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The extraordinary story of a transformative decade on Broadway, featuring gripping behind-the-scenes accounts of shows such as Rent, Angels in America, Chicago, The Lion King, and The Producers—shows that changed the history of the American theater.
The 1990s was a decade of profound change on Broadway. At the dawn of the nineties, the British invasion of Broadway was in full swing, as musical spectacles like Les Miserables, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera dominated the box office. But Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard soon spelled the end of this era and ushered in a new wave of American musicals, beginning with the ascendance of an unlikely show by a struggling writer who reimagined Puccini’s opera La Bohème as the smash Broadway show Rent. American musical comedy made its grand return, culminating in The Producers, while plays, always an endangered species on Broadway, staged a powerful comeback with Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. A different breed of producers rose up to challenge the grip theater owners had long held on Broadway, and corporations began to see how much money could be made from live theater.
And just as Broadway had clawed its way back into the mainstream of American popular culture, the September 11 attacks struck fear into the heart of Americans who thought Times Square might be the next target. But Broadway was back in business just two days later, buoyed by talented theater people intent on bringing New Yorkers together and supporting the economics of an injured city.
Michael Riedel presents the drama behind every mega-hit or shocking flop, bringing readers into high-stakes premieres, fraught rehearsals, tough contract negotiations, intense Tony Award battles, and more. From the bitter feuds to the surprising collaborations, all the intrigue of a revolutionary era in the Theater District is packed into Singular Sensation. Broadway has triumphs and disasters, but the show always goes on.
Author: Michael Riedel
Paperback Published 6 January 2022 352 pages
Originally published in hardcover November 2019
“A masterful history . . . Broadway aficionados and pop culture geeks will be entertained by this fascinating survey.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A very smart, very serious look at the business of Broadway, told with lacerating wit and keen insights into how it works—and how it doesn't." —Scott Rudin
“Told with all the wit and style readers could wish for . . . Theater fans longing to see a show during this sequestered time will enjoy this entertaining look at what happens before and after the curtain goes up.” —Booklist
“[A] brisk, insightful, and deliciously detailed take [on Broadway] . . . An entertaining diversion for fans until the curtains rise again.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Singular Sensation offers a happier, insightful look back at some of Broadway’s biggest triumphs, from Sunset Boulevard to The Lion King. From one of Broadway’s most respected commentators and Post columnist.”— New York Post, “Best of Fall”