‘Smash’ Exclusive First Look: NBC’s Cult Favorite Hits Broadway With ‘So Many Twists, Turns and Surprises’

variety.com:

Rebecca Rubin Senior Film and Media Reporter It’s a Broadway smash! It, of course, refers to “Bombshell,” the fictional musical-within-a-musical at the center of “Smash,” a new stage adaptation of the beloved cult favorite, much hate-watched TV series that ran for two seasons on NBC from 2012-2013.

Variety has an exclusive preview of the meta backstage comedy, which begins preview performances on March 11 ahead of opening night on April 10 at the Imperial Theatre.

Like the television series, created by Theresa Rebeck and described by Vulture as “one of the messiest shows to air on network television,” the stage version follows the process of mounting “Bombshell,” a jaunty musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe.

In the first-look image, set outside the fictional show’s Broadway house, a brightly lit marquee boasts such raves as “AMAZING!” “STUNNING” “AMAZINGLY STUNNING!” At the center of it all is Marilyn, wearing the iconic white dress from “The Seven Year Itch,” as she’s surrounded by the entire production, including noted theater producer and choreographer Nigel (“The Prom” star Brooks Ashmanskas) looking… stressed.