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Review: Smash: It Sadly Won’t Be One!
April 10, 2025, 11:33.22 pm ET

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Photo: Matthew Murphy

By Brian Scott Lipton

Some things do get changed for the better, as the famed lyric from “Wicked” goes, but the new Broadway musical “Smash,” now at the Imperial Theatre under the disappointing direction of Tony Award winner Susan Stroman, is anything but an improvement on the TV series of the same name. Indeed, this misbegotten, meshugana mess wastes the talent of a top-notch cast and an often-delightful score from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, not to mention 2 ½ hours of your time.

Admittedly, the short-lived series, created by playwright Theresa Rebeck, too often drifted into dreary soap opera as it explored the making of “Bombshell,” a fictional musical about Marilyn Monroe. Instead, the musical – which concerns the same subject matter while using new or revised characters – features a confused and confusing book by the usually brilliant Bob Martin and Rick Elice, which is only sporadically funny and often jaw-droppingly idiotic. (If you never watched the TV show, don’t bother; if you did, try to forget whatever you saw.)

Once again, we’re behind the scenes at the making of “Bombshell,” which its creators – including high-strung director Nigel (Brooks Ashmanskas, masterfully doing his almost patented exasperated schtick), sassy producer Anita (a fine Jacqueline B. Arnold) and married writers Tracy (a grounded Krysta Rodriguez) and Jerry (a hyperactive, insecure John Behlmann) – somehow envision as a “breezy” romp.

The show’s lead (no competition here) is superstar Ivy Lynn (the lovely Robyn Hurder), who appears not to have a diva bone in her body. She’s actually best friends with her longtime understudy Karen Cartwright (an appealing Caroline Bowman) and her hunky hubby Charlie (Casey Garvin) – who plays Marilyn’s hubby Joe DiMaggio in “Bombshell” – and beloved by everyone around her.

That’s true, at least, until Ivy suddenly hires cronelike acting coach Susan Proctor (Kristine Nielsen, mostly mugging), who supposedly taught the real Marilyn and makes Ivy behave like the famed superstar, including being difficult on set, taking pills, missing the show’s dress rehearsal, and generally acting like a bitch on wheels. Will the show go on – with her or without her? Does anyone in the audience (fictional or otherwise) care?

Amidst all this silliness, one can still see the potential for an entertaining show. The gorgeous Hurder, resplendent in Alejo Vietti’s glittery costumes, is a true triple threat, making both Ivy and Marilyn thoroughly convincing. But it’s odd that Stroman and choreographer Joshua Bergasse barely let her dance -- which is honestly her strongest suit – although she dazzles whenever she does!

Moreover, Hurder doesn’t even get to sing (for the most part) three of the show’s strongest numbers: Rodriguez is properly plaintive during “Second Hand White Baby Grand”; the strong-voiced Bowman sizzles during “They Just Keep Moving the Line”; and Bella Coppola (as directorial assistant Chloe) unleashes her killer pipes in the Act I finale, the well-known “Let Me Be Your Star.” (I won’t even bother to explain why she ends up singing it.)

There are also brief touches of heartfelt drama in the script: Nigel can’t go out with adorable chorus boy Terry (Jake Trammel) because it would be unprofessional; Anita is forced to considering firing either Ivy or her oldest friend, Nigel; and Jerry’s increased dependence on alcohol threatens his relationship with Tracy. Conversely, there is far less comedy than one might have hoped, although Nicholas Matos does earn some laughs as over-eager, social media-minded intern Scott.

Still, in the end, one is left to wonder why the show’s creators and producers either didn’t leave well enough alone or simply (as was long rumored) put “Bombshell” on stage. Instead, they seemed to have taken one of the show’s lesser songs, “Let’s Be Bad” (previously heard last season in “Some Like It Hot” as well as on TV), and perversely used it as the creative motto for “Smash.”

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