"Spider-Man'' announces new opening date

The producers of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'' have rescheduled the opening night of the trouble-plagued, $65 million musical for June 14.

Word of the new opening date follows the announcement that Newton native Julie Taymor will no longer have daily responsibility for the show. Taymor, who began working on "Spider-Man'' nearly a decade ago, reportedly proved reluctant to make the kind of sweeping changes the show's producers considered necessary after critics weighed in recently with generally withering reviews.

Philip William McKinley, who directed "The Boy from Oz,'' starring Hugh Jackman, has been brought aboard the "Spider-Man'' team, although "Spider-Man'' spokesman Rick Miramontez told the Los Angeles Times that Taymor will still be officially credited as the show's director and that McKinley's title on the production has not been decided yet.
Playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has been hired to make revisions to the script, which was cowritten by Taymor. The show features music and lyrics by Bono and The Edge.

The opening date for "Spider-Man,'' which has been running in previews for months, has repeatedly been pushed back amid technical glitches that resulted in injuries to several cast members. It was supposed to open Tuesday.

Performances from April 19 to May 11 will be canceled to allow for rehearsal time for the new material being worked into the show, according to a press release from the producers, Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris.