SMASH Reading Lottery- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 12:10am

…so that’s different lol

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 12:11am

Just a bit, lol

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 12:20am

 



 

Blink twice if that plot synopsis was a joke!

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 12:33am

I’ve had a few drinks since this afternoon, but that’s really the gist of it. I really thought the second act twist was going to end up in a “ha ha, we got you, of course that didn’t happen,” but it actually did.

Updated On: 2/9/24 at 12:33 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 5:11am

TaffyDavenport said: "

 

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As far as the plot is concerned, it’s no longer a competition between Ivy and Karen. Ivy (Robyn Hurder) is the star of the show, who takes on a method acting coach, played by Kristine Nielsen (who hets Ivy hooked on Benzedrine), and becomes a deranged diva, alienating the cast. Karen (Jonalyn Saxer) is her understudy who, through a silly turn of events, can’t go on for Ivy when she’s absent for the invited dress.The first twist comes at the end of the first act when Chloe, the stage manager played by Bella Coppola, goes on instead, and becomes an overnight social media sensation. The second twist comes in the second act when Ivy dies during opening night, and Bombshell is restructured into the Ivy Lynn story, which is the brainchild of the producer’s (Yvette Nicole Brown) Gen Z assistant (Nihar Duvvuri).

Also, the writing team of Jerry and Tracy (Krysta Rodriguez and Alex Brightman) are married, as are Karen and Charlie, the ensemble member played by Casey Garvin.
 

"

that's, ummm, bizarre. and disappointing.

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 8:08am

Ha this plot sounds more bizarre than s1 of Smash itself! 

I was lucky to go to the awesome Bombshell concert a few years back and will die on the hill that they shoulda just done a Bombshell musical - the Bombshell score is so strong imo and I think it could have worked really well if they’d have split the Marilyn role eg. with Kat as Norma Jean and Megan as Marilyn - and songs like Don’t Forget Me and Second Hand White Baby Grand could be epic duets between the 2 versions of Marilyn! I have thought about this way too much lol!

Obviously I haven’t seen any version of the Smash musical but I hope it knows what it wants to be and just goes all in. Like if they’re gonna go for parody Smash then commit to it at least. One of the problems Smash had imo was that I don’t think it ever knew what it wanted to be and so it ended up just being a glorious mess!

 

[ivy3]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 8:22am

TaffyDavenport said: "Just a bit, lol"

First of all, thank you for your post. Second, I want to say " Well, that's not Smash". The only thing that seems to be similar about the pilot is they are trying to put on a show about Marilyn. Other than that everything changed. It could be the best show ever but as a Smash fan I would be disappointed.

I want to clarify that, I fully realize they cannot do the whole TV series on Broadway in 2+ hrs and things/characters/storylines needs to be changed, removed, revised etc. but this is just too much for my taste. It's just not Smash anymore. Why even call it Smash? The answer is clear, they want to take advantage of the name recognition of Smash and use the songs from the TV show. Also I'm guessing they aren't really targeting the fans of the TV show. 

Updated On: 2/9/24 at 08:22 AM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 8:30am

This may be the most bizarre thing I have ever heard. Thank goodness it's just a workshop- I pray they rethink this as I know shows go through multiple iterations. Someone on tiktok said this could go to Broadway "tomorrow" and just based on what I've read here...I just don't think so. 

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:34am

"I want to clarify that, I fully realize they cannot do the whole TV series on Broadway in 2+ hrs and things/characters/storylines needs to be changed, removed, revised etc. but this is just too much for my taste"

Is it really that hard for professionals to do this properly. Ivy gets the role of Mailyn and has drug/alcohol issue which causes her to temporarily lose the lead until she finishes rehab. Karen steps in and does a good job and causes a major decision when Ivy successfully completes rehab. Ivy comes back and the producers plus Tom and Julia need to decide who should play "Mailyn" and who should be understudy. Eileen's divorce causes her money problems financing the show and of course you add those wonderful show moments of her pouring drink on her husband's head. The producers/director decide during tryouts to alternate the role of "Marilyn" between shows to see audience reaction. The ensemble cast is divided into "Camp Ivy" and "Camp Karen". Ivy is feeling the pressure to win the role and is tempted to go back to drugs/alcohol but resist the urges. Audience reaction to both ladies in the role is positive but there is no clear favorite. In a heated meeting, Jack, Eileen, Tom and Julia fight over who should be the lead. During the meeting, Eileen blurts out why not have both of them play the role. Fast forward to opening night and both ladies nail it and the show is a "Smash" -lol.

This is just my general idea and changes could be made but this would be better than what I read about the reading which I thought was awful and lame.

Updated On: 2/9/24 at 09:34 AM

[OhHiii]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:34am

Absurd to think this show would just be fan service. If they were solely after fans of the tv show, the Broadway production would open and close in a week. 

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:36am

Not only did I win, but my wife and I got two tickets for the first performance yesterday afternoon (Feb. 8), and all we could say is "Wow!". This show might well turn out to be a "smash". I mean, it was really, really good, and it seemed as if they could open on Broadway next week.

The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College was packed, and from our vantage point, no one seemed disappointed in what they saw. The show is a star vehicle for Robyn Hurder,in the role of Ivy Lynn, and she'll be tough to beat for the Best Actress in a Musical Tony, and Bella Coppola is a sure bet to get a nomination for Best Featured Actress. Brooks Ashmanaskas was hysterical in the role of Nigel.

The show is obviously based on the TV show, but there are significant (and bittersweet) plot turns that should not be spoiled. Fans of the show will recognize much of the music and Mark Shairman has added several new songs. And the dancing is great,

These days, it seems impossible to predict critical response, but we can't wait to see it again on Broadway.

 

[TicketBoy]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:44am

This was WILD and tonally all over the place for me. I wanted to love it but left shaking my head. So many baffling choices made in Act 2. I thought the show worked best when it focused on the creatives (Brooks, Krysta, Alex, Yvette, etc.) and was weakest when dealing with the Ivy/Karen storyline. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:50am

I can't imagine Robyn Hurder in a stage musical of SMASH giving Nicole Sherzinger or Kirsitin Chenoweth a run for their money in the Tony race next season.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:52am

WestEndGal said: "I was lucky to go to the awesomeBombshell concerta few years back and will die on the hill that they shoulda just donea Bombshell musical - the Bombshell score is so strong imo and I think it couldhave worked really well if they’d have split theMarilyn role eg.withKatas Norma Jean and Megan as Marilyn - and songs like Don’t Forget Me and Second Hand White Baby Grand could be epic duets betweenthe 2 versions of Marilyn! I have thought about this way too much lol!"

Retweet.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:54am

Based on the descriptions here –– is it fair to say that the show is no longer a two-hander about Ivy & Karen? This is Ivy's story, with Karen and the Stage Manager serving what used to be the Karen part?

[TicketBoy]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:58am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Based on thedescriptions here –– is it fair to say that the show is no longer a two-hander about Ivy & Karen? This is Ivy's story, with Karen and the Stage Manager serving what used to be the Karen part?"

I would say it's more of an ensemble piece now. The "leading lady" plot propels the narrative but it's as much about the creators as it is the performers now. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 11:57am

Hold up- please tell me they still have Let Me Be Your Star in the show?

[OhHiii]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 11:59am

hearthemsing22 said: "Hold up- please tell me they still have Let Me Be Your Star in the show?"

I didn't even see the presentation and would bet my left arm that this song is firmly in place. Lol

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 12:01pm

"Let Me Be Your Star" is performed twice,

 

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first by Ivy in the opening number, then again at the end of act one, by Chloe the stage manager.

 

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[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 12:45pm

Program pic from Twitter, with designers/music team:

[Ke3]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 4:48pm

The creative team has expressed before why they abandoned plans for a Bombshell stage show. An album full of unconnected 11 o’clock numbers (and the Marilyn theming is not really enough connective tissue before someone argues) does not a stage show make. I thought making Smash a show made more sense but that plot sounds dreadful.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 6:51pm

Ke3 said: "The creative team has expressed before why they abandoned plans for a Bombshell stage show. An albumfull of unconnected 11 o’clock numbers (and the Marilyn theming is not really enough connective tissue before someone argues) does not a stage show make. I thought making Smash a show made more sense but that plot sounds dreadful."

Whoever wrote the fictitious plot synopsis of the show in the Bombshell cast album liner notes did a bang-up job, it literally could have worked. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 8:16pm

Oh, I forgot to mention that Debra Messing was there yesterday.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 8:32pm

Hopefully she was wearing a terrible scarf...

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 2/9/24 at 9:50pm

The show had me totally captivated yesterday... until the last 10 minutes. As a devoted fan of the TV series, I defend most of the changes made here from the TV show to the stage. As it stood yesterday, they try very early on to set itself apart from the TV series and make is clear that this is not going to be the same plot but keep little bits and pieces that will harken back to the series and it does, in my opinion, a very good job of it. Until... that last ten minutes. And then it's like getting hit with all the ridiculous twists the original TV show had happen all at once at the same time. It's a sudden tonal whiplash. And suddenly it's like... is this satire? Has the whole show been satire? Was it TRYING to be satire all along? Did I miss something? 

But I do want to stress that up until the end, the show was a real winner for me thus making the ending all the worse as it felt like getting hit by, well the same car Kyle got hit by in the TV series. Sure some little things can be tweaked and it's no great masterpiece of theatre but it was a real delight that put a smile on my face until it had me questioning how a show could not just fail to stick the landing but break every bone in the body while attempting to stick it.

Oh... but also... watch out for Bella Coppola because she is a STAR with one hell of a voice!