A Valentine's Day with Spider-Man

Last Saturday, I stood on line in front of the Foxwoods Theater on 42^nd street at 7am waiting for rush tickets for one of the most talked about Broadway shows in years: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The $65 million production has been in the news recently for being perhaps one on the most elaborate (and potentially dangerous) shows to date, thanks to aerial stunts and revolutionary set design. I had heard quite a few stories about Spider-Man from the news and friends that had seen it, and I just had to check it out but like most college students, I live on a budget. Thankfully, Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark offers $30 general rush tickets; all I had to do was get a good spot on line.

The great thing about living on Fordham’s Lincoln Center Campus is that it’s within walking distance of everything from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to Times Square. Theater fans will be happy to know that many shows are just a ten minute walk from campus, but the 20° weather forced me to take the five minute subway ride instead.

After watching my fellow ticket seekers do everything from yoga to jumping jacks to stay warm, the box office finally opened. I walked away with my own ticket, and one for my girlfriend as part our early Valentine’s Day.

The show itself was one of the most visually impressive shows I’ve seen. The set pieces shifted constantly from scene to scene, and maintained a feel of motion. The costumes were just as elaborate, and included everything from Spider-Man’s trademark tights to the sparks shooting from Electro’s gloves. Few could miss the musical influence of U2’s Bono and The Edge on the soundtrack, which added a unique touch to the story. The stunts were the highlight of the show, and involved everything from Spider-Man landing on the balcony in front of theater-goers to an aerial fight with the Green Goblin right over the audience’s heads. My girlfriend and I could barely describe it to our friends afterwards, because it was really unlike anything we’d ever seen before.

Thanks to recent reviews and a few technical hiccups, Spider-man: Turn off the Dark has drawn more curiosity in a matter of weeks than any show has in recent memory. I’m not sure what the future of this musical will be but I do know that either way, I was part of Broadway history.