SOUND OFF Special Edition: 10 Fabulous Features Of The Upcoming SMASH/BOMBSHELL Reunion

By: Pat Cerasaro Mar. 25, 2015

Last week, BroadwayWorld began a brand new exclusive InDepth InterView series highlighting all aspects of one of the most popular stories of the year so far, the unexpected announcement of a special one night only charity concert performance of a fan favorite musical-within-the-series from NBC's musical series SMASH, BOMBSHELL, to benefit the Actors Fund, and, now we bring you the top facts, features and fun tidbits gleaned from the conversations so far.

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Of course, last week we hosted several exclusive chats with many elemental figures in the creation of the project: Actors Fund president Joe Benincasa, available here, producer Tim Pinckney, available here, songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, available here, and, to kick off this week, choreographer/co-director Joshua Bergasse, available here. The participants offered up a slew of new details on what plans are currently in place for the unprecedented SMASH reunion as well as shared their first reactions to the wildly successful Kickstarter campaign that has already racked up more than $314,000 in donations in only two weeks, having begun with a goal of $50,000 when the event was first announced earlier this month. See what we learned so far below!
1. "Let's Be Bad" is the one number everybody can't wait to see - again. The propulsive jazz blast featuring Marilyn in SOME LIKE IT HOT will be the toughest to stage and sing, but also the most hotly anticipated musical moment of all by all involved.

2. Multiple Marilyns! Singing Marilyns! Dancing Marilyns! Many, many different Marilyns will likely make an appearance over the course of the show according to co-director Wittman.
3. There will be full-out productions numbers. This isn't just a stand-at-the-mic-and-sing type event - oh, no; co-directors Wittman and Bergasse promise big production numbers with choreography, costumes and chorus to go along with more simplistic staging for the more intimate moments.
4. It may or may not be recorded - no decisions have been made about whether or not the performance will be filmed, but fans in the comment section of our articles so far seem to desperately want one to happen, so if you are one of them make your voice be heard!

5. A second performance perhaps may be added - or a dress rehearsal. While attending the big performance itself is the cream of the crop for loyal fans, no doubt, getting a preliminary peek at the dress rehearsal could be pretty grand, as well!

6. Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee will share material. While in most cases the showstoppers they starred in on the series will be their performance showpieces in the concert, some switching around of material - and even some splitting up into duets - is likely.
7. "Our Little Secret" might not make the cut. "A four-hour concert" is out of the question according to Joshua Bergasse, so two or three songs will undoubtedly be cut, most likely the JFK-themed seduction number being first to go.
8. Christian Borle as Daryl Zanuck? Given his unforgettable performance of the tongue-twisting patter number "Don't Say Yes Until I Finish Talking", Borle is likely to reprise his role as the iconic movie mogul in the live concert (a role played on SMASH by Marc Kudisch, who is otherwise engaged with HAND TO GOD).
9. Broadway's best will be utilized. Just because they didn't have a song on the series does not mean they will not sing onstage in the BOMBSHELL concert - who knows, perhaps Ann Harada or Brian D'Arcy James will get to do a full-out SMASH song for the first time?! Plus, will they get Bernadette Peters back to reprise her BOMBSHELL role as Marilyn's mother?! Here's hoping - and how!

10. The SMASH/BOMBSHELL Kickstarter is the most successful theatrical crowd-funding endeavor in history to date. Nearly $315,000 has been raised so far based on an initial $50,000 and there are still two more weeks of fundraising to go. Clearly, BOMBSHELL is a hit like few others.
Stay tuned to BroadwayWorld for all about the BOMBSHELL Actors Fund charity concert as we come ever closer to the big, big night that based on all of this information so far is destined to be a smash.

Photo Credits: NBC

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