‘Smash’ Broadway Musical Takes a Step From Screen to Stage With Industry Readings Starring Robyn Hurder, Kerry Butler (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comGordon Cox Theater Editor “Smash,” the TV series about the making of a fictional Broadway musical, takes an early step toward becoming a real-life Broadway musical on Sept.
22, with a pair of industry readings led by Tony nominees Robyn Hurder and Kerry Butler. Hurder (“A Beautiful Noise,” “Moulin Rouge!”) plays Ivy, an actress cast in the lead role of a new musical about Marilyn Monroe, and Butler appears as Karen, Ivy’s understudy.
Their characters share the names of two pivotal roles in the TV show, which also focused on the development of a Marilyn Monroe musical called “Bombshell.” While it retains the series’ most recognizable elements, the musical adaptation of “Smash” departs in other ways with a storyline and cast of characters that are inspired by the series but not direct translations. “It’s definitely a new script,” said director Susan Stroman of the musical’s book by Bob Martin (“The Prom”) and Rick Elice (“Jersey Boys”). “It has a dramatic twist at the end of it.
But you will see familiar characters.” In the reading, Alex Brightman and Krysta Rodriguez portray a married composer-lyricist duo who are writing the score for “Bombshell”; Vanessa Williams plays the show’s producer; and Brooks Ashmanskas takes on the part of the director with Tony winner Bonnie Milligan (“Kimberly Akimbo”) appearing as his associate director.
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