Theresa Rebeck Departs as Writer, Producer for SMASH

Last month, it was reported that SMASH creator and executive producer Theresa Rebeck would step down as showrunner for the television show before it returns for its second season. At the time, it was indicated that Rebeck would continue writing and producing for the show, but as the writer told Vulture, she's focusing on other projects and will not return in any capacity for SMASH's second season.

"Actually, I’m moving on," Rebeck said. "I have other things to do. I feel like it is what it is and I’m really proud of the work I did, and it was time to do some other stuff. I owe Random House a novel and I was really excited about finishing that for them and I am also going to the O’Neill with a new play this summer. So I just have a lot of things on a plate."

The play heading to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center is titled FOOL; it will play July 27 and 28.

NBC’s “Smash” – which debuted February 6 -- evolved from an idea of executive producer and multiple Emmy and Oscar winner Steven Spielberg (“ER,” “Schindler’s List”). The series unites the hit-making Broadway writing team of Julia Houston (Debra Messing, Emmy winner, “Will & Grace”) and Tom Levitt (Christian Borle, “Legally Blonde: The Musical”) with producer Eileen Rand (Anjelica Huston, Oscar winner, “Prizzi’s Honor”) to create a new musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, and seasoned chorus girl Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty, “9 to 5: The Musical”) vies with newcomer Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee, “American Idol”) for the role of a lifetime.

The cast also features Jack Davenport (“Pirates of the Caribbean” films), Raza Jaffrey (“MI-5,” “Sex and the City 2”), Brian d’Arcy James (“Shrek the Musical”) and Jaime Cepero (“Porgy & Bess”). In addition to Spielberg, the executive producers include David Marshall Grant (“Brothers & Sisters”), Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (“Chicago,” “Hairspray”), Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey ("United States of Tara," "The Borgias") and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (“Hairspray,” “Catch Me If You Can”). The first three episodes were directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer.

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