“Smash” musical opens on Broadway in 2025

“Smash,” a stage adaptation of the fan-favorite NBC series, will officially premiere on Broadway in 2025.

Performances of the long-in-the-works musical begin March 11, 2025 at the Imperial Theater ahead of the April 10 premiere. Based on the TV series starring Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Megan Hilty, Katharine McPhee and Christian Borle, the Broadway version will follow the behind-the-scenes process of staging “Bombshell,” a musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe. However, producers say the adaptation will “deviate very significantly from the series,” which had a short run from 2012 to 2013. A TV spot for the production jokes: “If you liked the TV series, this is exactly what you want.” And if you didn’t, we changed everything.”

“Smash” will star Robyn Hurder (a Tony nominee from “Moulin Rouge”) as Ivy, the on-screen character created by Hilty. She is joined by the sprawling cast of Brooks Ashmanskas (“The Prom”) as Nigel, Krysta Rodriguez (“Spring Awakening,” “Smash” TV series) as Tracy, John Behlmann (“Shucked”) as Jerry, Kristine Nielsen (“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”) as Susan, Caroline Bowman (“Frozen” Tour) as Karen, Jacqueline B. Arnold (“Moulin Rouge”) as Anita, Bella Coppola (“Six”) as Chloe and Casey Garvin (“Some Like It Hot”) as Charlie.

Theater veteran Susan Stroman (“Left on Tenth,” “The Producers”) directs the production, with music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (“Some Like It Hot,” “Hairspray,” “Mary Poppins Returns”), who wrote the screenplay wrote “Let Me Be Your Star” and dozens of other songs for the television show. Many of these tunes are used in the musical, along with brand new material.

Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron, who produced the original series, will serve as lead producers of the musical. Jennifer Hudson, an EGOT winner who guest starred on the TV show’s second season, recently joined the production team.

“Neil, Steven and I are pleased to announce that Smash is definitely coming to Broadway this season, a dozen years after the series ended on NBC,” Greenblatt said in a statement. “We always knew that Shaiman & Wittman’s fantastic score belonged on Broadway, and our show is a clever, fun adaptation of the series – with a few surprises – that we hope will appeal to both die-hard fans and everyone who loves it. will delight those who haven’t seen it.” Series.”

Meron added, “This dream team has created the quintessential new musical about the rollercoaster ride of creating a new musical. (Very meta!) And not only does it send Broadway up the ante, it sends it a big love letter at the same time.”