The comedic theatre collective Compass Theatrical today
released the long-awaited original cast album of their 2011 cult musical hit
THE SPIDEY PROJECT -- featuring a super-hero rock score composed by Doug
Katsaros and Adam Podd -- It is available via iTunes, Google Play and Amazon and
also, keeping with the tradition of the show, free to download from CD Baby and
their website: compasstheatrical.com.
Justin Moran directed the sold-out production of the
unauthorized musical parody (music by Katsaros and Podd, with book and lyrics
by Moran and Jon Roufaeal) based on the web-slinging hero who was catching so
much flack on Broadway that year. The
album has music direction and arrangements by Adam Podd with additional
arrangements by his identical twin brother Matt, and a band featuring Doug
Katsaros, the brothers Podd, Dillon Kondor, Bernard Grobman, and Harvey
Wirht. The score's style draws
inspiration from the 1960s Spider-Man cartoon and a clear pop-rock influence to
hilariously tell the iconic zero-to-hero story of social outcast Peter Parker,
whose life changes when he's bitten by radio-active spider.
THE SPIDEY PROJECT started in the wake of the extended
preview performances of Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark, which was criticized
for its excessive delays, bloating budget, and cast injuries. Comedian and playwright Justin Moran joked to
the internet, “How important is $65 million in making good theatre?” and stated
his goal of creating a fully-realized web-slinging musical for $0 in under 30
days, making its opening one day before
the (at the time) scheduled opening of the Broadway show. Interest poured in
and volunteers were enlisted, and in just a month they wrote, rehearsed, and
produced the first Spider-Man musical to officially open in New York City.
In addition to having the rehearsal and performance space
donated to the project, recording studio NY NOISE donated time for the group to
record their sweet score for posterity.
And record they did. Mark Goodell
volunteered to engineer and mix the album which was produced by Adam Podd and
features the vocal talents of original cast members: Travis Nilan, Liz Bachman,
Jon Roufaeal, Ryan Nelson, Michael Lutton, Louie Pearlman, Robin Rothman, and
Claire Neumann; as well as Diana Yourke, and Adam Podd.
The show’s strong reviews and subsequent life on the
internet and in productions around the country caught the eye of veteran
producer Paul Bartz, president of Windwood Theatricals (Broadway’s Tony Award-winning
revival of HAIR, Forbidden
Broadway: Alive and Kicking), who is leading the campaign to bring THE
SPIDEY PROJECT national tour to life for the Fall of 2014.
To download the album visit: www.compasstheatrical.com
For more information on The Spidey Project and its
history visit: thespideyproject.blogspot.com
For more information on the National Tour visit:
www.windwoodtheatricals.com
