Razzle Dazzle- Michael Riedel's book- Page 4

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/22/16 at 1:26pm

I don't really feel like the book is comparable to his column. It's not that "juicy." It's just got some great history to it. I would love to take a tour of all the offices above the Shubert and the Palace, etc. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/22/16 at 1:27pm

Anyone have pictures of the original Helen Hayes?

[newintown]

Posted: 5/1/16 at 11:48am

Browsing through this book at a reminder bin today, I noted more that it's mostly a re-hashing of several earlier books (bios of the Shuberts, Bennett, etc.), with little to no interesting new info (that I can discern).

It also appears (from a 10 minute browse) to be unusually slovenly written and edited, with ridiculous errors like calling famous choreographer Onna White "Oona," or claiming that George Jean Nathan called David Belasco "the Rasputin of Broadway" (it was actually "the Broadway Rasputin" ) because his plays were "full of hokum" - this doesn't even make sense, as "Rasputin" and "hokum" have nothing to do with each other. A little thought and knowledge would certainly lead anyone to the conclusion that nickname had more to do with either Belasco's habit of dressing as a priest or his insistence upon absolute control over all aspects of his work.

Most interestingly, I realized that our Joey, who has been promoting the book very strenuously here, has a ... shall we say ... very, very intimate relationship with the tome. Joey, really. Don't you think it's honorable to acknowledge your personal investment in a project when hyping it so?

Updated On: 5/1/16 at 11:48 AM

Posted: 5/1/16 at 12:39pm

I finally was able to find time to start reading Razzle Dazzle this weekend. I am not too far into it yet, but while a lot of the information is (like newintown said) a re-hashing of previous books, I think it's very interesting nonetheless, and a quicker read than some of those earlier books. I am thoroughly enjoying it!

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/1/16 at 1:45pm

newintown said: "Most interestingly, I realized that our Joey, who has been promoting the book very strenuously here, has a ... shall we say ... very, very intimate relationship with the tome. Joey, really. Don't you think it's honorable to acknowledge your personal investment in a project when hyping it so?"

Oh, big ****ing deal. The current editor in chief of this site shills his own shows at 54 Below and drops mentions of his favorite composer into every InDepth InterView he can, and so far I'm the only one who gives a ****.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/1/16 at 1:49pm

Just read it as if you never heard or saw him. It is a very interesting,quick and informative read. One of the best of all that I have read.

[Tom-497]

Posted: 5/1/16 at 2:43pm

I found it one of the better theater-related books that I've read. As I think others have suggested, the structure is at times lumpy. Mostly, though, I thought it was readable, serious, and informative. I especially liked the parts that dealt with the relationship among theater, real estate, and public administration.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/1/16 at 3:27pm

Newintown--you have a PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/1/16 at 8:28pm

PalJoey said: " 

 


There's actually a lot more inside stuff than you can imagine. He was fairly close to Bernie Jacobs during the pre-Disney period when the Shuberts were leading the charge to revive Broadway.

 


 

 


Those of us who are old enough to remember the last gasps of Broadway-pre-AIDS will remember that before Disney helped clean up 42nd Street, the Shuberts, Joe Papp and A Chorus Line cleaned up 44th Street.

 


 

 


The whole city was in a slump back then. Riedel argues that reviving Broadway helped bring about the revival of the whole city. It's a fascinating premise--and not at all untrue.

 


 

 


Read this excerpt from Vanity Fair. It's a juicy part of the book...and reading it doesn't put a PENNY into Michael Riedel's purse.

 


 

 


 VANITY FAIR: Dreamgirls, Nine, and the Greatest Face-Off in Tony Award History

 

"

OT for a sec: we ought to bookmark the link above and reread it every time the subject of Ben Sprecher and REBECCA arises. Ben didn't have all the money he needed at the start of rehearsals? NINE didn't even have the adaptation rights until 2 weeks before the first preview.

And thus we have producing on Broadway. It's a mess, but a longstanding mess and none of us needs to be so self-righteous about it.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 7:26am

I'm reading the book now and rather enjoying it.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 10:38am

Hey Dolly, the two of us actually lived thru the bad times he described and we did not know how bad it was.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 12:55pm

Thinking the same thing.  I remember getting out of the theatre in mid-winter and walking up Broadway feeling unsafe.  Don't feel that way anymore...just wondering where the crowds came from.  I also miss the big movie theaters that range from the Paramount up to the Capitol, and all between.  So, a definite overall improvement from a feeling safe and sleazeless perspective, and a loss from the overall entertainment. perspective.

I too found this a thoroughly enjoyable quick read.  I have to admit that I did not know how major a role Jacobs and Schoenfeld played in improving the area.  Makes it more palatable that two theaters are named after them.

I thought there were a few wrong facts, e.g., Applause ran a year, but not so many or important that it lost credibility.  My only real issue was with the de-ification of Michael Bennet, other wise referred to as the greatest musical director of his time.  I wondered what Harold Prince would think of that pronouncement, given how few shows Michael Bennett directed.  I have never been a huge fan of A Chorus Line (I liked it a lot, but was underwhelmed given the praise it received), and thought te direction of Dreamgirls was outstanding, although I would have voted for Tommy Tune that year (and for Bob Fosse the year of ACL).  Comparing his output to that of Harold Prince to me was ludicrous...Sweeney Todd, Phantom, Evita, Company, Cabaret...those are some of the most amazing stagings I ever witnessed.  I will give a pass on Follies because I don't know where direction ended and choreography began and I can't remember if it was co-directed.

 I think some of the people trashing the book are doing so because they don't like Reidel, just like those who trashed Finding Neverland mercilessly because they didn't like Harvey, and were mad that he didn't bring Jeremy to Broadway.

 

Updated On: 5/2/16 at 12:55 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 1:05pm

Times Square is in between what it was than & now. Mostly every other large city has at least one big theater/palace left. New York, center of entertainment, pounded them all to dust. For now it is safer but this may not be the case for the future. Times Square has become one big shopping mall. The costumed characters will not play by recently enacted rules and will continue to harass tourists . Returning tourists will tell their friends. The city council decriminalizing things like public urination will not help things either. It will never go back to the 70's but it will not be a garden of eden either. Much of the Riedel hatred is his disdain for a very popular show. Yes he is a very annoying tv personality at times but much of the time Theater Talk is great to watch. His columns are fun to read also. People need to get a grip.

Updated On: 5/2/16 at 01:05 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 1:40pm

I think some of the people trashing the book are doing so because they don't like Reidel, just like those who trashed Finding Neverland mercilessly because they didn't like Harvey, and were mad that he didn't bring Jeremy to Broadway.
 

Exactly.

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 1:46pm

I read that vanity fair chapter last night without realizing he wrote it (must have skipped the introduction) and thought it was riveting. I'll check it out at my local library and see how the whole book is.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 2:02pm

Mr Roxy said: "Times Square was in between what it was than & now. Mostly every other large city has at least one big theater/palace left. New York, center of entertainment, pounded them all to dust. For now it is safer but this may not be the case for the future. Times Square has become one big shopping mall. The costumed characters will not play by recently enacted rules and will continue to harass tourists . Returning tourists will tell their friends. The city council decriminalizing things like public urination will not help things either. It will never go back to the 70's but it will not be a garden of eden either. Much of the Riedel hatred is his disdain for a very popular show. Yes he is a very annoying tv personality at times but much of the time Theater Talk is great to watch. His columns are fun to read also. People need to get a grip.

 

Your comments on the likely issues ahead with Times Square are troubling, and probably true if nothing is done to address them.  The last time I was there, I found myself looking straight ahead when I saw those stupid characters...something I had not done since the 70s, when it was characters of a different sort.  The other issue is sort of ironic: Times Square is SO CROWDED these just before and after theatre curtain that it is hard to walk.  My wife, who loves the theatre, actually hates to go because she doesn't fell entirely safe, sorta Day of the Locusts vibe.  I am clearly against certain progress, though.  I do miss the big movie houses, I do miss the non-electronic price boards, when you could actually tell what the prices were; and printed tickets in the box office, so they couldn't just raise the prices overnight, as they do nowadays.  Boy, do I sound like an old fart.   

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 3:00pm

We are old farts. Be proud of it. We lived in Broadways Heyday. We had Fosse/Bennett/Prince in his prime. We also had David Merrick & Alex Cohen. The fun of hearing about shows out of town trials and tribulations were worth remembering. Do not forget when you could go to a few box offices in one day and get pre printed tickets without having to have an armored car trailing you with money. Most of the palaces were up in the 60's. Once the Roxy came down, the palaces became sitting ducks.

 

I would not trade the NY we lived in with todays .

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 3:31pm

Roxy we live through a whole year of that is described in this book but didn't know what was happening because it was a different era. If this stuff was going on today with social media being what it is we would know in a Flash. We relied on people like Earl Wilson and Dorothy kilgallen for any information about what was going on behind the scenes on Broadway. Lowe's columnist warrant always accurate. Sometimes they knew what was going on but didn't talk about it much the way reporters new about Franklin Delano Roosevelt's polio but didn't talk about it either

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/2/16 at 3:40pm

I feel like a youngster as FDR was before my time.