Singular Sensation

A definitive and extraordinary account of recent Broadway history--spanning from the debut of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Sunset Boulevard to Disney's The Lion King--told by Broadway's most respected (and feared) commentator Michael Riedel. Singular Sensation portrays the people, money, and power that created the blockbuster shows and aesthetic spectacle that has dominated not only a couple of acres of real estate in the heart of Manhattan but has also captured the hearts and minds of millions of people around the world. From the legendary jousting scene in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard to the ascendance of an unlikely musical by an unknown savant named Jonathan Larsen, who reimagined La Boh me as Rent and from standing room only crowds who stormed to see The Producers to The Lion King, Michael Riedel tracks it all so you can experience your favorite show from a whole new angle. Told with verve and passion and drawing upon more than 150 insider interviews, Riedel walks us through the Broadway we know and love today: an industry awash in big hits and bigger money, while also being an industry split between its adherence to old artforms and the allure of popular culture.