Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is one of the most hyped Broadway productions in history! It’s all the more famous, or shall we say infamous, given the number of controversies that have taken place during its first year of production. (It was also the butt of many jokes at the Tony Awards) What is Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and why is it the center of so much controversy?

This production of Spider-Man is actually very inventive, and a far cry from the blockbuster movies starring Tobey Maguire that you may remember. The production is a rock musical in the spirit of The Phantom of the Opera, though it is based on the comic by Stan Lee and Steve Ditki. The play does stick to familiar territory, namely Spider-Man’s romance with Mary Jane, his origin and his battles with nemesis Green Goblin. While this is all fairly predictable, the biggest surprise comes from the music itself. The music is divinely inspired, as it features music and lyrics by U2‘s Bono and The Edge.

The Edge wasn’t sure how to describe the show, though he managed to explain, “[It has] elements of rock and roll…elements of circus…elements of opera.” Bono meanwhile, called the production “pop-up, pop-art opera.” Of course, to many attendees (including Broadway critics) the music is in the background and the real achievement is in the visuals. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is the most expensive production in the history of Broadway thanks to its stunts and action-packed visual effects. There are many stunts in the production including actors swinging from webs and simulating fight scenes in the air.

The controversy you have been hearing about comes from reports of actors being injured during rehearsals and previews, and the original director Julie Taymor leaving the production. Yes, this is an ambitious production to say the least and with great power comes great responsibility…or so we once heard. However, the production’s flamboyance and occasional fumbles are what make the production an object of fascination in mainstream American culture.

Patrick Healy of The New York Times states that the show is “a national object of pop culture fascination” due to its media coverage, its frequent mentions by late night comedians, and its broad audience of adults and children. The songs of the production have also seen mainstream coverage on Good Morning America, American Idol, and The Tony Awards. See what the hype is about get Spider-Man tickets near to you!