Spider-Man Musical Seeks New Stars

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark needs a new lead, and anyone can be the hero. Bono and The Edge’s Broadway musical is holding two open casting calls in New York and Los Angeles to find a new webslinger, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Actor Reeve Carney, who plays Peter Parker and Spider-Man, is leaving the production in mid-September; co-star Rebecca Faulkenberry, who plays Mary Jane, will also be departing, and the same open castings will be used to find her replacement as well, Broadway Tour notes.

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which features music and lyrics by U2’s Bono and The Edge, got off to a shaky start in 2010. But though its launch was mired in legal issues and skeptical reviews, the show has stabilized and become a reliable draw on Broaday. Producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah Harris reached a settlement with former director Julie Taymor in April; Taymor was fired in March 2011 after making big changes to the show after it was panned by critics during preview performances.

Though Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is a $75 million production – the most expensive in Broadway history – it also holds the box office record for the most Broadway sales in a week, reeling in $2.9 million in nine performances.

For aspiring webheads, the Los Angeles casting will take place on August 12th, while the New York casting will be held on August 19th.