SMASH To Close June 22, 2025- Page 5

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/22/25 at 10:19pm

ACL2006 said: "Hurder got a standing ovation after "Don't Forget Me", Bowman got a standing ovation after "They Just Keep Moving the Line". Both Bowman and Hurder were emotional during the reprise of*Second Hand...". I adored the music for this show and am happy they did a cast recording at least. Wouldn't be surprised to see some regional theaters produce this in a few years."

now I wait for bootlegs from either of these numbers to pop up at some point.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 4:44am

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "darquegk said: "ACL2006 said: "Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman made a cameo in Act 1."

Shaiman is pretty famous for making cameos in his own works, usually on film. What did he do in this one?". He was playing the piano. Outside the stage door, I overheard him say it was really tough trying to keep his cameo appearance a secret from the cast. Shaiman also spent a good deal of time signing autographs.

"

I have nothing but good things to say about him. Mostly because he came back from break during a (loooong) day of tech rehearsal for Charlie & the Chocolate Factory in London with a bag full of Magnums for the crew & I am easily bought with ice-cream. He was also a great chat though. 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 8:54am

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "I am here at the Smash intermission. I love Robyn Hurder's singing and dancing. Caroline Bowman is thrilling up watch. I didn't expect to see and hear what the director decided to present. I was thrilled to anticipate Karen going on as Marilyn. I really was hoping ho see it. But they come up with a silly plot line about Karen eating a tampered cupcake and being unable to go on. WTF! Irealize that the producers didn't want to replicate the tv show, but their choices are insane. It's almost unrecognizable . Granted , the lady who went on for Karen had a good voice,. slightly soprano like. The audience liked her. At this point, I frankly don't know what to expect. Also, the old lady in black is frankly annoying. P.S. There was a good deal of extended applause when she finished Don't Forget Me. She was visibly moved. Uh oh, intermission is almost over. I am typing on one finger."

Continuing on.....I thought the 2nd Act was better.  The whole premise of having the asst. director thrown into the show is kind of not great.  Throughout much of the show, I thought the character of Karen was being given short shrift.  Even after Karen recuperates from that dumbass tampered donut business, it is ridiculous that Chloe is being considered to take over the role.  It was one frigging song.  Just because she suddenly gained online praise doesn't mean she is qualified for the role.  That's whu there's an understudy!!!!  Granted the actress playing Chloe is vocally talented.  I had hoped for a more familiar scenario.  Whoever wrote the book must have been out of his mind.  I did love the duet between Karen and Ivy Lynn. Robyn Hurder and Caroline Bowman were wonderful in their solos.  You could see they were visibly moved by the thunderous ovations.  Firing the director before previews?  Give me a break.  Once the show was over, there was an extended standing ovation of course.  After hearing some of the speeches, I decided to exit the theatre and go around back to the Smash stage door.  I planted myself in front of the entrance.  As the cast came out, they started on th right and worked their way around to the left.  I did manage to take some pictures.  

Caroline Bowman

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 8:55am

That's a great picture of Bowman.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 8:58am

Robyn Hurder

 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 9:01am

with Krysta Rodriguez  

 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 9:09am

DaveyG said: "No one on this creative team made lucrative royalties on Smash. With a weekly running cost of over 1 million dollars (rumored to exceed 1.1 million), my bet is the team was asked to waive their royalties from the beginning of the run."

My reaction was similar to yours - the royalty pool is tied to grosses, so creators don't make much on a show that bombs. But I really, really hope it's not possible for a show to be on Broadway and the writers get nothing at all for their work.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 2:11pm

I was right in front of the Imperial stage door on Sunday.  As cast members were leaving, other people were moving things as well.  I noticed numerous plastic bags which were being gathered right by the stage door.  Someone mentioned that there were the costumes for the show.  I was happy that Robyn Hurder, Caroline Bowman and Krysta Rodriguez took the time to sign at the stage door.  One of the male cast members took my breath away....have mercy!  I did notice something extremely ironic on the 46th St. side of the Imperial Theatre...with all the promotional pictures.  It did not escape my notice with the phrase: "Smash....a hot mess!"   That was so true on at least two levels.  The cast were amazing with the material at hand.  But it's disappointing obviously that the book writer didn't do a better job crafting the material.  And this is the same person who was involved with the wonderful "Drowsy Chaperone".  The leads and the other cast members worked their asses off.  For that, they deserve a gold medal.  

[Kad]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 2:18pm

It remains truly wild to me that the most exciting, most successful scene from the television series, the thing that was used to sell the show in the pilot and made everybody excited to watch, the scene that is synonymous with Smash as a property- the "Let Me Be Your Star" duet between Karen and Ivy- was not in this at all. 

[DaveyG]

Posted: 6/23/25 at 2:27pm

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "...it's disappointing obviously that the book writer didn't do a better job crafting the material. And this is the same person who was involved with the wonderful "Drowsy Chaperone". The leads and the other cast members worked their asses off. For that, they deserve a gold medal."

The book for Smash was co-written by Rick Elice from Jersey Boys.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/24/25 at 4:20pm

'Smash's'' closing curtain call: With parting words from producers Bob Greenblatt and Neil Meron, bookwriters Bob Martin and Rick Elice and songwriters Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc1jbRZkvBo