Posted: 10/22/24 at 5:56pm
I think Robyn Hurder is an exceptional dancer, a good singer and a good actress, but this is a vocal beast. She also seems like a lovely human, but I’d prefer someone else as Ivy. Oh well…
Posted: 10/22/24 at 6:12pm
Seb28 said: "Can somebody explain what the grounds for this yelling are? What is the goal?"
The good-faith reading of the situation is people want to see their ethnicity represented onstage, they want more employment opportunities for their friends of color, and they want Broadway to continue its trend of diversifying.
I'd like to think we can embrace the above while also understanding that every Broadway show does not need to check every box. I don't see these types of complaints about movies when something like OPPENHEIMER has an almost all-white & largely male cast, because we know there are plenty of other projects out there.
The cynical reading of the situation is some people have time on their hands and just want to stir s**t up
Posted: 10/22/24 at 6:13pm
Seb28 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Some yelling has begun online because there are apparently only 5 actors of color among the 25 announced today (or, 20% of the cast). However, additional casting is to be announced shortly."
Can somebody explain what the grounds for this yelling are? What is the goal?
Population USA
White, percent75.3%
Black or African American, percent 13.7%
American Indian and Alaska Native, percent 1.3%
Asian, percent 6.4%"
The best reaction to people whining about nonsense is to ignore them. The notion that SMASH has to cast X number of people of color to "pass muster" for some self-appointed brigade of political correctness is so exhausting by this point (and will have zero impact on box office, awards, etc.).
Posted: 10/22/24 at 6:30pm
Seb28 said: "Can somebody explain what the grounds for this yelling are?"
Only about 30% of the New York City population is non-POC. Globally, it's only about 8%. Those statistics are at least as relevant as the ones you cite.
Posted: 10/22/24 at 7:00pm
DramaTeach said: "I think Robyn Hurder is an exceptional dancer, a good singer and a good actress, but this is a vocal beast. She also seems like a lovely human, but I’d prefer someone else as Ivy. Oh well…"
And way too old to be playing ivy
Posted: 10/22/24 at 7:08pm
"And way too old to be playing ivy"
Hilty was around 30 years old when she started playing Ivy.
Posted: 10/22/24 at 7:38pm
"The best reaction to people whining about nonsense is to ignore them. The notion that SMASH has to cast X number of people of color to "pass muster" for some self-appointed brigade of political correctness is so exhausting by this point (and will have zero impact on box office, awards, etc.)."
The SMASH TV series only had two POC from what I can remember of the cast. They were the guy (sorry forgot his name) who played "Ellis" and Leslie Odom Jr. In other words, the show already has more POC than the TV series.
"Only about 30% of the New York City population is non-POC. Globally, it's only about 8%. Those statistics are at least as relevant as the ones you cite"
Your statistics or any others are irrelevant. The only two characters of the show where they were probably specific that the women had to be white was "Ivy" and Karen" because they play "Marilyn Monroe". The rest of the roles in the show can probably be filled by any race. We have no idea how many POC auditioned for this show.
Updated On: 10/22/24 at 07:38 PM
Posted: 10/22/24 at 9:19pm
This is some strange casting. Good that they got Krysta from the show but it needs more star power. I hope Brooks can give us something other than the swishy gay stereotypes from the 90s on this one. I’m also not sold on Stroman, but she did good serious work with Scotsboro Boys. It sounds like this is going to be complete fluff though which just sounds boring, especially with some really stirring moments in the score. The beauty of Smash on TV was you had such a blend of emotions, scarves, casting couches, thrown martinis, and Monet paintings hawked for lap dances. It was a feast for the senses and it sounds like this has been rewritten without any bite.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 12:18am
DramaTeach said: "I think Robyn Hurder is an exceptional dancer, a good singer and a good actress, but this is a vocal beast. She also seems like a lovely human, but I’d prefer someone else as Ivy. Oh well…"
I think she’s up for the challenge vocally — we were blown away when we saw her performance during the open rehearsal/workshop. She does get to sink her teeth into some fantastic choreography, but this role requires a triple threat and I think she’ll prove herself more than capable when it opens.
Unrelated, I hope they’ve made big changes to the ending since the open rehearsal. It was such a disappointing end an otherwise stellar show.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 1:49am
kdogg36 said: "Seb28 said: "Can somebody explain what the grounds for this yelling are?"
Only about 30% of the New York City population is non-POC. Globally, it's only about 8%. Those statistics are at least as relevant as the ones you cite."
An excellent point, which show do we recast first to reflect global statistics? Alot of Indians, Chinese and Indonesians to quickly install on Broadway, ASAP.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 7:52am
I think the bigger problem here is now the perception of a Smash vs. Boop story, with JAR making that statement on X/Twitter. Understandable take. But a bad look when you’re about to debut this season alongside this fellow show?
Posted: 10/23/24 at 8:03am
I can't imagine Bob Martin would be too happy with the star of one his shows publicly criticizing his other new show...but Jasmine is obviously an adult and entitled to say whatever she wants.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 8:12am
Excited to see what’s different (as maybe one of the only people in America who genuinely enjoyed the series for what it was) - but please tell me they somehow worked in the, “I can’t, I’m in tech!!” bit? 🤞
Posted: 10/23/24 at 12:04pm
Why the producers think this has equal to or more brand recognition than SLIH is a mystery to me. SLIH was a financial flop and this, without any star power in the cast, is going to do what at the box office with its limited built in audience??
Posted: 10/23/24 at 12:48pm
ShowBro said: "Why the producers think this has equal to or more brand recognition than SLIH is a mystery to me. SLIH was a financial flop and this, without anystar power in the cast, is going to do what at the box office with its limited built in audience??"
Beats me. Feels like TOOTSIE 2.0.
It's going to have to appeal primarily to people who didn't watch the TV show, without alienating those who actually liked the TV show. Not an easy thing to do.
They might have been better off using the NEWSIES model of starting out of town with the intention of going straight to licensing. But everyone wants their show on Broadway and Robert Greenblatt (the lead producer along with Neil Meron) has been developing SMASH since before he was at NBC.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 12:57pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "ShowBro said: "Why the producers think this has equal to or more brand recognition than SLIH is a mystery to me. SLIH was a financial flop and this, without anystar power in the cast, is going to do what at the box office with its limited built in audience??"
Beats me. Feels like TOOTSIE 2.0.
It's going to have to appeal primarily to people who didn't watch the TV show, without alienating those who actually liked the TV show. Not an easy thing to do.
They might have been better off using the NEWSIES model of starting out of town with the intention of going straight to licensing. But everyone wants their show on Broadway and Robert Greenblatt (the lead producer along with Neil Meron)has been developing SMASH since before he was at NBC."
At least Tootsie was a huge hit many years ago. I've never understood why anyone would take an unsuccessful IP and turn it into a musical that costs millions. Has that ever happened before? Take something that was unsuccessful in its original form and make it into a Broadway musical?
Posted: 10/23/24 at 1:23pm
Tootsie was many things and not a disastrous flop but no one would say it was a “hit.”
Posted: 10/23/24 at 1:28pm
greensgreens said: "Tootsie was many things and not a disastrous flop but no one would say it was a “hit.”"
I think they were referring to the original film.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 1:43pm
TotallyEffed said: "greensgreens said: "Tootsie was many things and not a disastrous flop but no one would say it was a “hit.”"
I think they were referring to the original film."
Yes, thank you.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 1:53pm
ShowBro said: "Why the producers think this has equal to or more brand recognition than SLIH is a mystery to me. SLIH was a financial flop and this, without anystar power in the cast, is going to do what at the box office with its limited built in audience??"
Maybe it's my limited perception, but I feel like there's much more demand for Smash as a musical than SLIH (which had already had a musical adaptation anyway). The original tv show has only gained more fans since it ended and there's been multiple concerts of the songs from both Bombshell and Hit List, and I'm sure they could do some fun marketing tidbits with the original cast of the tv show seeing the show or helping to promote it). It's still a somewhat niche group of people, but I think the fanbase might have more fervor than some other adapatations.
The biggest "if" will be how people respond to a storyline that's completely different from the one that they're used to--they'll have to be very careful with how they market this if they don't want people getting the wrong perception and then being upset it's not the Ivy vs. Karen showdown they expected. On the other hand, maybe people just want to hear the music live and don't care about the story that much, but we'll see.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 1:57pm
I am so sorry, my darlings, but there is absolutely zero demand for a Smash musical.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 2:27pm
I think SMASH falls into the "cult IP" category of adaptation. In other words IP that probably didn't perform particularly well financially or even necessarily critically in its original form but found a small and strong following (or high level of infamy). Examples include Hairspray (tiny off-beat movie most people don't know), Little Shop of Horrors (on many "worst movie ever" lists), The Producers (mixed reviews, poor BO performance), Kinky Boots (little indie, middling reviews) and Once (tiny movie that was by far the most successful of all these films with a BO gross of $21 million from a budget of $150k and an Academy Award for best song).
SMASH was the first time I ever heard the concept of "hate watching" something. I can't imagine that the cult fandom will be enough sustain the show longterm, BUT hopefully it will draw a strong wave of initial audiences and gain some traction and good will. Maybe most importantly, it sounds like the creative team has done a large-scale reinterpretation of the source material, which was definitely needed. If it's really fun and funny, it could hit. Done right, backstage stories are evergreen.
Updated On: 10/23/24 at 02:27 PM
Posted: 10/23/24 at 4:40pm
You know what’s funny is that I actually think outside of hardcore theater fans who watch the show and know Smash was bad, the rest of the world remembers “Let Me Be Your Star” and thinks of it as the “prestige broadway tv show”. I don’t think most tourists actually know the plot, so having them change it doesn’t make a ton of difference so long as they get them in the door and wow them with what is presented.
Posted: 10/23/24 at 6:41pm
TotallyEffed said: "greensgreens said: "Tootsie was many things and not a disastrous flop but no one would say it was a “hit.”"
I think they were referring to the original film."
No I was referring to TOOTSIE being a flop –– especially considering the pedigree/buzz it arrived with –– and saying that SMASH (another musical comedy about the backstage side of Broadway) could very well be on its way to a TOOTSIE-length run...
Updated On: 10/23/24 at 06:41 PM
Posted: 10/23/24 at 7:14pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "TotallyEffed said: "greensgreens said: "Tootsie was many things and not a disastrous flop but no one would say it was a “hit.”"
I think they were referring to the original film."
No I was referring to TOOTSIE being a flop –– especially considering the pedigree/buzz it arrived with –– and saying that SMASH (another musical comedy about the backstage side of Broadway) could very well be on its way to a TOOTSIE-length run..."
We are talking about Bwaygurl’s comment. :)
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