Will Next to Normal's Jennifer Damiano Swing Into Spider-Man?

Broadway’s Spidey may have his sights set on a new rising star: Tony Award nominee Jennifer Damiano. According to The New York Times, the Next to Normal ingenue has emerged as the top choice to play love interest Mary Jane Watson in the incoming super-tuner Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Damiano would replace previously announced star Evan Rachel Wood, who withdrew from production due to scheduling conflicts earlier this year. While no official casting has been announced, Damiano exits Next to Normal on July 18, freeing the actress to join the Julie Taymor-helmed musical before it opens at the Hilton Theatre in fall 2010.

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark will feature Reeve Carney as titular star Peter Parker. With a score by U2's Bono and The Edge, the musical follows the story of Parker, whose unremarkable life is turned upside-down—literally—when he’s bitten by a genetically altered spider and wakes the next morning clinging to his bedroom ceiling. Suddenly endowed with astonishing powers, this bullied science geek soon learns, however, that with great power comes great responsibility as villains test not only his physical strength but also his strength of character. The production was previously slated to feature Alan Cumming as the villainous Green Goblin, but production delays resulted in Cumming withdrawing due to scheduling conflicts.

After making her Broadway debut in Spring Awakening, Damiano earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance as strung-out daughter Natalie in Next to Normal, a role she originated off-Broadway. Regionally, she has appeared in shows such as Seussical, The Music Man and Cinderella. On TV, she has appeared on Gossip Girl.

Understudy Meghann Fahy will assume the role of Natalie in Next to Normal on July 19 alongside incoming stars Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley. The show also stars Kyle Dean Massey, Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson.