WEB ‘SPRAWLER’: Christopher Tierney, as Spider-Man, is set to “rescue” Mary Jane (Jennifer Damiano) at Monday’s show but his rope appears to snap on a platform edge, and he falls head-first onto the stage (above).
Christopher Tierney (Playbill.com)
This $65 million Spider may soon give his regards to Broadway.
The problem-plagued, acrobatically challenging musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” appeared to be headed toward an early stage-door exit yesterday as authorities investigated an aerialist’s horrific fall during one of the show’s many stunts.
Some investors were calling for the production to close permanently to avoid future accidents like the one Monday night that left stunt double Christopher Tierney nursing broken ribs and internal bleeding at Bellevue Hospital.
CLOSE ‘SPIDER-MAN’ — BEFORE SOMEONE DIES: STARS
VIDEO: BROADWAY SPIDEY FALLS, AGAIN
“This is a disaster,” one investor fumed to The Post. “We should cut our losses and just get out.”
Another warned, “Act One is almost over. Act Two will be in the courtroom” — predicting a slew of lawsuits by injured actors and angry investors.
Producers canceled today’s matinee to make changes in safety procedures, while assuring that scheduled preview performances would resume tonight.
But a source close to the comic-book-inspired show doubted that would be possible.
The Foxwoods Theatre was crawling yesterday with investigators from the state Department of Labor, the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the FDNY.
OSHA has been eyeing the troubled show since early November, when it was called in by the Labor Department because of safety concerns.
It was the first time that Labor — which oversees the safety of stunts performed onstage — has ever requested OSHA’s help on a Broadway show.
Actors’ Equity — the union that represents Broadway performers — said an initial probe found that Tierney’s accident “was, in fact, human error,” but did not elaborate.
His fall couldn’t have come at a worse time for the show, which is sold out for the remainder of the year, and desperately needs the $1.7 million that the last week of ticket sales would bring in just to cover operating costs.
The show’s latest scary plot twist began near the end of the performance, when Tierney — who was stunt-doubling as Spider-Man — fell up to 30 feet off a ramp into the pit of the West 42nd Street theater.
“I was in shock. Everyone was,” said Christine Border, 33, of upstate Clinton, who was in the audience.
“Right after it happened, there was silence in the crowd. No one was sure what happened. It was eerie.”
The actor’s fall brought the show to an abrupt end seven minutes early.
Tierney, 31, was wearing a harness and a wire that should have safely lifted him into the air — but it failed to do so.
Scott Fisher, whose company built some of the equipment for the show, but not the piece involved in Monday’s accident, said, “The stage crew would have been responsible for hooking him up.”
But, Fisher added, “The actor is responsible for making the final check. It’s sort of like packing your own parachute.”
Monday’s mishap, the fourth injury to a performer, came 18 days after Natalie Mendoza, the actress who plays spider goddess Arachne, began missing performances because of a concussion she suffered after being hit offstage with a cable.
Mendoza, who has not resumed performances, yesterday posted a message on Twitter: “Please pray with me for my friend Chris, my superhero who quietly inspires me everyday with his spirit. A light in my heart went dim tonight.”
Tierney’s pals said he was briefly walking around at the hospital, but remained in serious pain.
One investor strongly questioned the viability of “Spider-Man” with Tierney unable to perform, saying, “He’s our top aerialist. I don’t know how we could do the show without him.”
Two months ago, actor Kevin Aubin broke both his wrists in a stunt during rehearsals.
The state Department of Labor was still investigating Aubin’s accident when Tierney fell, and has opened a new probe with OSHA.
“Certainly, the most recent accident will further motivate us to look closely at this production,” said OSHA spokesman John Chavez.
Labor spokesman Leo Rosales said investigators would meet with “Spider-Man” workers today, and “they’re going to be sharing with us protocols and procedures they’re going to impose on the aerial maneuvers to ensure that this accident doesn’t happen again.”
The technical problems have come amidst major cost overruns and potentially scathing reviews for the musical. It is scored by U2’s Bono and The Edge, who worked with director and co-writer Judy Taymor on the concept.
And things could get worse.
Some investors feared yesterday that the “Spider-Man” actors injured so far will file lawsuits against the show’s producers. They also said that some investors will consider suing the producers, among them David Garfinkel, for what they are expecting to be the Great White Way’s biggest flop ever.
Ironically, all of the accidents and negative media attention have greatly spurred once-anemic ticket sales. In recent weeks, people have lined up to buy seats, which range in price from $67.50 to $140.
Some of those theatergoers apparently want to be there if — or when — another actor gets hurt.
“Another accident?” said Stephen Johnson, a 23-year-old student from North Carolina, as he waited to buy tickets after being told what happened to Tierney. “I hope no one else gets hurt, but it is part of the allure of going.”