Bombshell Benefit Concert- Page 10

[Showface]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 4:14pm

Another problem is, Marilyn Monroe's life was so complex, and I imagine it being rather difficult to chronicle her rise to fame, her downfall, her relationships with Joe Dimaggio, Arthur Miller, and JFK (assuming her first marriage is left out), all while incorporating her struggles with being taken seriously as an actress, and her relationship with her mother.
It's a lot.

In my mind, I can imagine some of this being solved by extending the "20th Century Fox Mambo", and having bits of dialogue and scene within the number, and quickly "montage" the creation of her name, changing her appearance, signing contracts, etc.


Then, the rest of the musical can focus on her relationships and downfall (which is still a lot).

"They Just Keep Moving the Line" would be a thrilling Act 2 closer, as Marilyn, Who is just divorced , continues to struggle to get the respect that she deserves from the studio, and to be taken seriously as an actress.



Updated On: 6/13/15 at 04:14 PM

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 11:08pm

If the creatives wanted to drop the song "Smash" from the score due to it being a little too meta, "Big Finish" could work just as well in the developing Marilyn persona, auditioning into stardom slot. Plus, it would give Norma Jeane and Marilyn a duet that wasn't a power ballad.

[Showface]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 11:32pm

Actually, and correct me if I'm wrong, "Smash" wasn't used in developing the Marilyn persona, but as a song to display the "casting couch" situations in Hollywood.

I may be an odd one out, but personally, I'm not a huge fan of it being a dual role. I feel like it would lose some effect when you switch out actresses.

For me, its like switching out actresses playing "The Witch" in Into the Woods (Pre/Post Transformation)

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/13/15 at 11:44pm

I wasn't a fan of it as a dual role until I watched the concert. It pointed up that the two Marilyns not only play off each other musically, but are written in different musical vocabularies. Katherine's Marilyn, who appears to primarily be the Norma Jeane side, sings the more introspective and pop or soul inflected numbers. Megan's Marilyn sings brassier and jazz-heavy numbers. You could find someone who could do both, probably, but with the score being what it is, one person taxing themselves as heavily as Marilyn and Norma Jeane would do isn't ideal.

Plus, like I said, many of the best songs are designed around the build from one to two voices.

 

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/14/15 at 11:07am

^ I agree. I got the Bombshell cast recording a few days ago and I didn't realize that 17 out of the 22 songs have Marilyn in them. That is a lot for 1 person. Granted, I know they probably could do some editing and maybe flesh out songs for others. But, that is a lot to edit. 

[mattmarkowski99]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 11:39am

I sent out the Bombshell Concert Audio to anyone who contacted me. If anyone else wants an audio just contact me. Thanks!

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 3:47pm

I didn't want to start a new thread for this, so it's going here:

Inspired by Fun Home, I sat down and came up with what I think is a very viable solution to the problem of vocal fatigue as it concerns the show and the character of Marilyn, which is to cast one actress for the role of Norma Jean and two actresses for the role of Marilyn, with the first Marilyn performing in Act One and the second performing in Act Two, divvying up the musical numbers as follows:

- Act One -

Let Me Be Your Star: Norma Jean

Smash - Norma Jean and Ensemble

Never Give All the Heart - Norma Jean

The 20th Century Fox Mambo - Norma Jean, Marilyn A, and Ensemble

The National Pastime - Marilyn A and Ensemble

History is Made at Night - Jo DiMaggio and Marilyn A

I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl - Marilyn A and Ensemble

Mr. and Mrs. Smith - Jo DiMaggio and Marilyn A

Cut, Print... Moving On - Marilyn A and Ensemble

- Act Two -

Public Relations - Marilyn B and Ensemble

Dig Deep - Marilyn B, Lee Strasberg, and Ensemble

Second Hand White Baby Grand - Marilyn B

They Just Keep Moving the Line - Marilyn B

Let's Be Bad - Marilyn B and Ensemble

Our Little Secret - JFK and Marilyn B

Hang the Moon - Gladys and Norma Jean

Second Hand White Baby Grand (Reprise) Marilyn B

Don't Forget Me - Norma Jean, Marilyn A, and Marilyn B

Thoughts?

[Showface]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 4:25pm

I also, have really thought about this. I still think it could be played by one actress if there are a few cuts to the score (which pains me to do). I really think "National Pastime" should be one of them, because it's so un-Marilyn/Norma Jean. I really don't think the score is as hard/strenuous as it has been made out to be. It has been pointed out here that Evita has a more vocally difficult score.

 

The Bombshell in my mind moves rather quickly from Norma Jean to Marilyn. 

It has a strong focus on her relationship with the studio, giving Zanuck a nice-sized part. "Smash" is also sung by starlets AFTER Marilyn's rise to fame, and in a manner it was presented in Smash.

 

"Wolf" can be a very good way to explore her stage-fright, and her full discovery of the impact her star-power has on people.

 

"Moving the Line" could be a rousing Act 2 closer, when a newly divorced Marilyn still isn't being respected by the film studio

"Dig Deep" is not in the Bombshell in my mind, because "Public Relations", the Act 2 starter, would take place after she filmed The Prince in the Showgirl, married now to Arthur Miller, and finally finding some peace and happiness with her work. We find out, however, after the number, she suffered a miscarriage, and desperately wants a child, and to settle down with her husband.

Arthur, however, thinks that it is best to just continue working on films, which leads to conflict between him and Monroe.

A lot of Act 2 would really play with what has been said about Marilyn, Joe, and Arthur, which is "Joe's problem with her was that she was Marilyn. Arthur's problem was that she wasn't"

 

We also will get to see "Secondhand White Baby Grand", complete with onstage imagery of Young Norma Jean and her mother, which may also provide some insight into why she desperately wants a child.

 

Eventually we would get to "Some Like it Hot", when Marilyn suffers from another miscarriage which really puts her in a dark place. On top of all of the pills she needs for her health, and for sleeping, and alcohol, etc., she becomes a mess on set. "Let's Be Bad" explores that brilliantly.

We see her onset behavior get worse and her relationship with Arthur gets worse, as she gets put to work more and more. "The Right Regrets" will explore this time in their relationship, ending in their divorce.

 

Then, we see the famous(or infamous?) "Happy Birthday Mr President" played out on stage, then a quick transition to a party at Bing Crosby's Palm Spring's home, where Nat King Cole performs "Let's Start Tomorrow Tonight."
We are introduced to JFK, and his affair with Marilyn Monroe.

After the tryst, JFK is awake (Marilyn still asleep) bragging about his night--Marilyn wakes up during this conversation, but doesn't let JFK notice that she is awake. After he leaves the room, Marilyn, who feels very used and broken, reflects on the men that she has known who have only used her, and never thought about her heart and soul ("Never Give All the Heart")

 

The final part of Act 2, I'm still trying to figure out. "Hang the Moon" is weird, because a reconciliation never actually took place between Marilyn and her mother. I suppose during her death scene, she could have a fantasy of the reconciliation she never had with her mother, "Hang the Moon"

Then the death scene takes place "Secondhand White Baby Grand"

 

Then, I think cameras, reporters, etc. should just swarm the stage covering Marilyn's death, then Joe DiMaggio could give a heartfelt, tear-filled speech to them about how "this killed her" and "everyone wanted more and more from her, but never gave to her", and he pleads for everyone to "leave her alone". He then stands alone on stage, mourning, and he sings a few notes of "Mr and Mrs Smith"

 

Then Marilyn, in spirit would come back onstage and sing "Don't Forget Me"

 

Cut songs:

-Dig Deep

-National Pastime

-Cut, Print, Moving On

 

Updated On: 8/10/15 at 04:25 PM

[Showface]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 4:26pm

Does that make sense? I felt like that came out really muddled. I makes sense in my mind lol!

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 4:48pm

I don't see the point in cutting songs because doing so means you're having to rewrite what is already a pretty solid narrative (IMO, anyway) in order to get rid of them and the story elements that accompany/are associated with them.

I also don't see the point in taking the song "Smash" and turning it (back) into a 'chorus'/'ensemble' song, especially since the lyrics and the way they unfold are so illustratively compatible with the rest of Marilyn's journey, especially as presented on the Concept Cast Album.

Splitting up the roles of Norma Jean and Marilyn, as well as dual-casting the latter role, seems to me to be the perfect way to preserve the show as-is while also accounting for the potential pitfalls of vocal fatigue.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 5:05pm

Imo, the narrative on the concept album for Act 2 of Bombshell is very rushed. They cut from her at the Actors Studio to her filming The Prince and the Showgirl, where the audience has to somehow feel Marilyn's frustration with Laurence Olivier (in a short amount of time, because there's a whole bunch of other stuff in Act 2), then there's the miscarriages and her desperation for a child (which, IMO, would be pretty dumb to leave out), then to Some Like it Hot, and the rest of Act 2.

 

That's A LOT of stuff to get through.

 

I still am not fully warmed up to making it a dual role, but making it a role for 3 different actresses in the same performance just makes no sense to me, in my opinion. Why not just write scenes and songs for other characters, which would give her a break?

And the actress wouldn't have to perform 8 times a week, either--a lot of performers with strenuous roles don't.

 

Right now, on the concept album, I feel Bombshell needs some work, and there will be work done. 

 

For instance, "Never Give All the Heart" makes no sense for Norma Jean to sing at the beginning of the story. She's singing about all of the men who have hurt her, but who were these men? James Dougherty, her first husband? That's hardly enough heartbreak to sing about in a song such as "Never Give All the Heart".

 

I feel "Moving the Line" would be so much better as an Act 1 closer, because not only is it a power-house showstopper that would be perfect to close an Act (it was the Act 1 closer in the concert), but it also introduces to the next part of the show, and to the next phase of her life.

 

When "National Pastime" first premiered it got a good bit of flack. I LOVE that number, but the criticisms make sense. I get that they were trying to evoke a classic Marilyn movie musical number, but a large part of who Marilyn was, was her innocence sexuality and love--"National Pastime" is kind of the exact opposite (especially with the concert choreography)

 

 

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 5:58pm

I don't really understand the aversion to double-casting the role of Marilyn, mainly because, when you really stop and think about it, it was pretty much conceived and written expressly for the purpose of being a role that is played by more than one actress. 

I also believe that, with Fun Home having come along and proven that the concept of having more than one actress play, essentially, the same role (albeit at different points in the story) is more than workable, the idea that you'd have a Bombshell on Broadway where Marilyn IS played by more than one actress a night is far less of a stretch than it might otherwise have been.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:01pm

"mainly because, when you really stop and think about it, it was pretty much conceived and written expressly for the purpose of being a role that is played by more than one actress."

Never got that impression. I still don't have that impression.

 

" also believe that, with Fun Home having come along and proven that the concept of having more than one actress play, essentially, the same role (albeit at different points in the story)"

 

The bold part is the important part!

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:06pm

Because the concept of the show is a thrilling tour de force star vehicle a la Evita. The show had fun with two actresses because the entire drama of season one and half of season two was "who's going to play Marilyn?".

Anyways, I think "Let's start Tomorrow Tonight" should be cut because it really does not do anything for the story, the character is not important, and I don't think the song is that good.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:10pm

"Because the concept of the show is a thrilling tour de force star vehicle a la Evita. The show had fun with two actresses because the entire drama of season one and half of season two was "who's going to play Marilyn?"."

This too!

 

I included "Let's Start Tomorrow Tonight" in my dream, because Megan Hilty is going to need a break in her tour de force performance!

Oh, wait, did I say Megan Hilty? Sorry, it's just that my dream Bombshell would only be a dream come true if she is Marilyn!

 

 

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:11pm

Since the show, as currently laid out, pretty much progresses in chronological order, you'd be doing the same thing, more or less, as what Fun Home does by having one actress play Norma Jean, one actress play Marilyn up until her marriage to Joe falls apart, and then having another actress play her up until her death.

As far as the role being designed to be played by more than one actress goes, I'm taking into account the following things when I make that statement:

1) The fact that they wrote the evolution of the part so that it paralleled the 'story-within-a-story' nature of Smash and its focus on both Megan Hilty's Ivy and Katharine McPhee's Karen as they both vied for the role and struggled to make it in the theater business

2) The fact that, as per Point 1, they had both actresses sing different parts of the score at different points on the Concept Album and, I believe, in the Concert performance

Given the way that the show was developed to the point that it currently is, I think it makes far more sense to just stick with what they already have structurally and just double-cast the role, especially since Fun Home has provided a tempate for how a double-casting could potentially work.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:13pm

I'm pretty sure they had both actresses on the recording, so they can please Team Ivy and Team Karen, and because they already recorded those songs.

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 6:18pm

"I'm pretty sure they had both actresses on the recording, so they can please Team Ivy and Team Karen, and because they already recorded those songs."

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one as far as whether or not the role was written to be dual-cast goes. :)

 

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 7:49pm

The role was written to be a single character. That's why Ivy won the Tony - not Ivy and Karen a la "Side Show". Dueling Divas is a great climax in any medium, which is why "Let Me Be Your Star" features both of them. However, the song is as a balled any time it was featured in the actual show. No other song requires two Marilyns - and since, unlike "Fun Home", the show is presented in chronological order, it makes no sense to have 3 different Marilyns.

 

It should be done a la Funny Girl - only a few songs not featuring Marilyn to give her time for costume changes.

[Mr. Musical]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 8:40pm

I feel like to make it work, they likely will have to add/cut songs to make it work on stage. If they just copy EVERYTHING from the score made for the TV show, it probably won't work as well.

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 9:00pm

Doing it "a la Funny Girl" would be a huge mistake, because that's the problem with Funny Girl. They tooled it into a Barbra showcase and not a book musical. Hence why it's never been revived successfully- because the material is not strong enough without the singular presence it was crafted around, but most people see it because of her touch as a sacred cow that cannot be revised.

[Showface]

Posted: 8/10/15 at 9:08pm

^It was just an example.

Bombshell could most definetely have one actress (Megan Hilty) and have a strong book.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 5:38pm

A friendly bump in honor of tonight.

I will admit, I love Megan Hilty ("They Just Keep Movin' the Line" is thrilling), but whenever I re-watch SMASH, I unabashedly love Katherine McPhee. And I know this is sacrilege to say, but Season One is sooooooo good in a soapy Desperate Housewives kind of way. Excited for tonight!

Also - I miss PalJoey

Updated On: 5/20/20 at 05:38 PM

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 5:43pm

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 7:39pm

Sally Durant Plummer said: "A friendly bump in honor of tonight.

I will admit, I love Megan Hilty ("They Just Keep Movin' the Line" is thrilling), but whenever I re-watch SMASH, I unabashedly love Katherine McPhee. And I know this is sacrilege to say, but Season One is sooooooo good in a soapy Desperate Housewives kind of way. Excited for tonight!

Also - I miss PalJoey "

he posted just two days ago! https://forum.broadwayworld.com/newcsd.cfm?ID=3909