Why can't the Spiderman Musical master 40-year-old technology?

Is it me, or does the Spiderman musical, currently in previews on Broadway, seem like it's being put on by a bunch of 12-year olds in their backyard with no parental supervision? Spiderman is "swinging" about attached to huge, bulky ropes and wires that are completely visible. Just this week another performer was injured, quite seriously this time, when the "safety" rope attached to his back snapped as he leapt off a bridge set into a pit below.



Wasn't flying around the theater technology pretty much mastered over 40 years ago during the Broadway production of Peter Pan?



How is it that not one, but four actors (including children) were able to be flown safely, and relatively invisibly, about the stage in 1960, but come 2010 Julie Taymor and $65 million dollars can't produce a stage visual that doesn't seem like a kid with some clothesline, a pair of Spidey underoos and a really bad idea?

Seth Green meets his future, grown-up self.

Santa Streaking

I know, I don't update this blog enough. Yadda, yadda and yadda. Sorry.

So I ran a mile in the cold yesterday in tight red boy shorts and Santa beard. For charity. See?


It was the first annual NYC Santa Streak, sponsored by the site Why Leave Astoria?!. Modeled on the one in Boston, basically a bunch of people got together, donated either canned food or a gently used coat, stripped down and raced along side the East River on a cold and incredibly windy day.

More pictures here.