JULIE Taymor has cast forth her $40 million “Spider- Man” net and hauled in — Alan Cum ming.
The actor, who won a Tony in 1999 for his memorable turn as the emcee in “Cabaret,” is in negotiations to play the Green Goblin in Taymor’s new musical, or “circus rock ‘n’ roll drama,” as she calls it.
Whatever it is, it’s thought to be the most expensive thing in Broadway history.
Cumming was spotted last week at a production meeting, checking out Eiko Ishioka‘s imaginative costume designs.
A sticking point in his negotiation is, of course, money.
Although Sony, the producer, is merrily spending millions to create the show, the company’s looking to save on weekly running costs by holding the line on performers’ salaries, sources say.
With Taymor at the helm, the overhead could easily hit $900,000 to $1 million.
Taymor, says a person who knows her well, is “unfamiliar with the word ‘budget.’ ”
Cumming’s probably worth about $15,000 a week on Broadway, veteran producers say. But there’s no reason why he shouldn’t ask for more.
If you’re willing to spend $40 million on a Broadway musical, how, with a straight face, can you tell a name actor he’s too pricey?
And while the star of the show is going to be the title — “Spider-Man: Turn Out the Dark” (as clunky and pretentious as that is) — a performer as good as Cumming adds value and excitement to the production.
So hold out for all you’re worth, Alan.
You have an ace in the hole: Taymor really, really wants you to play the part, and what Julie wants, Julie usually gets.
THE first reaction to the news yesterday that Neil Patrick Harris will host this year’s Tonys was a big ho-hum.
Will Ferrell would have generated real excitement, and it was fun to imagine James Gandolfini, who was offered the job twice last week, attempting to be a song-and-dance man and doing a duet with, say, Angela Lansbury.
But Doogie Howser? Wasn’t Doris Roberts available?
But several shrewd theater people pointed out that Harris, who’s starred on Broadway in “Cabaret” (replacing Cumming) and “Assassins,” really can sing and dance and is pretty funny in person and onstage.
I doubt he’ll boost ratings for the telecast, which was seen by some three people last year. But if he can give it some zip, who’s going to complain?
SO Jujamcyn Theater chief Rocco Landesman is off to Washington to run the National Endowment for the Arts.
He’s a good choice, although I fear theaters around the country will rush to put on festivals of plays by his close friend Tony Kushner in the hope that Rocco will kick a few grants their way.
Kushner said of Landesman’s nomination: “It’s potentially the best news the arts community in the United States has had since the birth of Walt Whitman.”
Hmm. The man who wrote “Leaves of Grass” compared with the man who introduced “premium price seating” (for “The Producers”) and “restoration fees.” Don’t see the connection myself, but whatever Kushner says, the Times prints.
If Landesman really wants to make a splash — and not just mark time attending Native American folk dancing festivals in New Mexico as Jane Alexander used to when she had the job — he’ll put his animosity toward big nonprofits to good use.
He should slash funding for the Roundabout, the Manhattan Theater Club, the Public and Lincoln Center, all old dinosaurs doing, for the most part, the kind of stuff that excites your grandmother.
Revivals of “Accent on Youth” (MTC), “Bye, Bye Birdie” (next year at the Roundabout) and “Hair” (The Public) are not the sort of thing the government should be funding.
Landesman should insist that NEA money for the theater go to small, innovative companies run by fresh, young artistic directors.
Landesman has a reputation for being “provocative.”
Let’s hope he lives up to it.