Broadway’s Big Bet: “Smash” Returns in the Most Meta Way Possible — And It Might Just Blow Your Mind
Imagine this: a musical... based on a TV show... about making a musical. Yeah, it sounds like someone’s wild fever dream, but guess what? It’s real. And it’s finally here. After years of anticipation, rewrites, false starts, and drama (both on and off stage), Smash has officially hit the Broadway stage.
And let’s be clear—this isn’t just any musical. It’s a bold, glitzy, self-aware, meta masterpiece that somehow pulls off what could’ve easily been a hot mess. But honestly? That chaos might just be what makes it magical.
🎭 Wait, This Show is About... What?
Okay, so let’s rewind for a second. Smash was originally a 2012 NBC TV show that had the Broadway community buzzing. Part drama, part guilty pleasure, it followed the behind-the-scenes madness of producing a musical about Marilyn Monroe called Bombshell. You had stars like Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty battling it out to play the iconic blonde bombshell. Think Glee meets All About Eve, with jazz hands and backstage rivalries.
People loved it. People hated it. And a whole bunch of folks couldn’t look away.
Now, over a decade later, the drama behind Smash has become its own stage production. Yep—this is now a Broadway musical based on a TV show about making a Broadway musical. So. Meta.
👏 The Talent Behind the Curtain
If you’re wondering whether this is just some cash-grab nostalgia act—relax. The creative muscle behind this production is no joke. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the dynamic duo behind musical hits like Hairspray, are the songwriting brains behind Smash. They’ve been writing music together since the ‘70s, and their chemistry is still rock solid.
Wittman jokes about their early days: “It was the tall ships, Legionnaire's disease, and Son of Sam—and that’s when I met Marc.”
Classic New York chaos.
Despite decades of success, these two still approach every new project with a healthy dose of terror. Shaiman admits that they literally sing a made-up anthem before every new song they write. What’s it called? “Paralyzed with Fear.” No joke. He says they sing it for days before any actual lyrics come out. “It’s just that blank page,” Wittman adds, “it’s the most frightening thing on Earth!”
😬 Real-Life Drama Imitates Art
Broadway shows are unpredictable beasts, and Smash embraced that chaos right from its very first preview night. In a twist that could’ve come straight out of the script, one of the lead actors had to be replaced last-minute by an understudy. Yep—just like what happens in the actual storyline of the show.
It was almost too perfect.
Director Susan Stroman, who’s no stranger to Broadway madness (she’s won five Tony Awards, btw), couldn’t help but laugh. “Everything that is in Smash, I’ve actually lived through,” she says. And she means it. The late-night rewrites, casting swaps, the panic and the pressure—it’s all part of the job.
One of the show’s cheeky taglines even reads: “Behind every hit musical... is a hot mess.” And honestly, truer words have never been spoken.
🌟 Spotlight on Robyn Hurder
Now let’s talk about Robyn Hurder. If there’s one performance that brings heart, soul, and grit to Smash, it’s hers. She plays Ivy Lynn—the actress cast as Marilyn who starts to blur the lines between character and reality. And she’s everything: sassy, sweet, fiery, vulnerable, hilarious. It’s like watching a firecracker go off every time she hits the stage.
But here’s the kicker—Hurder wasn’t always a Broadway headliner. She’s been grinding in the industry for over 20 years, mostly known for her dancing chops more than her vocals. And there was a time, not long ago, when she nearly gave up on it all.
“I was exhausted,” she confesses. “I told my husband, ‘I think I need to be a mom. I don’t know if I can do this anymore.’”
She stepped back, had a son (shoutout to Hudson!), and something inside her shifted. “Having Hudson was the best thing that ever happened to me,” she beams. “That’s when everything clicked. I came back and I was ready. I’m finally achieving my dreams.”
😂 Turning Melodrama into Comedy
Let’s be honest: the original Smash TV show had its melodramatic moments. Okay—a lot of melodrama. But the team behind the Broadway version knew they couldn’t just recycle the same soapy tone. So, they did something bold: they kept the killer music and completely reimagined the tone.
With Steven Spielberg (yep, that Spielberg) backing the project as producer, the show was given a green light to lean into the humor. They turned the drama on its head and added a self-aware, wink-at-the-audience charm that makes it feel fresh.
You’re not just watching a show—you’re in on the joke.
💥 So... Is It a Smash?
One of the promotional lines sums it up best:
“If you loved the TV series, it’s exactly what you want. And if you didn’t? We changed everything.”
That kind of confidence doesn’t come easy in the theater world. But Smash earns it.
It’s wild. It’s glitzy. It’s messy. And it works.
Because at the end of the day, Smash isn’t just about Marilyn Monroe or showbiz politics. It’s about collaboration. It’s about chasing your passion, fumbling through failure, getting up again, and creating something that might just be extraordinary.
Shaiman said it best when asked what might appeal to folks who’ve never even heard of the original show:
“It’s that universal feeling of a group of people just trying to get through the day and create something. Everyone gets that. Everyone.”
🎶 Final Note: It’s Not Just a Show—It’s an Experience
Whether you were obsessed with the original Smash or never watched a single episode, this musical has something for everyone:
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A killer score by award-winning legends
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Witty, self-aware humor
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Jaw-dropping performances (seriously, Robyn Hurder is on fire)
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Behind-the-scenes drama that feels way too real
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And a reminder that even the biggest Broadway dreams are built one chaotic step at a time
So yeah, maybe it’s a little messy. Maybe it’s a little meta. But isn’t that what makes it so damn fun?
Smash might just be Broadway’s most unexpected triumph—and we’re totally here for it.
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