Savannah Wise News

On the May 7 episode of NBC's SMASH entitled "Previews", "Bombshell" faces its first audience just as a major crisis hits Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman). (more...)

On the April 23rd episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH entitled 'Publicity', Karen (Katharine McPhee) finds herself seduced by the glamorous life of new BFF Rebecca Duvall (special guest star Uma Thurman) - but can Rebecca be trusted? (more...)

On the April 9th episode of NBC's musical drama series SMASH entitled 'Understudy', the show has landed a star, the mercurial Rebecca Duvall (guest star Uma Thurman), but Eileen (Anjelica Huston) is thrown into a panic when Rebecca gets stuck in Cuba. (more...)

On the April 2nd episode of NBC's musical drama SMASH entitled "Hell on Earth", the team begins their pursuit of a marquee star, as Eileen (Anjelica Huston) charges Tom and Julia (Christian Borle and Debra Messing) with finding a title for the newly reinvigorated musical. Broadway vet Norbert Leo Butz guest stars as himself. (more...)

On the March 26th episode of the new NBC musical drama series SMASH entitled 'The Coup', the team deals with the aftermath of the workshop. Ivy (Megan Hilty) remains in the dark about her fate, while Derek (Jack Davenport) recruits Karen (Katharine McPhee) to help him steal the musical from Tom and Julia (Christian Borle and Debra Messing). Eileen (Anjelica Huston) must face up to her ex-husband, Jerry (guest star Michael Cristofer), when their daughter Katie (guest star Grace Gummer) pays a surprise visit from India. (more...)

Next week on SMASH, Everything comes to a head as Eileen (Anjelica Huston), Derek (Jack Davenport) and the team present "Marilyn The Musical" to would-be investors. Ivy (Megan Hilty) is under pressure to perform, while her mother, Broadway star Leigh Conroy (special guest Bernadette Peters), undermines her at every turn. Karen (Katharine McPhee) must decide between the workshop and a meeting with a big-time music producer. Julia (Debra Messing) and Michael (guest star Will Chase) must face up to the consequences of their actions. Check out photos from the episode below! (more...)

Broadway stars Nick Jonas and Wesley Taylor will be featured on the February 27th episode of NBC's SMASH. The episode is entitled 'The Cost of the Art' and will air at 10:00 pm/ET on the NBC network. (more...)

In next week's episode of NBC's SMASH entitled "The Cost of Art", Karen (Katharine McPhee) must learn to advance in the high-stakes world of Broadway, as Derek (Jack Davenport) hosts a party for hot young star Lyle (guest star Nick Jonas). Eileen (Anjelica Huston) tries a sly new strategy for raising funds, while Tom (Christian Borle) goes on a first date. (more...)

Last night, SMASH cast Marilyn Monroe in the big Broadway musical based on her life at the show’s center. Or, did they? While Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) may have done whatever it took to make an impression on the show’s lothario director, Derek (Jack Davenport), it was Ivy’s long-standing friendship with the songwriting team of Julia & Tom (Debra Messing & Christian Borle) and the belief in her readily apparent talent by the lead producer, Eileen (Anjelica Huston), that really sealed the deal. So, where does that leave Karen (Katharine McPhee)? In the chorus, it seems - at least for now. The drama escalated and reached an early peak along with the crescendos of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s smashing “Twentieth Century Fox Mambo” showstopper - the musical highlight of the impossibly strong second episode - as the heated fully-staged and fully-choreographed audition gave way to a dream reality which finally showed us all out there in the audience what a Karen/Marilyn could potentially be: a true blonde bombshell to beat the band. Of course, nothing is quite so cut and dry as it may appear and Karen may get her chance in the spotlight on the actual Marilyn musical’s stage after all. Yet, for the next few episodes at least, Ivy is the star of the show - and she is going to wring every last wiggle, coo and peck out of the role. Plus, who can put over a number in true Broadway fashion - as Marilyn Monroe, perfectly played, no less - than Megan Hilty? Did you hear her line in the newly envisioned "Let Me Be Your Star"? In much the same way as Hilty with the Broadway pizazz, McPhee effortlessly puts over treacherously tricky pop songs with smoothness, sweetness and near-tangible sincerety and conviction. Which way will the score ultimately go - and, furthermore, what shall be of the show that contains it? Will the musical be more Norma Jean or more Marilyn, thus more befitting of Karen or Ivy, respectively? Who knows, perhaps there ultimately will be two Marilyns required - as was proposed in this very column last week at this time and seems the logical ultimate conclusion of the casting dilemma at the show's core. We will certainly have to wait and find out what happens next on SMASH and what the show ends up requiring of its incredibly talented cast of hoofers and stars-to-be. Plus, Nick Jonas, Uma Thurman and Bernadette Peters make guest star debuts in the next several weeks! (more...)

Broadway stars Nick Jonas and Wesley Taylor will be featured on the February 27th episode of NBC's SMASH. The episode is entitled 'The Cost of the Art' and will air at 10:00 pm/ET on the NBC network. (more...)

If you're looking for a quick roundup of this week's events, look no further: here are some of the best articles the week had to offer! (more...)

Today Tony-winner, Broadway star and BroadwayWorld.com fave Norbert Leo Butz was on set filming a guest starring role in the upcoming NBC series - SMASH and BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture behind the scenes footage, interviews with Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Savannah Wise and other special coverage. (more...)

On Friday, I had the enviable privilege of talking to ROCK OF AGES Tony Award nominee and AMERICAN IDOL star Constantine Maroulis all about the new musical he is starring in at the Alley Theater in Houston as it eyes Broadway, THE TOXIC AVENGER. In addition to discussing all aspects of the science fiction-themed musical spoof and its creators, David Bryan and Joe DiPietro - of MEMPHIS fame - Maroulis and I also take a look back at his career onstage thus far and his essaying of roles in RENT, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, THE WEDDING SINGER and JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS and ROCK OF AGES, as well as what we can expect from him in the future, near and far. Additionally, he shares his reflections on appearing on AMERICAN IDOL Season 4 and being mentored by fellow InDepth InterView participant Simon Cowell, as well as the immense impact that that entertainment entity, along with GLEE, has had on a whole new generation of theatregoers in the 21st century. Plus, Constantine clues us in to the exciting expansions that have been made to ROCK OF AGES for the forthcoming feature film version that he makes an appearance in, directed by HAIRSPRAY’s Adam Shankman, and also shares his experiences recording the ASTEP benefit album A NEW YORK CITY CHRISTMAS, his new role as a dad and much, much more! (more...)

Tony-winner, Broadway star and BroadwayWorld.com fave Norbert Leo Butz is on set today filming a guest starring role in the upcoming NBC series - SMASH. Butz will play the lead character in HEAVEN ON EARTH, the 'currently running show within a show' written by the characters played by Debra Messing and Christian Borle. He will perform an original tune, entitled "The Higher You Get, the Farther You Fall" written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. (more...)

As the clock ticks towards 2012, BroadwayWorld caught up with 100 of your Broadway favorites and industry supporters about their hopes for themselves and those they love in the new year. (more...)

Christmas 2011 is just days away and in celebration of the holiday season, we reached out to the stars of Broadway to find out what traditions they like best about the holiday season. Between spending time with family and friends, blasting Christmas music and Christmas tree decorating, eating Chinese food and watching movies, the stars seem to love it all! (more...)

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more! For last week's biggest events: visit THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: December 3-9 . (more...)

La nueva ficción de la NBC, que gira en torno a la creación de un musical de Broadway, llegará a nuestro país en otoño de 2012 de la mano de Mediaset. (more...)

Well, it's official. The show that Broadway and BroadwayWorld.com has been eagerly anticipating is officially a SMASH! On December 12, 2011, the Broadway community descended on New York City's glamorous Museum of Modern Art to get their first official look at NBC's upcoming new musical drama series SMASH, which is nothing less than an ongoing love-letter to Broadway. The attendees, from the casts of nearly every show on the Great White Way, were enthralled from start to finish. (more...)

Wesley Taylor (Rock of Ages, The Addams Family, Tales of the City) is rumored to play a recurring role in the Broadway-centric NBC mid-season replacement, SMASH, exec. produced by Steven Spielberg, according to a post on Facebook. Also rumored to play a recurring role is Savannah Wise (Ragtime, Rock of Ages). According to varied sources, Taylor and Wise are rumored to play dancers in the chorus who become friends with Katharine McPhee's character. (more...)