Everything you need to know about ‘Smash’ on Broadway
Loosely based on the same-named NBC comedy-drama series, this musical explores the drama that goes on behind the scenes at a Broadway show-within-the-show.
Get a front-row seat to backstage funny business! The new Broadway musical comedy Smash lifts the curtain on the ups and meltdowns of making Bombshell, a fictional show about the life of Marilyn Monroe.
Based loosely on the 2012 television series Smash, the Broadway show is running now at the Imperial Theatre, directed by Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (The Producers, Contact, The Scottsboro Boys). In a meta-theatrical touch, Bombshell is seen in rehearsals for opening night at the same storied venue.
Plot points and characters have changed since the TV version, but the key takeaway of Smash remains constant: Creating a Broadway musical is a rollercoaster ride, and it’s irresistible. Learn more about the show below.
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What is Smash about?
Smash is a Broadway musical comedy about the creation of a bio-show about Marilyn Monroe, titled Bombshell. As rehearsals proceed and opening night draws ever closer, tensions rise, relationships evolve, and dreams get tested.
Where is Smash playing?
Smash plays at the Imperial Theatre, located at 249 West 45th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Designed by Herbert J. Krapp, the Imperial was built for the Shubert Organization and officially opened on December 25, 1923 with the musical Mary Jane McKane.
Recent productions at the theatre include Water for Elephants, Bad Cinderella, and Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.
How long is Smash?
Smash runs 2 hours and 40 minutes, including an intermission. The typical duration of a Broadway musical is between 90 minutes and 2.5 hours and may include a 15-minute intermission.
What days is Smash playing?
Smash plays Tuesday through Sunday, with two performances on Wednesdays and Saturdays and no performances on Mondays. This schedule is subject to one-off changes; visit the Smash page for the complete performance calendar.
When did Smash premiere?
Smash played its first performance on March 11, 2025 at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre, following readings in 2022 and 2023 and a staged workshop in New York City in 2024. The musical is adapted from the comedy-drama TV series that aired on NBC from 2012-13.
Who wrote Smash?
The Smash Broadway show has songs by Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award winners Marc Shaiman (music and lyrics) and Scott Wittman (lyrics), who wrote the songs for the TV series. The songwriting duo’s credits also include Hairspray, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Some Like It Hot.
The musical's book is by Bob Martin and Rick Elice. Martin won a Tony for The Drowsy Chaperone and also wrote the books for Elf, The Prom, and BOOP! The Musical. Elice is a four-time Tony-nominated writer and lyricist whose credits include Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Water for Elephants.
Smash on Broadway is based on the NBC series created by playwright Theresa Rebeck, which premiered in 2012 and ran for two seasons. Steven Spielberg is a producer of Smash both on TV and Broadway.
Smash characters
Smash comes to life at Broadway's Imperial Theatre, where the musical Bombshell is also being put together. The main characters include the show-within-the-show’s creative team and cast.
- Ivy Lynn: A triple-threat, beloved Broadway star who dives deep into her characters.
- Nigel: A successful director/choreographer of Broadway musicals, including Bombshell.
- Tracy: The lyricist and book writer of Bombshell who’s married to the show’s composer.
- Jerry: The Bombshell composer who’s married to longtime collaborator Tracy.
- Susan Proctor: She is an Actor's Studio teacher who believes fully in Method acting and imparts that onto Ivy.
- Karen: A triple threat who has understudied Ivy for several shows, including Bombshell, and is married to fellow cast member Charlie.
- Chloe: A former performer and current associate director/choreographer. She's Nigel’s right hand on Bombshell.
- Anita: A Broadway producer who used to be a dancer.
- Charlie: An actor/singer/dancer who’s married to Karen and plays Joe DiMaggio in Bombshell.
- Scott: The son of a wealthy Bombshell investor who gets a front-row seat to backstage drama as Jacqueline's assistant.
- Holly: The harried Bombshell stage manager.
An ensemble plays other actors and stage personnel.
Is the Smash musical the same as the TV show?
Smash is about making the bio-musical Bombshell, about Hollywood goddess Marilyn Monroe. That’s true on TV and Broadway. From there, details diverge.
- On TV, the story was driven by the rivalry between two talented actresses — Karen (Katharine McPhee), a fresh-faced newcomer, and Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty), a seasoned performer — both vying for the lead role of Marilyn. On Broadway, the women are friends, and the remaining characters have various other subplots.
- On TV, Bombshell creators Julia (Debra Messing) and Tom (Christian Borle) are friends, not spouses, unlike Tracy and Jerry on Broadway.
- On TV, Bombshell director Derek (Jack Davenport) has relationships with a number of actresses. On Broadway, Nigel is gay and a more comic figure.
- On TV, newspaper gossip columnists get the scoop on backstage issues plaguing Bombshell. On Broadway, social media influencers spread the word.
- The characters of Chloe and Susan Proctor were added for the musical. The remaining main characters all have loose onscreen counterparts, even though most names and characterizations were changed.
What songs are in Smash?
Smash features Broadway-style show tunes familiar from the TV show and a couple new numbers written for the stage production. All are by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
Act 1
- "Let Me Be Your Star"
- "The National Pastime"
- "Public Relations"
- "Second Hand White Baby Grand"
- "Cut, Print...Moving On"
- "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"
- "Don't Say Yes Until I Finish Talking"
- "The 20th Century Fox Mambo"
- "Don't Forget Me"
- "(I Wanna Be a) Smash"
- "Let Me Be Your Star"
Act 2
- "Entr’acte"
- "Let's Be Bad"
- "Dig Deep"
- "(Let’s Start) Tomorrow Tonight"
- "They Just Keep Moving the Line"
- "I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl"
- "Cut, Print...Moving On (Reprise)"
- "Second Hand White Baby Grand (Reprise)"
- "Bombshell Finale"
- "Smash!"
What awards has Smash won?
Smash on Broadway will be in the running for the 2024-25 season’s theatre honors, including Tony Awards.
The Smash TV show won a Critics' Choice Television Award for Most Exciting New Series and a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series, among other accolades. It was nominated for six Emmy Awards, winning one for Joshua Bergasse's choreography, which is also featured in Smash on Broadway. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman were also nominated for a Grammy for the song "Let Me Be Your Star."
Major productions of Smash
Smash has only had a few major productions so far, both of which took place in New York City.
- 2024 workshop production: Smash got a lavish six-week workshop at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College in New York. Select performances were open to the public so the creators could gauge audience feedback on the material.
- 2025 Broadway premiere: Smash played its first Broadway performance on March 11, 2025.
Onscreen adaptations of Smash
The Smash Broadway musical hasn’t received a screen adaptation, but a version of its story has been told on screen. The stage show is loosely based on the NBC television series that ran two seasons from 2012-13, changing the plot but retaining the title, songs, choreography, and some characters.
Fun facts about Smash
Smash tells a backstage story about the perils, chaos, and hilarity of making a new musical. Here are some insider tidbits about the musical's roots, stage relatives, and more.
- A one-night concert of Bombshell, held in 2015 at the Minskoff Theatre, featured stars from the show and helped kickstart the idea of a full Broadway version.
- Smash isn't the only Marilyn-inspired Broadway show in history: A musical titled Marilyn: An American Fable briefly ran on Broadway in 1983. And in 2022, a musical adaptation of Monroe's film Some Like It Hot opened on Broadway, featuring songs from Smash's Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
- On TV, Bombshell co-creator Julia was famous for wearing scarves. On Broadway, Tracy sports the same accessory, an Easter egg from costume designer Alejo Vietti.
- Stage legends like Bernadette Peters, Liza Minnelli, and Lin-Manuel Miranda made appearances in the TV series. The Broadway show name-drops icons like director/choreographer Bob Fosse, director Elia Kazan, actress Julie Andrews, and Schmackary’s, a go-to Theatre District cookie shop for Broadway fans.
- Jennifer Hudson, who appears in Smash's second season, does a pre-show voiceover.
Get tickets to Smash on Broadway
Smash expands the world of the TV show and pumps up the laughs as it celebrates Broadway musicals and the people who make them.
Get Smash tickets now.
Photo credit: Smash on Broadway. (Photos by Matthew Murphy)
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