It’s time for “Smash” to be your star. Ten years after the cult-favorite musical drama wrapped its two seasons on NBC, a “Smash” musical is headed to Broadway for the 2024–2025 season.
Director Susan Stroman is attached to helm the production with lead producers Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg.
Bringing back much of the series’ original creatives, Marc Shaiman is handling the music; lyrics will be by Shaiman and Scott Wittman; the musical’s book will be written by Rick Elice and Bob Martin; and the show will feature choreography by Joshua Bergasse.
“Smash is near and dear to my heart, and it was always my hope that a musical inspired by the show would eventually come to the stage,” Spielberg, whose original idea led to the NBC series, said in a statement. “We now have an incredible creative team, and I’m looking forward to completing the Smash journey which began with my producing partners over 10 years ago.”
Greenblatt said upon the announcement that, “speaking for myself and Neil Meron, we’re elated that Steven wanted to join us as we bring Smash to the stage, as we’ve always felt that Shaiman and Wittman’s incredible score belonged on Broadway. And collaborating with the incomparable Susan Stroman, one of the best directors of musicals, plus first-class bookwriters, Rick Elice and Bob Martin, and our original choreographer, Josh Bergasse, is pure joy.”
“Ever since the show ended in 2012, not a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask us when will they see Smash as a musical,” Meron added. “We think we’ve come up with something the die-hard series fans will love but that will also be exciting for people who never saw an episode of the show. And above all else it will be a valentine to the Broadway musical and the exhilarating rollercoaster ride of bringing one to life.”
Many of the original songs from the beloved series will make an appearances in this Broadway adaptation, including “Let Me Be Your Star.” But, per a release, the production will also “depart liberally from the series” in its comedic depiction of mounting the fictional Marilyn Monroe musical, “Bombshell,” and the leading actresses vying for the iconic titular role (as originally played by Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty).
Stroman will be the maestro behind it all. Among her previous Broadway credits is one of the Great White Way’s greatest success stories, Mel Brooks’ “The Producers,” for which she won Tony Awards for both direction and choreography. Additional Tony wins came for her choreography work on “Crazy For You,” “Show Boat” and “Contact.”
The original “Smash” television series was created by Theresa Rebeck and produced by Universal Television. Executive producers included Rebeck, Spielberg, Meron, Shaiman, Craig Zadan, Scott Wittman, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, David Marshall Grant and Joshua Safran. It was produced in association with DreamWorks Television and Storyline Productions.
