Stunt Woes on Broadway
When most people think of stunt men (or women) their minds usually rush straight to Hollywood, thinking the involvement is due to the filming of a major blockbuster that will soon be seen on either the big screen or other avenues like Direct TV deals. But that’s not always the case as evidenced by Broadway’s production of Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark. Yes, you read that right Broadway’s’ production of Spider Man. It seems that the musical version of the hit film has been wrought with stunt man woes that could rival anything out of the Hollywood hills. The show actually had to be cancelled when a stunt double fell 30-feet and plunged into a stage pit after his safety tether that clips to his back failed to perform. Fortunately the stunt double, Christopher W. Tierney, is also a dancer and was reported to have “landed on his feet” by his brother Patrick Tierney. The accident happened during the show’s big finale, when the Green Goblin drops Mary Jane and Spider-Man leaps to her rescue, but in this case the tethering to cut his fall failed and Tierney “just kept falling” according to Bryan Lynch, an audience member who witnessed the fall. The stuntman underwent back surgery and is expected to make a complete recovery partially due to his “strong body and an amazing attitude” according to his brother.