Spiderman Musical Injuries Delay Show's Opening
With great theatrics comes great responsibility.
Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark, the Spiderman musical has been delayed by an array of injuries to befall the cast. Considered one of the most technically complex shows ever to grace Broadway, there have been three injuries so far, including a concussion sustained by one of the lead actresses, Natalie Mendoza.
In addition to a lot of aerial stunts, the Spiderman musical actors do all of their own stunts, which are both demanding and dangerous.
The potential legal issues at play here: whether the performers have a potential personal injury claim based on unsafe work conditions. The personal injury claims will depend on the nature of the accident(s) --a twisted ankle, long hours of rehearsal and other injuries related to the musical itself are not outside of the realm of normal activities a performer would have to deal with it. However, equipment-related injuries are another issue.
The New York Times quotes a Department of Labor representative as saying the following about one of the injuries: "The production has explained to us the details of the accident. They also indicated that they have made changes to prevent this type of accident from occurring again. We plan to follow up regularly to ensure that these modifications are adequate."
Although the show must go on, safety for the actors and the stagehands will need to be achieved in order for the show to continue.
Related Resources:
- Spider Man Musical Delayed For Injuries (DNA Info)
- Your Safety At Work (FindLaw)
- Accidents and Injuries (FindLaw)