The Broadway-bound musical “Smash” will receive a workshop in January. Based on the 2012 NBC television series of the same name, the six-week workshop will culminate in five, fully staged performances for recruited audiences.
The Susan Stroman-directed musical, which previously announced its plan for a Main Stem bow in the 2024-2025 season, held two industry presentations on Sept. 22, 2023. Joshua Bergasse serves as choreographer.
The cast for the workshop includes Brooks Ashmanskas, Alex Brightman, Robyn Hurder, Kristine Nielsen and Krysta Rodriguez, all of whom were featured in previous industry readings. They will be joined by Yvette Nicole Brown, Bella Coppola, Nihar Duvvuri, Casey Garvin and Jonalyn Saxer.
Rounding out the company are Wendi Bergamini, Giovanni Bonaventura, Jim Borstelmann, Zachary Downer, Tiffany Engen, Ashley Blair Fitzgerald, Megan Kane, Caleb Marshall-Villarreal, Connor McRory, JJ Niemann, Tanairi Sade Vazquez, Brian Shepard, Sarah Sigman, Jake Trammel and Katie Webber.
“Smash” features a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who also provided songs for the television series. In a book co-written by Bob Martin and Rick Elice, “Smash” chronicles the challenges and joys of mounting a Broadway bio-musical about Marilyn Monroe.
“Not a week goes by when someone doesn’t tell us how much they loved the original series,” producer Neil Meron said in a statement. “It’s time to pull back the curtain on how we’re transforming this show into a funny, joyous stage musical.”
“This workshop/rehearsal process will give the creative team a chance to get reactions from real theatergoers who will experience it for the first time in a theater setting,” added producer Robert Greenblatt.
“Smash” is being produced by Steven Spielberg, Greenblatt and Meron.
