Broadway Star on ‘Spider-Man’: ‘Does Someone Have to Die?’

Tony winner Alice Ripley and “Rent” star Adam Pascal slam show

Tony-winning actress Alice Ripley, "Rent" star Adam Pascal, and other Broadway actors say "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" should be ashamed of itself after the serious injury of a stuntman, the fourth performer hurt in the production.

"This is completely unacceptable and embarrassing to working actors everywhere," Ripley tweeted. She later added: "Does someone have to die? Where is the line for the decision-makers, I am curious."

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Ripley is appearing in the Los Angeles production of "Next to Normal," for which she won a Tony on Broadway. She joins other Broadway stars who have questioned the safety of Julie Taymor's $65 million musical, which is scheduled to reopen Wednesday night after Monday's accident.

"I have to weigh in on Spiderman," wrote "Rent" star Adam Pascal on Facebook. "They should put Julie Taymor in jail for assault! I know what its like to fall and get hurt in front of 2,000 people. It's no fun, but at least it was the one time it happened. I hope whoever was hurt is ok and sues the sh– out of Julie, Bono, Edge and every other a–hole who invested in that steaming pile of actor crippling sh–!"

Aerialist Chris Tierney was hospitalized after Monday's fall, and a Wednesday matinee was rescheduled as a result. No Tuesday shows had been scheduled.

"An accident like this is obviously heartbreaking for our entire team and of course, to me personally," Taymor said in a statement Tuesday. " I am so thankful that Chris is going to be all right and is in great spirits. Nothing is more important than the safety of our "Spider-man" family and we'll continue to do everything in our power to protect the cast and crew."

As for Taymor, the star director released a statement on Wednesday pledging to do her best to ensure that an accident like Tierney's didn't happen again.  

“An accident like this is obviously heartbreaking for our entire team and of course, to me personally," Taymor said in a statement. "I am so thankful that Chris is going to be all right and is in great spirits. Nothing is more important than the safety of our Spider-man family and we’ll continue to do everything in our power to protect the cast and crew.”

However, investors in the show are reportedly weighing pulling out. 

"This is a disaster," an investor told the New York Post. "We should cut our losses and just get out."

"Act One is almost over. Act Two will be in the courtroom," a different investor told the paper.

The show was to reopen Wednesday night. A spokesman for the show said the company met Tuesday with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Actors Equity and the New York State Department of Labor to discuss "additional safety protocols," which the company ageeed to enact immediately.

The accident was the fourth to befall a performer in the show: One actress suffered a concussion and two actors were injured by a slingshot effect supposed to propel them.

The musical – the most expensive ever staged on Broadway – is in previews. It announced Friday that it would delay its official opening by four weeks, to Feb. 7, to allow for creative changes.

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