"Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway," by Michael Riedel covers the Broadway theater in the 1990s, a decade during which theater, once New York-centric, became part of mainstream popular culture. The book tells the gripping behind-the-scenes stories of such celebrated shows as "Lion King," "Rent," "Angels in America," "Chicago," "Sunset Blvd" and "The Producers."

For this book, scheduled for release Nov. 10th, Riedel conducted new interviews with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Glenn Close, Idina Menzel, Hugh Jackman, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Mel Brooks, Michael Eisner, Liam Neeson, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench.

"Singular Sensation" begins with the saga of "Sunset Boulevard," at the time the most expensive show in Broadway history. It looked like a hit, until it collapsed amidst Lloyd Webber's feuds with LuPone, Close, and Faye Dunaway. Upon learning that she was going to be replaced in the leading role by Close, LuPone screamed: "Glenn Close? She brays like a donkey and her nickname is George Washington because if you look at her in profile, her nose meets her chin."

Jonathan Larson wrote the brilliant "Rent," but never lived to see it open. After a dress rehearsal, he returned to his walk-up apartment, put on the tea kettle, and dropped dead of an aneurysm. Riedel writes movingly of Larson's struggle to write the "Rent," and how, after his death, it influenced a generation of musical theater writers and performers.

Disney almost pulled the plug on "The Lion King," unable to understand how an audience would respond to director Julie Taymor's ground-breaking puppets. Taymor hastily put together a special workshop just for Michael Eisner. He looked at her work and said, "The bigger the risk, the bigger the payoff." "The Lion King" went on to gross nearly $9 billion, making it the most lucrative entertainment property of all time.

"Singular Sensation" ends with the story of how Mel Brooks turned "The Producers," an obscure movie from the 1960s, into a Broadway blockbuster. But just a few months after it opened, terrorists knocked down the World Trade Center. Broadway was facing an existential crisis. But in just two days, its shows were up and running, a signal to the world that terrorism would never bring New York to its knees. "Singular Sensation" charts Broadway's dramatic comeback after 9/11. Broadway is now facing another existential crisis. It has been dark since March due to COVID-19.

Riedel, who has covered the theater since 1989, can talk about the challenges Broadway faces and whether it can stage yet another comeback.

The Broadway columnist for the NY Post, Riedel is also co-host for "Len Berman and Michael Riedel In the Morning" on New York's 710 WOR. Riedel co-hosted "Theatre Talk" on PBS-TV for 25 years.