Spielberg's "Smash" pilot episode details

[tazber]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 5:41am

I feel like I should be more excited for this, but this summary doesn't really impress me.
Link

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 6:42am

I totally agree.... I think that's why Showtime passed on it. It had been reported that the show was going to focus on the composer's relationship with his sister (hope Davis)... sounds real boring.... I think the show could be great if it was all kinds of drama about the cast, with sexy chorus boys..... make it queer as folk on Broadway and it would be a SMASH hit!!!!

I heard rumor's it's loosely based on Sondheim and he's pissed about it..... wonder if that's true.

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 6:56am

If I was writing this show it would be drama, sexy boy, and musical number packed. GLEE for adults....

I would cast a bunch of sexy broadway men and boys such as (fair amount of tops and bottoms lol):

Kyle Dean Massey
Kevin Santos
Cheyenne Jackson
Ethan Le Phong
Joshua Henry
Spencer Liff

maybe even throw in Daniel Radcliffe as the closeted movie star brought in to sell tickets who can't really sing.... DRAMA...

I'd have an old diva (patti) and the new young hot diva (sutton foster)... I'd have the composer be married to the book writer or something but be secretly gay, I'd have the director be a huge bitch, the producer be a straight man, and another producer that's a nasty old man and takes advantage of the chorus boys..... a journalist that won't leave the show alone. Competing team trying to put on a similar show....

in other words full of drama!!!!! A lot of that is cliche but who the hell cares? Grey's Anatomy is cliche and it's AWESOME!!!!!

[pli1018]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 9:11am

MadonnaMusical, you're talking about The Miraculous Year, the OTHER Broadway-pilot that HBO produced that was not picked up. That was completely different than Smash.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 12:13pm

"We meet old vets and wannabes, including Ivy, who knows her way around Shubert Alley, and Karen, a fresh-faced 23-year-old with a belt to rival Lea Michele's."

Not being nasty, but was this a sarcastic remark? I really don't see Michelle as a belter to be rivaled. I think she destroyed "Don't Rain On My Parade" at the Tonys. JMO

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 12:31pm

Re: Michele...

Agreed. Her live version of DROMP is absolutely atrocious. Her ambition always seems to exceed her ability. Want a belter to be rivaled (although with little acting talent)? Linda Eder.

Posted: 1/28/11 at 1:20pm

Linda Eder is twice Lea Michelle's age. You can certainly argue her talents, but she's got a pretty amazing resume for a 25-year old.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 1:42pm

Isn't she 24? Which is even better. Her resume is quite impressive but I still don't think she has a belt to be rivaled. In my opinion, Jennifer Hudson can sing rings around her with less on her resume(She's 29).

[sabrelady]

Posted: 1/28/11 at 7:38pm

I wonder if Jack Rosenthal's family knows about this?

"His credits included Coronation Street, Spend Spend Spend, the classic Play for Today about football pools winner Viv Nicholson, Bar Mitzvah Boy, about a Jewish boy coming of age..

Rosenthal rewrote Bar Mitzvah Boy as a musical (197, which despite appearing in both London and New York was not a success, and the problems engendered by this production inspired him to create Smash!, in the form of both a theatre play (1981) and a screenplay (1984). "
The problems engendered in putting on a new musical???
Sounds suspiciously familiar.

[HummingAlong]

Posted: 1/29/11 at 1:33am

uncageg - Jennifer Hudson for sure, and then add Amber Riley, Michele's Glee costar, who could also wail rings around her...

Although sometimes I worry that it's only about how long, hard, and high an actress can belt these days. I think that's far from the only thing that's impressive. Control, style, color/tone...these things a singer make, as well as a kick-a** belted note every now and again. But I'm a bit bored of the belters. I need a nice mix. I need a beautiful headvoice. I need a good belt, don't get me wrong. But that's not the be-all-end-all of singers.


But ranting aside, I was actually excited when I read this today. I wonder if it's quite right for primetime television (oh, nbc...) but it sounds like it could be fun. It could also shed some light on the world of theatre for a few important groups:

1) Teens/young adults who are aspiring actors. Show them how tough the world is. Show how to work your way up, how to become a star, the back-stabbing, the politics. Take some of the glamour away and show how this is also a JOB and can be tiresome and difficult and not-so-glamorous. Not trying to kill dreams, here, but I think we are not pragmatic enough with children, and they should be well informed about their career interests.

2) The non-theatre-going public. Let's teach them about out of town tryouts and preview periods so no one else complains about Spidey tickets!


Just think. How exciting is it when a show's ad plays on TV? Or when the TONYs are televised? It's exciting to see theatre on television, and this could be really cool. Throw in an awesome opportunity to use some of Broadway's hottest rising stars (who are all itching to get off Law & Order and Gossip Girl, anyhow) and I'm pretty pumped.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/29/11 at 9:23am

I'm on board. I will be watching it.