SMASH

[Amalia Balash]

I watched the pilot this afternoon.

I liked it enough to look forward to the show. I'm not seeing the "star" in Katherine McPhee's character, but I like the character. Megan Hilty's Ivy pulls at my heart more.

[songanddanceman2]

I watch every pilot every year to see what im gonna watch and i have to say that this was one of the best pilots i have seen, not perfect (Pilot episodes never are) but it was very strong. And the musical numbers for the Marilyn Musical were great, i can see if the show does well that we could end up seeing a version of the musical they are writing on the stage.

[fingerlakessinger]

^Thats what I want/hope to happen. If SMASH becomes big enough, for a full stage version of the Marilyn show to open.
Or, for the big season finale (not this season but whatever season they get the show to opening night) to be the show itself.

[songanddanceman2]

Sadly it wont be the show itself that would be to blame if it flops, it will be 3 little words.......NBC.

I wish it was not on this sinking ship of a network.

[EricMontreal22]

"Aging chorus girl...

Ouch, sweetie, ouch!"

As much as it flutters my heart to have you call me sweetie--isn't that the premis? That this is her last chance to be a big time Broadway star and not do Chicago--sorry Heaven on Earth--for 20 years?

[EricMontreal22]

"^Thats what I want/hope to happen. If SMASH becomes big enough, for a full stage version of the Marilyn show to open.
Or, for the big season finale (not this season but whatever season they get the show to opening night) to be the show itself. "
Because a musical about Monroe where one key part is equating her love for DiMagio with how loving baseball is loving cocks would be a big hit?

(I loved the number btw...)

[Taryn]

As much as it flutters my heart to have you call me sweetie--isn't that the premis? That this is her last chance to be a big time Broadway star and not do Chicago--sorry Heaven on Earth--for 20 years?

I don't see any evidence that it's Ivy's "last chance." Your career isn't over from not getting one project. It's just a project that's a fantastic opportunity for both actresses to have their big break.

[singtopher]

Just finished watching the Pilot and thoroughly enjoyed it. They did a good job of creating realistic/believable plot lines that can create good conflict. I though the cast was fantastic and found the musical numbers to be joyous throughout. Not perfect, but I'm incredibly excited for what is to come.

[broadwayjim42]

Watched it on demand last night and mostly enjoyed it. I'll probably be in a minority that hated the baseball number, but I did like the other two songs. Thought the cast acquitted themselves well, although makeup and hairstyle basically have Anjelica Huston physically mutating into her character from "The Witches."

[Miranda3]

Article in yesterday's NYT says Bernadette will be playing the Megan Hilty character's mother. I hadn't heard that before. Great news!

[AMH]

^ Yep, and it'll be a recurring role.

[EricMontreal22]

"I don't see any evidence that it's Ivy's "last chance." Your career isn't over from not getting one project. It's just a project that's a fantastic opportunity for both actresses to have their big break."

She's a year younger than I am (at least Hilty is), and I suppose I exagerated either way, but I still got the impression from the pilot that the actress was meant to be viewed as someone who people like the director considered as a life long chorus member who had missed her chance for breakout star success. And not that there's anything wrong with many brilliantly talented people who do go on to have careers that way--I just didn't get the vibe that was what the show was saying.

[April Saul]

I'm not usually a naysayer on the boards, but is there anyone besides me that has a hard time imagining how this will appeal to a mass audience? I liked it, wasn't blown away by it and I'm a theater geek; what about the average viewer?

[EricMontreal22]

I think it's broaad enough that people without major theatre knowledge could like it, and many probably would (backstage dramas have often done well), but I can't see it keeping the size of audience and demos needed for a major *network* show which is another reason it should have stuck to Showtime.

[tazber]

I just watched it and I have to agree with April Saul and EricMontreal.

I enjoyed it (thought McPhee and Angelica Houston were super) but who's gonna watch this?

Still, hoping for the best.

[broadwayjim42]

The first episode, if it hasn't played out with all the previews and on demand exposure, will do well but beyond that, I think it will settle into ratings that will kept it afloat but not much more. Definitely more culty that populist but I'll keep watching.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

hate to be a negative nelly here, but...i thought the show looked cliched with the over-sexed director bedding the star-wannabe, and the other hopeful star lead, in the coming weeks...BUT that being said...i loved the Baseball number that they showed, and how it went from rehearsal stage to production stage...now that will keep me interested and coming back for more musical numbers...not the sexual goings-on of the leads...ALL THAT JAZZ did that much better...and for that matter so did BOB FOSSE...on and off stage...:)

[EricMontreal22]

I assume the stuff in the current Ent Weekly on Smash isn't news, the piece did make me think it could go in some more interesting directions (apparently we'll know who's cast as Marilyn by the second episode)--I'd love to know what profanity and especially nudity they said they had to cut in the script when they moved it from Showtime.

And what some hoped for on here could come true--Speilberg says one long term goal is to actually maybe DO the Marilyn musical on Broadway. As I said before, this seems a bad idea to me--I loved the numbers in the show (they were the highlights for me) but if on stage, I think it would be just another campy Marilyn musical...

(Greenblatt also claims that he and NBC see this as a show that will need three--apparently short, like cable tv length 12 or so episode--seasons to see any real return on the project).

[NYadgal]

I had the incredible good fortune to have been invited to the Premiere of SMASH tonight.

Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they pulled out all the stops, and had quite the star-studded event.

The pilot (which I'd previously seen) was shown in the theatre, with wonderful introductions of all the stars and creative brilliance associated with the show, and much applause throughout the screening. It was as if we were at a live event, with applause following each of the production numbers. We were also treated to two musical numbers which will air in subsequent episodes. Thrilling!

A party followed around the Temple of Dendur at the Museum, and when I left a few minutes after midnight, the stars of the show were still going strong. Everyone was thrilled with the overwhelming support for the show. They're riding a wave of exciting enthusiasm.


(and, I was given episode 2 to watch... I'm giddy with delight!)

[dramamama611]

I like the episode a lot. Although I'll agree with some other posters that I'm not convinced this will have a wide enough appeal to keep it afloat for the long term.

I tried to chock up some of the things that caused me to roll my eyes (who thought Wicked and Jersey boys would have been a good idea or not knowing who Riedel is) as some of those concessions for the more main stream viewer - those that they NEED to attract.

I look forward to more episodes and hope it continues to grow.

[PalJoey]

Addy--that sounds like a wonderful party! I really hope this show surprises all the hand-wringing theater geeks on this board who "worry" about the show not having a broader appeal.

The Temple of Dendur!

[NYadgal]

NBC has high hopes for this show.

For so many reasons, I hope it's a ratings success.
Network TV is a tricky business.

Who the heck knows what our TV consumer wants to watch these days. Quality shows end up on the cancellation floor while reality crap about people who have no real talent and are treated like national heros continue on and on and on.

I applaud NBC and the creative team for trying to create something to elevate our culture. I hope the TV consumer embraces it.

We'll see... but, in the meantime, I personally feel they're doing everything right in terms of advertising, marketing, PR, social media and creating buzz and awareness.

[BuddingBeauty]

I love the entire premise of this show. It has shown itself to have A LOT of promise.

The ONLY issue I had was that they put a "poppy" spin on the most sympathetic girl's voice, and that is just not right for Musical Theatre. But, I grudgingly admit, that I liked it a little. I just felt it was out of place.

But in order to draw in the modern day youth, they have to add some pop in. Hopefully it will be mellowed out as the show goes on.

Still, I love the character set-ups, the musical numbers, etc. and can't wait for more!

[random person 112]

But hey they could make the 'poppier voice' a plot point, a really good one.

[Miranda3]

Re the question of how will they keep both the Hilty and McPhee characters in the show if one of them gets the Marilyn role in an early episode: Is it totally unlikely that one would get the role and the other would be convinced to take a supporting part and understudy the winner? That would create dramatic tension. Hilty's character, for example, could think that the McPhee character will crumble and thereby provide her the opportunity to go on and ultimately save the show. She might perceive that as a better shake of the dice than remaining eternally in some ensemble. Or the lechy director might be involved in some underplay, telling whoever understudies that she is really his first choice and that he will get her on somehow. Etc, etc.

[allofmylife]

Two words: Eve Harrington.