Lead actress Natalie Mendoza quits Spiderman the Musical which now has opening postponed for fifth time

The ill fated musical Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark is currently previewing on Broadway and has suffered yet another blow after Natalie Mendoza who was playing the lead role of the villainess Arachne has decided to leave the show.  Natalie's representatives are currently negotiating a suitable exit agreement for the actress.

Natalie was one of four cast members injured whilst performing in Spider-Man being hit on the head by a rope at the show’s first preview in November. She carried on performing but fell ill the following day and was diagnosed with a concussion.

With a budget of $65 million, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark features music by U2 members Bono and The Edge and is the most expensive production in Broadway history.

The musical has been besieged by problems from the very start, with critics trashing the show and the opening delayed by four weeks for an artistic overhaul. It was   due to open on February 7th at the Foxwood Theatre in New York but the opening has been delayed yet again to 15th March which is the fifth postponement - citing  more time is needed to rehearse a new ending.

With the sudden departure of Mendoza her understudy America Olivo will step in and take over the role of Arachne.