All stories by Michael Riedel on BroadwayStars

Thursday, August 4, 2011

NY could be 'Ghost' town by Michael Riedel

The new musicals this season aren't exactly blockbuster central. Douglas Carter Beane's "Lysistrata Jones" is campy and fun, but it's not going to topple "The Book of Mormon." "Nice Wor…

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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Remix of bloody ‘Carrie’ by Michael Riedel

The Broadway musical "Carrie" is remarka bly durable. It opened -- and closed -- in May 1988. All these years later, it remains the gold standard of Broadway fiascos, despite the best …

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Rees' 'Royal' reminiscences by Michael Riedel

The Royal Shake speare Company's in town -- performing five shows in reper tory at the Park Ave nue Armory -- so it seemed a fine time to talk with Roger Rees about the 22 years he spent the…

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Next 'Stop' could be B'way by Michael Riedel

Paula Wagner, a Holly wood big wig who ran Tom Cruise's production company for years, is headed to Broadway. She's got the rights to William Inge's "Bus Stop" and is putting up a staged read…

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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Cage 'Cuckoo' for B'way (maybe) by Michael Riedel

Is this perfect casting or what? Nicolas Cage -- who's al most as celebrated for his nutty outbursts as he is for his string of lousy movies ("The Wicker Man") -- playing Randle Patrick McMu…

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Sheik sneak peek by Michael Riedel

Strolling through the West Village the other night, I ran into Duncan Sheik, who, with lyricist Steven Sater, wrote the Tony-winning "Spring Awakening." He'd just come from Poughkeepsie, …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:26PM
Thursday, July 7, 2011

Let's hear it for The Boy by Michael Riedel

Hugh Jackman's one-man show opened in Toronto this week -- and boy, is it hot. I wrote about "Hugh Jackman in Concert" in May, when it opened in San Francisco, and while the reviews were …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:12PM
Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Another coming of 'Christ' by Michael Riedel

Critics may snigger all they want to at Andrew Lloyd Webber's music, but the great songwriter Cy Coleman ("Witchcraft," "Hey, Big Spender") once told me, "There isn't a Broadway composer al…

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Thursday, June 30, 2011

An uneven paying field by Michael Riedel

Judging from his salary demands, Harry Connick Jr. must think he's Nathan Lane. The crooner from New Orleans, who got his start in New York playing the piano at Chez Josephine, could pu…

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Passing prompts talk of Falk by Michael Riedel

Everybody knows Col umbo from television. But in fact, the beloved disheveled detective made his first appearance in a stage play called "Prescription: Murder," by the now-legendary writi…

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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Milkin' 'Honey(mooners)' by Michael Riedel

Oh, you're going places, Alice. You're going -- straight to Broadway! Though it sounds like one of Ralph Kramden's cockamamie schemes to get out of Brooklyn, there is, in fact, an invitat…

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Stagehand's death prompts cancellation of Wednesday night's performance of 'How to Succeed in Business' by Michael Riedel and Erin Calabrese

Last night’s sold-out performance of the hit Broadway revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” was abruptly canceled when a stagehand was found dead just before cu…

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Stagehand's death prompts cancellation of Wednesday night's performance of 'How to Succeed in Business' by MICHAEL RIEDEL and ERIN CALABRESE

The 29-year-old worker, who authorities believe died of an accidental drug overdose, was found in an out-of-the-way room. His name was withheld pending family notification.

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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

'Jones'-ing for B'way by Michael Riedel

Playwright Douglas Carter Beane -- who, with director Jerry Zaks, turned "Sister Act" into an unexpected treat -- always makes me laugh. On the eve of the Tonys, I wrote that you could te…

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Thursday, June 16, 2011

'Spidey' sales $tuck by Michael Riedel

'Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark" pulled off a miracle this week: It opened. But for all the hoopla surrounding the show's troubled preview period (which began in the Pleistocene Epoch) and…

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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Tammy Faye born-again again by Michael Riedel

It's casting from heaven. Kristin Chenoweth, the only Christian fundamental ist I know of on Broadway, played the mascara-en crusted Tammy Faye Bakker last week in an invitation-only readin…

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Monday, June 13, 2011

9 Tonys? Holy $#+! by Michael Riedel

Mitt Rommey should take a page out of "The Book of Mormon." Because if he can sweep the Republican primaries next year the way "Mormon" swept the Tonys last night, he'll be the first Morm…

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Sunday, June 12, 2011

How Broadway emerged from ruin to become a billion-dollar business by Michael Riedel

The Tony Awards are tonight, and approximately 12 people will be watching. Broadway’s big award show on CBS is always ratings challenged, lagging far behind sporting events and reruns of …

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Friday, June 10, 2011

Tonys are a game of Best Musical chairs by Michael Riedel

Never mind the straw polls, the crystal balls and the off-the-record chats with voters. If you want to know who's going to win a Tony, look at seat locations. Tickets to Sunday night's te…

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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The time the Tonys got tense by Michael Riedel

There is, I regret to re port, very little agita surrounding this year's Tonys. That's because the winners -- "The Book of Mormon" and "War Horse" -- are as certain as the sun rising in t…

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Thursday, June 2, 2011

Mitt not in their good 'Book' by Michael Riedel

Never mind Bono and The Edge. The real ratings booster for this year's Tony Awards could have been the No. 1 Mormon in American politics -- Mitt Romney. On the "Today" show earlier th…

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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Tonys seek a little Edge by Michael Riedel

Bono and The Edge popped up on the "American Idol" finale the other night and performed "Rise Above," the big tune from "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." Their appearance helped lure 29.3 mil…

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Thursday, May 26, 2011

Major B'way clothes force by Michael Riedel

There aren't many great broads left on Broadway -- wise cracking gals with strong opinions and well-aimed zingers. Elaine Stritch reigns supreme, of course, as does producer Elizabeth I. Mc…

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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Julie 'Spide' on B'way by Michael Riedel

Quick hits and gossip today: * Hello, Julie! The wacky (and whacked) Julie Taymor has resurfaced on Broadway. Taymor attended last week's New Dramatists luncheon, her first public a…

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Thursday, May 19, 2011

Broadway ready to hail King by Michael Riedel

Take a look at the songlist from "Baby It's You," the new Broadway musical about the Shirelles, and you'll notice a startling omission: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," the song that launched th…

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Not fully sold on Hugh revue by Michael Riedel

Give Hugh Jackman some handcuffs and a pair of ripped pants and he'll have an audience of middle-aged ladies reaching for the smelling salts. In a Vegas-y show that just wrapped up a two-…

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Friday, May 13, 2011

It's a whole new spidey! by MICHAEL RIEDEL and JENNIFER FERMINO

Show reopens after massive makeover

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Thursday, May 12, 2011

Tonys battle the TV 'curse' by Michael Riedel

'The Book of Mormon" is going to sweep the Tonys next month. But is there a song from the show that can be performed on national television? The producers of the musical and the produc…

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Laurents' beast-side story by Michael Riedel

Arthur Laurents, who wrote "Gypsy" and "West Side Story," called his gossipy, score-settling 2000 memoir "Original Story By." He might also have called it "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll …

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Thursday, May 5, 2011

'Funny' search gets serious by Michael Riedel

It's a role that can make -- or break -- a career. But it's almost impossible to cast. Auditions are being held in New York and Los Angeles for the part of Fanny Brice in the upcoming …

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Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Tony nods go by 'The Book' by Michael Riedel

'The Book of Mormon" is much more than the hit of the season. It's the hit Broadway's been looking for -- the hit Broadway's been desperate for -- since "Jer sey Boys" shook up the town i…

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All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 15, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic