Milling About with Song of Spider-Man Author Glen Berger

Published: Nov. 21, 2013, 4 p.m.

b"It seemed that Spider-Man:Turn Off The Dark, the Broadway musical was doomed from the start with the production suffering budgetary issues, actors getting injured attempting aerial stunts, not to mention personality clashes with the show's directing diva Julie Taymor. Now the story behind the web of chaos and collaboration is told from co-book writer Glen Berger who has penned Song of Spider-Man about what it was like to stand side by side with Taymor helping to create her vision, only to be spun out of control.\\n\\nGlen tells host Robin Milling how a need to seek vengeance on then President Bush inspired the scene that would get him the gig. He describes, \\u201cthe Green Goblin is tickling the ivories on top of the Chrysler Building, ending with him pushing the piano off in order to murder the little ants down below, and winding up caught in Spider-man's web.\\u201d Ironically he says that scene may have gotten him the job, but ultimately led to Taymor's dismissal.\\n\\nGlen writes joyously about working with Taymor who he describes as a true artist with a capital 'A' and his devotion to doing whatever it took to realize that artistry. He admits it was a heady experience visiting the Edge and Bono in their Irish homes, watching them orchestrate the musical. Glen observes that problems actually began three months after he joined the project in 2005, six years before opening, when the lead producer Tony Adams dropped dead right as Edge was signing the contract!\\n\\nTo purchase the book visit:\\n\\nhttp://books.simonandschuster.com/Song-of-Spider-Man-Special-Signed-Edition/Glen-Berger/9781476776262"