Harvard Business Review Covers the Turnaround of U2’s Spider-Man Musical
At this time last year, the news coming from the production of Spider-Man was bad. Really, really, really bad. But when was the last time you heard a negative story about the show?
Truth is that there’s been a miracle. The show is still running and isn’t bleeding money. This attracted the attention of the Harvard Business Review.
As the 2012 Broadway season kicks off, Playbill lists 30 new shows that will vie for audience attention — and dollars — this year. All are no doubt aiming to match the success of a musical once predicted to be a total flop: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Although the show has now grossed more than $160 million (a blockbuster by Broadway standards), it was widely ridiculed before its opening in 2011 for out-of-control costs, production delays, cast departures, rehearsal injuries and a preview debacle. The media likened Spider-Man to the Titanic. So how did co-lead producers Jere Harris and Michael Cohl stop the ship from sinking?
