‘Smash’ Musical Plans to Open on Broadway This Spring

by

As a seasoned gamer of Broadway shows and musical adaptations, I can hardly contain my excitement for the upcoming “Smash” musical! With Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron, and Steven Spielberg at the helm, this production promises to be nothing short of spectacular. The star-studded cast, featuring talents like Robyn Hurder, Krysta Rodriguez, and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s enchanting score, is a dream come true for any theater enthusiast.

Smash is coming to Broadway this spring. 

The Broadway show, based on the NBC television series, will premiere at the Imperial Theatre on April 10, 2025, with previews commencing from March 11. Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg are taking charge as producers, while Susan Stroman, a Tony Award-winning director for “The Producers,” will be directing the production.

The upcoming production, headed by Stroman, features Robyn Hurder from ‘Moulin Rouge’, playing Ivy; Brooks Ashmanskas from ‘The Prom’ in the role of Nigel; Krysta Rodriguez of ‘Spring Awakening’ as Tracy; John Behlmann from ‘Shucked’ as Jerry; Kristine Nielsen, known for ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’, as Susan; Caroline Bowman, star of ‘Frozen’, as Karen; Jacqueline B. Arnold, also from ‘Moulin Rouge’, as Anita; Bella Coppola, cast in ‘Six’, as Chloe; and Casey Garvin from ‘Some Like It Hot’ as Charlie.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, known for works like “Some Like It Hot,” “Hairspray,” and “Only Murders in the Building,” created the musical’s score. This collection features numerous songs they composed for the TV series, along with fresh compositions. Rick Elice, who worked on “Jersey Boys,” and Bob Martin, from “The Prom,” penned the script for this musical. Joshua Bergasse, who choreographed the television show, is back to handle the choreography for the stage production.

The television series that aired on NBC from 2012-2013 featured Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Megan Hilty, Katharine McPhee, and Christian Borle in the main roles. This show centered around their efforts to stage musicals for Broadway, including the fictional production called “Bombshell,” which depicted the life story of Marilyn Monroe. The concept for this series originated from Steven Spielberg.

The upcoming musical adaptation is set to feature Broadway characters attempting to produce a show titled “Bombshell,” however, it’s been announced that the production will deviate significantly from the original series. Jennifer Hudson, who made an appearance during the second season of the TV show, has additionally become part of the producing team for this stage production.

For quite some time now, the Broadway production of “Bombshell” has been under development. Following a one-off charity benefit concert version in 2015, Greenblatt and his colleagues started discussing taking the show to a larger platform. The initial announcement for its Broadway debut was set for 2020, but it got postponed. Last summer, they conducted a workshop on the development of the show.

Neil, Steven, and I are thrilled to share some exciting news: ‘Smash’ is making its way to Broadway this season! This comes 12 years after the show ended on NBC. We’ve always believed that Shaiman & Wittman’s brilliant music score was destined for Broadway, and our adaptation of the series – filled with humor, clever twists, and a few unexpected elements – is designed to captivate both die-hard fans and those who missed out on the original show,” Greenblatt expressed.

The upcoming musical boasts set designs by Beowulf Boritt from New York City, costume designs by Alejo Vietti known for Titanic, lighting designs by Ken Billington who has worked in Chicago, sound designs by Brian Ronan of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, projection designs by S Katy Tucker, orchestrations by Doug Besterman famed for The Producers, and music supervision by Stephen Oremus, who has a reputation from Wicked.

Read More

2024-10-22 17:26