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STAGE TUBE: Sneak Peek - SMASH to Take on Adele's 'Rumor Has It'

By: Feb. 14, 2012
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On the upcoming fourth episode of the new NBC musical drama series SMASH, Katharine McPhee will perform Adele's Grammy-winning song 'Rumor Has It'. McPhee's character 'Karen' and her cast members from the fictional production of 'Marilyn' will take to the stage in the episode to perform the popular hit song.

In commenting about the upcoming performance in a recent interview with the Huffington Post, McPhee gushed, "I was super excited about that. I was a little bit like, 'Oh god, this whole record of hers is so epic and everybody is obsessed with it and everybody knows it. Everybody knows every little infliction she does and riff she does. I don't want to sound like I'm just imitating her.'" Added the actress, "You're always afraid if you can make it our own, but I think I did. Everyone says it's an amazing moment in the show."

SMASH is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "smash." The series centers on the process of creating a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe - written by the successful songwriting duo of Tom (Tony Award nominee Christian Borle, "Legally Blonde: The Musical") and Julia (Emmy Award winner Debra Messing, "Will & Grace").

Julia recently began the process of adopting a child with her husband Frank (Tony Award nominee Brian d'Arcy James, "Shrek The Musical") of many years, but her focus is torn when she has the opportunity to write another Broadway hit. A rivalry soon forms for the lead role between a youthful, inexperienced Midwestern beauty Karen (Katharine McPhee, "American Idol") - who is trying to find fame in the big city against all odds - and stage veteran Ivy Bell (Megan Hilty, "9 to 5: The Musical"), who's determined to leave the chorus line and finally get her big break. A tenacious producer Eileen (Oscar winner, Anjelica Huston, "Prizzi's Honor") discovers the "Marilyn" project and jumps on board with a brilliant director, Derek (Jack Davenport, "Pirates of the Caribbean" films) - whose talent is matched by his cunning and egocentric amorality. Jaime Cepero ("Porgy and Bess") stars as Ellis, and Raza Jaffrey ("Sex and the City 2," "MI-5") stars as Dev.

The series stemmed from an idea of executive producer and multiple Emmy and Oscar winner Steven Spielberg ("ER," "Schindler's List"). The pilot was written by acclaimed playwright/screenwriter Theresa Rebeck ("Mauritius," "NYPD Blue"). David Marshall Grant ("Brothers and Sisters"), Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Oscar-winning "Chicago," "Hairspray") and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey ("United States of Tara," "The Borgias") also serve as executive producers. Original songs are written by Tony and Grammy Award winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman ("Hairspray," "Catch Me If You Can"), who serve as executive producers as well.

To get a sneak peek at Katharine McPhee's upcoming performance of 'Rumor Has It', click below!

 




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