Jacob Cohl / AP Photo /The O and M Co.Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark needs to turn up the safety measures.
After being delayed from its official opening three times, a leading lady dropping out and a stuntman landing in the hospital, the troubled Broadway musical has now been smacked with two safety violations by the New York State Department of Labor, per the The New York Times.
So what happens now?
A department official who spoke with the paper said there were no financial penalties issued against the production. The agency has not released a public report on its findings, but the musical has been required to continue following safety precautions put in place during previews in December.
The protocols were issued after the stuntman Christopher Tierney fell more than 20 feet during a performance, breaking four ribs and a shoulder blade. The show went dark for two days following the accident and Tierney spent eight days at Bellevue Hospital. He was moved to a rehabilitation center then headed home to Portsmouth, N.H., to recuperate and is planning on returning to the show.
Safetly officials performed unannounced inspections of the show and will continue to do so, according to the official, and if they find any violations are allowed to pull the flying scenes.
Well, the show must go on. Being that neither of the two current violations involves the aerial scenes above the audience, those will continue.
What's causing trouble now is a slingshot that was cited after it caused one actor to break both wrists. Also in place now, a rule that two stagehands must attach and check the harnesses to ensure they are connected properly to the actors in the aerial scenes.
The producers have 60 days to appeal the violations and a spokesman for the play said that the show was in full compliance and will maintain the highest safety standards.
The $65 million musical—which has received awful reviews—is the most expensive in Broadway history.