‘Spider-Man’ Lives!

For all the problems that have befallen the Michael Cohl-produced “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” musical on Broadway, an actor that was injured during a Dec. 20 preview is doing his best to make sure the show goes on.

Christopher Tierney, a stunt actor for Spider-Man who took a 30-foot fall and suffered several breaks and fractures to his ribs, vertebrae, scapula and head, recently made the rounds with the media, explaining safety is a top priority for the team behind the $65 million production.

“The moment that I saw something that could invariably injure someone, I spoke up, and other people felt comfortable doing so too,” he told the New York Times. “There were a few times when I had spacing concerns, where performers’ feet and heads were too close near each other, when there might have been impact. And we raised the issue, and the creative team was always responsive in making changes in the interest of safety.”

Tierney reportedly doesn’t plan to take legal action against Cohl and Co. He told the paper the media has played up injuries suffered by several “Spider-Man” actors because of the show’s complicated stunts, big budget and the involvement of U2’s Bono and the Edge and Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor.

“I’ve been in shows with people whose legs pop out of their hips. An ex-girlfriend of mine has four concussions. People tearing their ACL. And for a show that’s this technically complex, four injured performers is just not strange,” Tierney said.

However, Nick Wyman, president of Actors’ Equity Association, hasn’t taken the injuries as lightly.

“It is very upsetting to think what effect this accident might have on Chris’s career,” Wyman wrote in a statement. “That Chris is not the first actor, nor the second, but rather the fourth to be injured on ‘Spider-Man’ is frustrating and maddening and, to some, infuriating.”

Natalie Mendoza, a former lead actress in the performance who suffered a concussion in late November, apparently didn’t share Tierney’s level of enthusiasm either, officially exiting “Spider-Man” Dec. 30.

Mendoza played Arachne, a spider villainess, and was required to fly over the audience and perform acrobatic feats. Mendoza had not performed since Dec. 20 because of a vocal rest on doctors’ orders but sources reportedly said she was leaving in part because she was shaken by Tierney’s accident.

“Spider-Man” is still on track to make its debut Feb. 7. Despite its several setbacks and snafus, the show continues to pull in admirable attendance numbers and the Times reported it ranked third the last week of December among all Broadway shows, pulling in $1.88 million in ticket sales.