spider-man

The Broadway production used a human as Spider-Man, but due to Cove’s restriction, ENC will be using an animatronic Spider-Man.

ENC’s theater department has just announced that the fall musical of 2015 will be Spider-Man the Musical, directed by Tara Brooke Watkins.

The inspiration for the choice stems from Watkins’ personal experience viewing Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, a musical on Broadway, during its preview run.

“My husband and I got tickets right after we heard about one of the actors falling and having to be rushed to the hospital. I guess we wanted to see a possible catastrophe, live. And we did. It was the entire show. Ever since then, I thought ‘I can do this better,’” Watkins said.

Watkins knows this is musical will be a stretch for Cove Auditorium and ENC’s budget, but she wanted to stray from the predictable classics that would actually fit the budget and the venue, like Oklahoma!

Though the musical is already pushing boundaries in content, the theater department continues to make impressive improvements, and plans for the set design to be “holographic.”

“To see it, the audience will have to wear special glasses, similar to 3D glasses.  Most of the cast will be students, except for Spider-Man himself, who will be animatronic. To fly, he will be controlled remotely, like a drone,” Ballard said.

Watkins understands the necessary actions needed to ensure the safety of her actors.

“Since even Broadway couldn’t fly their actors without them almost dying, we won’t try that,” Watkins remarked, laughing.

Watkins mentioned that though she just said she wouldn’t try any flying, she will hold having “special flying classes” for those who are interested in trying their hand at stage flying.

Watkins is “excited to do this show properly,” and has already contacted most of the original living cast of “Turn off the Dark.”  The able bodied actors have agreed to join the cast for opening night, and work with the actors in “pre-show workshops.”

Junior Connor Theroux will be starring as Peter Parker’s Aunt May.

“[I’m] really excited to play this part and work together with the cast to make an artistic and dignified performance,” Theroux said.

Theroux urges everyone to come see this once-in-a-lifetime performance of a collegiate version of Spider-Man the Musical next October.