the Cort Theatre and, as former President George W. Bush, basked in what he mistook for enthusiasm about his two terms, we wondered if it was such a good idea to go back into the past.

Oh, there's time to heal later. "You're Welcome America" is a ribald wound-salter and, in terms of the Bush legacy, everything Oliver Stone's tepid "W." wasn't. The largely solo show incorporates several of Ferrell's "SNL" impersonations as Bush, including the classic brush-clearing moment, but sandwiches it in between acres of new material -- like a slideshow rundown of the Bush administration's co-conspirators, none of whom come out remotely well. (But if anyone's going to sue it'll be Condoleezza Rice.)

"You're Welcome America" isn't perfect -- the five or so transitions where Ferrell isn't onstage are a drag despite the antics of his pet Secret Service agent (Patrick Ferrell). But if you're a fan, it's definitely worth your while. After all, Ferrell rarely performs live; he made an exception for last year's Funny or Die Tour, but that played to Radio City-sized crowds. At the end of the night, we were really ready to put the Bush years behind us.

Currently in previews; opens February 5, running through March 15. Prices range from $61.50-$116.50. If you go for the cheap balcony seats, try to get in the first four rows so you'll be able to see the video screens.

Related Stories:
· Last Chance For Several Mainstage Hits This Month [Jaunted]
· Lest We Forget: Ferrell Keeps W. Onstage [NYTimes]
· Broadway coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Harvard Gazette]]]> egw 2009-01-21T10:57:20-05:00 40.7591380 -73.983085 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/