Julie Taymor to speak at national theater conference in L.A.

Her Broadway reputation has seen better days thanks to "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." But Julie Taymor, who was booted from the show in March, isn't licking her professional wounds in hiding.  The award-winning director will give a keynote address at the Theatre Communication Group's national conference that will be held in Los Angeles in June.

Taymor is scheduled to give the closing address on June 18 at 2 p.m. at the Central Los Angeles High School No. 9 School of Visual and Performing Arts in downtown L.A. The director will also participate in a director's breakout session and will present her latest movie, "The Tempest," starring Helen Mirren.

A spokeswoman for TCG said that Taymor's events are open to conference attendees but not the general public. The conference, which takes place June 16 to 18 at locations around downtown L.A., is an industry conclave for theater professionals around the country.

The specter of "Spider-Man" won't be far from mind when Taymor speaks in L.A. For her keynote address, she will be joined by professor and journalist Roger Copeland, who attended the rehearsal process of the troubled Broadway musical, according to TCG.

Taymor left the Broadway production in March following a barrage of negative reviews. The musical, which still hasn't officially opened, has been beset by problems including cast injuries, set breakdowns and a spiraling budget of $65 million and counting.

The show is now set to open June 14 at the Foxwoods Theatre in New York with a new director and book writer.

RELATED:

Broadway's 'Spider-Man' sets new opening date for June 14

Theater review: 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'

Critic's Notebook: 'Spider-Man' caught in a web of its own making

Julie Taymor stepping aside from Broadway's 'Spider-Man'

Broadway's 'Spider-Man' finds replacement for injured actress who left show

 

-- David Ng

Photo: Julie Taymor. Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

 

Comments

[ReallyReilly?]

Thank you TCG, honoring Julie Taymor with a podium and showing one of her movies at a theatre conference, pushing theatre one step closer to complete irrelevance.