Yahoo Lifestyle ‘Smash’ Exclusive First Look: NBC’s Cult Favorite Hits Broadway With ‘So Many Twists, Turns and Surprises’
It’s a Broadway smash!
It, of course, refers to “Bombshell,” the fictional musical-within-a-musical at the center of “Smash,” a new stage adaptation of the beloved cult favorite, much hate-watched TV series that ran for two seasons on NBC from 2012-2013. Variety has an exclusive preview of the meta backstage comedy, which begins preview performances on March 11 ahead of opening night on April 10 at the Imperial Theatre.
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Like the television series, created by Theresa Rebeck and described by Vulture as “one of the messiest shows to air on network television,” the stage version follows the process of mounting “Bombshell,” a jaunty musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe. In the first-look image, set outside the fictional show’s Broadway house, a brightly lit marquee boasts such raves as “AMAZING!” “STUNNING” “AMAZINGLY STUNNING!” At the center of it all is Marilyn, wearing the iconic white dress from “The Seven Year Itch,” as she’s surrounded by the entire production, including noted theater producer and choreographer Nigel (“The Prom” star Brooks Ashmanskas) looking… stressed. A Where’s Waldo, but for Broadway nerds, the photo also features real-life familiar faces of the theater community like NY1’s Frank DiLella, legendary Broadway press agent Irene Gandy, Paul Wontorek of Broadway.com and BroadwayWorld’s Richie Ridge.
“Smash” retains the other recognizable elements from the TV show, like messy backstage drama that threatens opening night and plenty of rousing musical numbers — though producers have teased the stage adaptation will “depart liberally from the series.” As a cheeky promo for the production jokes: “If you loved the TV series, it’s exactly what you want. And if you didn’t, we changed everything.”
“The tone is completely different,” says five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman, who is directing the musical. “The TV show was more of a melodrama. This is definitely comedic. It has familiar characters, but they are different in their backstories. It has many moments that pay homage to the TV series, but the musical stands on its own. It’s very eccentric.”
Robyn Hurder, a 20-year Broadway veteran and Tony nominee from “Moulin Rouge,” leads the musical as Ivy Lynn (the character played by Megan Hilty on screen). In the TV series, a rivalry for the lead role of Marilyn breaks out between Ivy, a perpetual ensemble player who is hoping to get her big break, and Karen Cartwright (originated by Katharine McPhee), an ingenue from Iowa who blows everyone away at her audition and potentially upends the production’s casting. In the stage version, however, Ivy has a different backstory, in which she’s already an established leading lady.
“Ivy Lynn is the most sought after Broadway star. She’s the Sutton Foster or Hugh Jackman of Broadway,” Hurder says of the new take on her character. She adds the musical has evolved from the decade-old TV show in necessary ways. “We’re in 2025 now, so we’re not about to pin two females against each other. We’re not doing a vicious cat fight.”
Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the decorated team behind “Some Like It Hot” and “Hairspray,” returned to write the score for the musical, which will feature their hits from the TV show (including, yes, “Let Me Be Your Star” and “They Just Keep Moving the Line” among others) as well as new music. “Let Me Be Your Star,” which was Emmy-nominated, is the delightful diva ballad that felt destined for Broadway in the show’s pilot all the way back in 2012, when “Smash” made its debut. But the number may look a little different on the Great White Way, at least, according to Miss Ivy herself.
“I can’t say too much about it, but there’s a huge, amazing, beautiful surprise about that song in the stage show,” Hurder teases. “I get to sing a completely reinvented version of it.”
Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron, all of whom were integral in mounting the TV show (Spielberg and Meron as producers, and Greenblatt as then-chairman of NBC), serve as lead producers on the musical. A stage musical of the TV series is something they’ve said that dedicated fans had been asking them about for the last dozen years.
“They are very involved,” Stroman says of the producing trio. “I talk to Bob Greenblatt every day. Spielberg swings by to see us. We take notes from him. Everything they say is valuable.”
“Smash” officially begins rehearsals for Broadway on Tuesday. Hurder’s Ivy will be joined on stage by new imaginings of some characters from the NBC series. Krysta Rodriguez (“Spring Awakening,” “Into the Woods”) and John Behlmann (“Shucked,” “Tootsie”) are playing the “Bombshell” songwriters and book writers Tracy and Jerry; Kristine Nielsen (“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”) is portraying acting-coach Susan; Jacqueline B. Arnold (“Moulin Rouge”) is a producer named Anita; Bella Coppola (“Six”) will be the assistant choreographer Chloe; and Caroline Bowman (“Frozen” tour) and Casey Garvin (“Some Like It Hot”) are “Bombshell” ensemble members Karen and Charlie.
“Nobody should walk into the theater expecting the TV show — there are so many twists and turns and surprises,” Hurder says. “When I read the script, my mouth dropped open. Nobody knows what’s going to happen.”
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