Any idea if Reidel is still writing his column? The last update was April 2. I was hoping during the quarantine he would still be updating with news about the theatre world - even if those posts were few and far between.
Tag said: "He was so great on Theater Talk. I miss that show."
Agreed on both.
Love him or hate him, everyone read his column. I actually got to meet and talk with him about a year ago. He was quite pleasant and funny. We had a nice short talk about theatre.
It’s hard not for me to be bitter because of his awfully mean coverage of Bernadette in Gypsy, and that clip on theatre talk where he is sucking up to Arthur Laurents about how bad the Sam Mendes Gypsy production is makes me embarrassed for him. As did his awfully wrong prediction of Bullets Over Broadway being the next Producers. But I’ll admit he is entertaining. I will read his work. And I am ashamed of myself.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Is he an arrogant narcissist or a theatre loving aficionado?
I am sure most of his leaks stem from theatre marketing department publicists, wanting to shift tickets.
However he still had to write good column, which he sometimes did with self deprecating humour, he once opined when someone dies and they dim the theatre marquee lights, when he died they will put the lights on full power.
Never less he did write a great book and I have got high hopes for the next one.
I think he evolved over the years.....in the beginning everyone ran out of a Joe Allen when he appeared but over the years he strengthened his relationships with people and did a better job of projecting his love for the theatre and recognizing the hard work that goes into it.
Why are we even talking about him now? He destroyed any credibility he had within the theatre community. He’s better off sticking to talking about right wing politics, let him stay in that world, Broadway has moved on from him!
tomwsjr said: "Why are we even talking about him now? He destroyed any credibility he had within the theatre community. He’s better off sticking to talking about right wing politics, let him stay in that world, Broadway has moved on from him!"
But yet here you are. You opened the thread and you are talking about him.