A revered and provocative theater observer presents a grand history of the producers, directors, actors, and critics battling for creative and financial control of broadway. In the 1970s times square was the seedy symbol of new. Read razzle dazzle the battle for broadway by michael riedel available from rakuten kobo. The book is full of stories about the shubert organization. The story of the rise, fall, and redemption of broadwayits stars, its biggest shows, its producers, and all the drama. Michael riedel biography, age, partner, girlfriend, len. Currently he is researching and writing his second book scheduled for a 2019 release. He is the cohost of len berman and michael riedel in the morning on 710 wor in new york city, weekdays 610am. A new york post theater columnist and cohost of pbss theater talk, riedel brings enthusiasm and authority to this rich, lively debut history of new york theater in the 1970s and 80s. Libri in altre lingue passa al contenuto principale. As an avid fan of broadway and theatre history, i found riedels book both fascinating and engaging. Michael riedels stunning new book razzle dazzle charts. The battle for broadway bymichael riedel, the new york posts flamboyantly mischievous broadwaycolumnist, tells the thrilling history of the largerthanlife impresarios whohelped transform the great white way from cultural ugly duckling in the seedy1970s to the grand billiondollar swan it is today.
Sep 30, 2015 but in this book, riedel saves his bon mots for the offstage drama. The battle for broadway won the 2015 marfield prize for arts writing and is widely considered to be the successor to the season, william goldmans classic 1967 book about broadway. Oct 06, 2015 the len berman and michael riedel in the morning show is the highestrated morning radio program in the new york city area. The trouble with razzle dazzle, michael riedels new book about broadway. Jun 26, 2015 razzle dazzle already boasts laudatory quotes from riedels own stable of fans, including producer scott rudin every bit the equal of books that those of us who love broadway can recite. His history of broadway in the 1970s and 80s paints a candid and thoroughly entertaining portrait of.
Razzle dazzle by michael riedel, 9781451672176, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. A discussion of cohost michael riedels new book razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle by michael riedel offers enjoyable romp through. Oct 02, 2015 and it clearly became the basis for razzle dazzle. The battle for broadway by michael riedel overview the story of the rise, fall, and redemption of broadwayits stars, its biggest shows, its producers, and all the drama, intrigue, and power plays that happened behind the scenes. Michael riedel lays bare the secret history of broadway in all its grease paint. His history of broadway in the 1970s and 80s paints a. Oct 06, 2015 razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people, money, and power that reinvented an iconic quarter of new york city, turning its gritty back alleys and sex shops into the glitzy, dazzling great white wayand bringing a crippled new york from the brink of bankruptcy to its glittering glory.
Great read from ny post theatre columnist michael riedel about the revival of broadway in the 1980s. The book is full of stories about the shubert organization and the broadway shows that they were involved in. Written with love but also a piercing eye, this is one show no one should miss. He divides the history into the various stages of broadways history including the golden age, the british invasion, and the disneyfication, among others. The battle for broadway by michael riedel at indigo. The battle for broadway won the marfield prize for arts writing in 2015 and is widely considered to be the successor to william goldmans celebrated 1967 book about broadway, the season. Razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people and the money and the power that reinvented an iconic quarter of new york city, turning its gritty back alleys and sexshops into the glitzy, dazzling great white wayand bringing a crippled new york from the brink of. New york post broadway gossip columnist michael riedel will see his 2015 book razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle follows the intrigue behind the scenes on broadway. Razzle dazzle ebook by michael riedel rakuten kobo. Michael riedels stunning new book razzle dazzle charts the rise of broadway and introduces the key players in the shuberts and the nederlanders, who today remain the dominant forces in the broadway theatre community. Since 2011, riedel has been a regular guest on imus in the morning.
It is pretty interesting so far and i think he is doing a good job of making it read less. His book focuses on the enormous influence the shubert organization has had on the american theater, starting with. Its unthinkable today, but by the mid 1970s, broadway was almost out for the count. Razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people, money, and power that reinvented an iconic quarter of new york city, turning its gritty back alleys and sex shops into the glitzy, dazzling great white wayand bringing a crippled new york from the brink of bankruptcy to its glittering glory in the 1970s times square was the seedy symbol of new yorks economic. Razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people, money, and power that reinvented an iconic quarter of new york city, turning its gritty back alleys and sex shops into the glitzy, dazzling great white way and bringing a crippled new york from the brink of bankruptcy to its glittering glory in the 1970s, times square was the seedy symbol of new yorks.
A talk with michael riedel on his book razzle dazzle by richard. The battle for broadway, riedels fabulously juicy but simultaneously in some areas singularly substantial history of broadway and its. His history of broadway in the 1970s and 80s paints a candid and thoroughly entertaining portrait of the period just after new york theaters golden age. Sep 30, 2015 but michael riedels new book, razzle dazzle, brings this gritty world back to life. Riedel reveals broadways secrets in this behindthescenes history of theater and its impact on new york city.
The battle for broadway turned into a tv miniseries, according to. It seems that way in michael riedels razzle dazzle, a rollicking, authoritative and valuable history of broadway that serves primarily to beatify bernard jacobs and gerald schoenfeld, the. The trouble with razzle dazzle isyou cant put the damn thing down huffington post. Singular sensation book by michael riedel official. Razzle dazzle by michael riedel offers enjoyable romp. The subject at hand in razzle dazzle is the business of show, not the artistic merit of the productions themselves. But michael riedels new book, razzle dazzle, brings this gritty world back to life. Michael riedel is an actor and producer, known for submissions only 2010, smash 2012 and theater talk 1996. The battle for broadway won the 2015 marfield prize for arts writing and. But by the early 1970s, attendance dropped to half. Razzle dazzle already boasts laudatory quotes from riedels own stable of fans, including producer scott rudin every bit the equal of books that those of us who love broadway can recite. Dec 06, 2015 it seems that way in michael riedels razzle dazzle, a rollicking, authoritative and valuable history of broadway that serves primarily to beatify bernard jacobs and gerald schoenfeld, the. Michael riedel can be a jerk and a shill, but hes also the most. The battle for broadway turned into a tv miniseries, according to the posts pagesix the 432page.
The len berman and michael riedel in the morning show is the highestrated morning radio program in the new york city area. Has anyone else started reading riedels new book yet. The battle for broadway has put together a truly masterful history of the broadway stage and, indeed, broadway itself. A talk with michael riedel on his book razzle dazzle by richard seff.
Great stories about shubert organization and legends like michael bennett, trevose nunn, joe papp and cameron macintosh. The battle for broadway, theater columnist michael riedel has provided us theater nuts with a very satisfying look at the last six decades of broadway, throwing in a bit of history from before the 1960s as well. Nov 03, 2015 in his lively, entertaining, and lumpy first book razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people, money, and power that reinvented an iconic quarter of new york city, turning its gritty back alleys and sex shops into the glitzy, dazzling great white way and bringing a crippled new york from the brink of bankruptcy to its glittering glory. Tooinsidery razzle sadly doesnt dazzle theater critic michael riedel dishes some juicy backstage anecdotes in his new book about broadways shubert organization, but fails to bring its deal. Riedels book greatly expands the cast of colorful characters. The battle for broadwayblurbed, natch, by rudin, along with hugh jackman. Iscriviti a prime ciao, accedi account e liste accedi account e liste ordini iscriviti a prime carrello. But i believe razzle dazzle was accepted for publication because it dealt with the demise of the. A talk with michael riedel on his book razzle dazzle by. In the past two years riedel interviewed 75100 people who have lived and worked in the. Money for artistic endeavors was scarce, and the city seemed adrift in economic and social. It seems that way in michael riedels razzle dazzle, a rollicking.
Michael riedel is an american theatre critic, broadcaster, and columnist. Razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people and the money and the power that reinvented an iconic quarter of new york city, turning its gritty back alleys and sexshops into the glitzy, dazzling great white wayand bringing a crippled new york from the brink of bankruptcy to its glittering glory. Michael riedel lays bare the secret history of broadway in all its grease paint, shady dealings, and shining moments. The book is extremely well researched and well written. Jul 19, 2016 new york post broadway gossip columnist michael riedel will see his 2015 book razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people, money. During broadways golden age, in the 1950s and 60s, theater audiences averaged 7 million per year. Razzle dazzle the story of the rise, fall, and redemption of broadwayits stars, its biggest shows, its producers, and all the drama, intrigue, and power plays that happened behind the scenes. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Nov 09, 2015 a talk with michael riedel on his book razzle dazzle by richard seff. Oct 18, 2015 a discussion of cohost michael riedels new book, razzle dazzle. In the authors note, he writes that the book is about the struggle by the shuberts and the nederlanders to save broadway in the 1970s.
Razzle dazzle raises the curtain on broadways history columbia. A graduate of columbia university, michael lives in the west village. Razzle dazzle michael riedel 9781451672169 netgalley. In his lively, entertaining, and lumpy first book razzle dazzle. The battle for broadway is written by new york post theater columnist michael riedel. Oct 04, 2015 tooinsidery razzle sadly doesnt dazzle theater critic michael riedel dishes some juicy backstage anecdotes in his new book about broadways shubert organization, but fails to bring its deal.
Riedel cohosted the pbstv show theater talk for 24 years, and he is the author of the new york times bestseller razzle dazzle. The trouble with razzle dazzle, michael riedels new book about broadway, is that from the first page on which a man complains to the attorney generals office that i made an investment in a play, and the producer used the money to buy a lobster boat in montauk you cant put the damn thing down. Razzle dazzle is a provocative, noholdsbarred narrative account of the people, money, and power that reinvented an iconic quarter of new york city, turning its gritty back alleys and sex shops into the glitzy, dazzling great white wayand bringing a crippled new york from the brink of bankruptcy to its glittering glory. Razzle dazzle book by michael riedel official publisher. Riedel has been a controversial and influential broadway columnist of the new york post for over 20 years. The battle for broadwayblurbed, natch, by rudin, along with hugh jackman and kevin spaceyriedel brings the strengths and. Theater critic michael riedel dishes some juicy backstage anecdotes in his new book about broadways shubert organization, but fails to bring. Oct 10, 2015 a discussion of cohost michael riedels new book razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle is a fantastically fun book, full of high energy, anecdotes, and wit.
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