Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway

Riedel's journey unfolds faster than a curtain going up on opening night; and his nimble choreography with language brings a full understanding and appreciation of how the artistry, decisions, and backstage shenanigans made these men and women of Broadway titans of the American theater. Michael Riedel lays bare the secret history of Broadway in all its grease paint, shady dealings, and shining moments. (Kirkus (starred))"Riedel may be known, where he is known, for his sharp wit and sharper tongue, but when it comes to Broadway as an institution, as a history, and as a legend, he’s very much a man in love." (Booklist)“Just finished RAZZLE DAZZLE, a vivid page-turner that’s basically a history of Broadway by longtime theater observer Michael Riedel. “This book is a love letter to Broadway, both a splendid history of this American institution and a wonderful account of how art gets made. Riedel unearths treasures from the recent past and contextualiz

Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway Michael Riedel I and my entire family have been vitally interested and concerned with the Broadway stage for over a half century. My wife and I attended the old Schubert theater in New Haven, where numerous Broadway shows were put together before going to Broadway; the Goodspeed Op. "This was an excellent book. I loved it" according to PaperPlace. This was an excellent book. I loved it. When I was a child my parents would frequent the theater and I remember flipping through the playbills of the shows they saw. I've been interested in Broadway since I was 7. I loved reading about the shows my parents saw when I. Any fan of Broadway will have a hard time putting RAZZLE DAZZLE down, with Riedel’s gossipy style on full display! Stacy Helton The weasel of Broadway, Michael Riedel, who covers the Great White Way for the NEW YORK POST, has written an insightful, entertaining and illuminating book about the business of Broadway. Full confession, when Riedel and I are in agreement, there is no other fun read

He lives in New York City. He worked at the Daily News (New York) for five years before returning to the Post and has written for The Guardian, Harper’s Bazaar, Mirabella, Departures, and Commentary. Riedel is the cohost of Theater Talk with PBS, is a c

Once Jacobs and Schoenfeld solidified their power, they turned a collapsed theater-owning holding company into one of the most successful entertainment empires in the world, spearheading the revitalization of Broadway and the renewal of Times Square.“For those interested in the business behind the greasepaint, at a riveting time in Broadway’s and New York’s history, this is the ticket” (USA TODAY). “The trouble with Razzle Dazzle is…you can’t put the damn thing down” (Huffington Post).. Bernard Jacobs and Jerry Schoenfeld, two ambitious board members, saw the crumbling company was ripe for takeover and staged a coup and staved off corporate intrigue, personal betrayals and criminal investigations. Michael Riedel tells the stories of the Shubert Organization and the shows that re-built a city in grand style—including Cats, A Chorus Line, and Mamma Mia!—revealing the backstage drama that often rivaled what transpired onstage, exposing bitt