SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK Silences The Doubters By Breaking Broadway Records

Between numerous injuries, a ridiculously high budget, awful early reviews and too many other disasters to mention, things didn't exactly start out all that well for the musical. However, Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark has ended being something of a shock success in recent months. After a slight revamp and some behind-the-scenes creative changes, the reviews took a far more positive turn and theatre lovers flocked to see the show. The following press release highlights just how well it did over the holiday season. Bet you didn't see this coming, eh?

New York, NY – SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark, Broadway’s most popular new show, rang in the New Year as the highest grossing show on Broadway, shattering the record for the highest single-week gross of any show in Broadway history. The total gross for the record-breaking week ending Sunday, January 1 was $2,941,790.20, besting the previous record of $2,228,235 set by Wicked in 2011. Playing to 17,375 audience members (100.02% capacity of The Foxwoods Theatre), SPIDER-MAN also enjoyed the highest single-week attendance by any show in Broadway history (playing a standard 9-show holiday schedule).

The Foxwoods previous box office record of $2,070,195.60 was set by the show just four weeks ago. Currently in its second smash-hit year on Broadway, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark began preview performances on November 28, 2010, and has become one of the most famous theatrical events in Broadway history, playing to packed houses and standing, screaming ovations nightly.

"We are thrilled that the public has taken such a liking to this show," said producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris. "The audience continues to grow, and it is great to enter the New Year with such momentum."

SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark has been seen by more than 700,000 audience members from around the world. It features music and lyrics by 22-time Grammy® Award-winners Bono and The Edge, direction by Philip William McKinley (The Boy From Oz), original direction by Tony® Award-winner Julie Taymor (The Lion King, Across The Universe, Frida), and book co-written by Taymor, Glen Berger (Underneath The Lintel) and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Fantastic Four and Spider-Man comics, "Big Love"). The show currently stars Reeve Carney as "Peter Parker/Spider-Man," Patrick Page as "Norman Osborn/Green Goblin," Rebecca Faulkenberry as "Mary Jane Watson," and Christina Sajous as "Arachne."

Inspired by nearly 50 years of Marvel comic books, SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark follows the story of teenager Peter Parker, whose unremarkable life is turned upside-down when he’s bitten by a genetically altered spider and wakes up the next morning clinging to his bedroom ceiling. This bullied science-geek suddenly endowed with incredible powers soon learns, however, that with great power comes great responsibility as villains put both his physical strength and strength of character to the test.