The most expensive musical

The musical "Spider-Man," the most expensive in Broadway history, spent $9 million (6.3 million) in sets and costumes, which is the equivalent of the total budget of "The Book of Mormon," winner this year of nine Tony Awards, including best musical.

According to financial statements submitted this month to the state of New York and as written today in The New York Times, to produce "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" has cost 75 million dollars (52.9 million euros), more than double of any other production in the history of Broadway.

"The bad news is that it was very expensive. The good news is that we will not quit and we will make this a success," said Michael Cohl to the New York Times, one of the producers of "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" whose music has been created by the leaders of the Irish band U2, Bono and The Edge.

According to estimates by the New York newspaper, the show would have to run for over seven years to recoup the investment that was needed to go forward with it, but only eighteen Broadway plays have managed to run for so long.

In addition to the $9 million that sets and costumes cost, "Spider-Man" spent a million dollars (705,654 euros) in legal fees.

The show has been under scrutiny from the public and the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) in New York after five of its performers suffered injuries from their complex acrobatic numbers.

Financial statements filed with the authorities show that the musical also spent half a million dollars a week in production, while the sale of tickets earned between 1.2 and 1.3 million dollars (800,000 and 900,000 euros) per week, although that figure could rise to $1.9 million (1.3 million) if all tickets are sold without any discount.

According to the statements, the production has to be repay a loan of $8 million (5.6 million euros) which they used to renovate the theatre where it is being shown, Foxwoods theatre, one of the largest Broadway.

"Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" was officially released on 14 June after almost 10 years of production and a five year delay in its official opening date, although preview tickets were on sale since last January, making it Broadway's most previewed show in history.