U2's "Spider-Man" Musical Holding Open Casting Calls, Seeks Rockers

As the February 2010 debut of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark — the Broadway musical featuring the music and lyrics of U2's Bono and the Edge — draws nearer, the production has announced the first six dates of open casting calls. Since the show isn't exactly Les Miserables, producers are looking for singers with a rock & roll background to tackle the biggest roles. As Rock Daily previously reported, previews for the musical will begin January 16th, 2010 at New York's Hilton Theatre.

According to a press release, casting agents are "seeking principals and understudies for the roles of 'Peter Parker,' 'Mary Jane,' and 'Female Lead Villian.' The production is looking for performers with dynamic rock/pop voices including those with experience in bands and as solo performers. Regardless of experience, anyone who thinks they might be qualified is encouraged to audition." Guess those rumors of Across the Universe leads Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood starring as Parker and Mary Jane were a bit premature. That film's director, Julie Taymor, is also directing the Spider-Man musical.

For the Lead Female Villain role, producers are searching for "an amazing rock voice. Think Sinead O'Connor with a Middle Eastern/Bulgarian/Greek twist. Foreign accents are great." Perhaps the male villains have already been confirmed. While there's likely zero percent of this happening, it'd be hilarious to see Bono and his trademark sunglasses as a musical Dr. Octopus.

The open casting calls start April 9th in Orlando, Florida, so you only have six days to raid the costume shop and pick up a spandex outfit for your audition:

Orlando, FL
Thursday, April 9

New York, NY
Monday, April 13

Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, April 18

Seattle, WA
Monday, April 20

Chicago, IL
Thursday, May 7

Austin, TX
Wednesday, May 27

Related Stories:

• U2 Talk "Horizon" Follow Up, Spider-Man Musical in Rolling Stone Cover Story
• U2 "Spider-Man" Musical Swinging Onto Broadway February 2010
• Green Day's "American Idiot" Musical To Debut September '09

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Song Stories

“Baby Got Back”

Sir Mix-a-Lot | 1992

While watching a Budweiser commercial during the Super Bowl, Sir Mix-a-Lot thought the skinny female models in the ad didn’t represent reality. So he wrote this ode to ample bottoms, featuring its famous to-the-point lyric: “I like big butts and I cannot lie.” MTV banished the video, featuring shaking booties and sexually suggestive fruit, to 9 p.m. or later. “I thought my career was over,” he told Rolling Stone. “Then I called Rick Rubin, and I told him the video was banned, and he was like, 'Great!' We sold another 2 million records.”

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