Natalie Mendoza will leave the upcoming musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, according to Entertainment Weekly. Mendoza had been cast in the role of Arachne, a villainous character created for the musical.
While the New York Times is saying that the actress has gone on a vocal rest, other reports claim she was shaken by co-star Christopher Tierney’s injury during a critical accident. Below, you can watch a highly bizarre animated segment from a Taiwanese news story that summarizes the story of Tierney’s injury.
Mendoza was injured herself during a November 28th performance, suffering a concussion when a rope holding equipment struck her in the head.
Mendoza’s role has been played by both America Olivo (Neighbor) and by TV Carpio (Across the Universe). It’s unknown if one of the actresses will take over the role for the play’s opening or if a new actress will be brought on board.
Mendoza’s rep was available for comment and the play is still slated to open February 8th.