Marc Shaiman News

Season 1 of NBC's new series about the making of a musical, SMASH, ended on Monday, May 14. The show stars Katharine McPhee (American Idol Runner-Up) as the wide-eyed, inexperienced Karen hoping for a big Broadway debut, and her rival Megan Hilty (WICKED, 9 TO 5, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES) as Ivy who has had enough of being in the ensemble and wants to be a real star. This video revisits some of the best moments from season 1 of SMASH from when Karen and Ivy first began their rivalry to when Karen sang 'Don't Forget Me' in the finale.

The past couple of days have been full of announcements about 2012 television pickups. NBC's SMASH will be back, but not until January 2013 with an all new season 2. The cast just attended 2012 upfronts, where they performed pieces from the show. Check out photos, as featured on their Facebook page, below!

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The 'Apocalyptour,' two Sondheim/Lapine productions, Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen visit Northlight, 'The Last Five Years,' Spider Saloff writes and stars, that 'Smash'ing season finale, and more....

SMASH star and American Idol finalist Katherine McPhee recently sat down with CNN and discussed her career thus far and her plans for the future. In this video, McPhee answers reporters' questions regarding a possible Broadway debut and says she thinks it would make sense to be on Broadway in the near future.

The new featured song from last night's season finale of NBC's musical drama series SMASH (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), is now available from NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records on the iTunes store.

Last night NBC aired the season finale of SMASH! In the episode, Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) raced against time to save the show, while Derek (Jack Davenport) made a decision that changed the lives of Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) forever. Ellis (Jaime Cepero) revealed his true colors. But when he finally made his move to save "Bombshell," would it be for or against Eileen (Anjelica Huston)? In the midst of it all, another bombshell went off - this one is in Karen and Dev's (Raza Jaffrey) relationship. Check out the season 1 finale below.

The words we've all been breathlessly waiting to hear - "You're going on as Marilyn tonight," - were finally uttered by the director of the show-within-the-show, Derek (Jack Davenport), on SMASH's "Bombshell" season finale last night: Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee) nabbed the coveted role. Despite seemingly all of the bets being placed early in the season against Karen by viewers and critics alike insofar as her likelihood in donning the peroxide wig and beautymark - she seemed a Norma Jean but rarely an expected choice for Marilyn; certainly no match in the classic idea of the screen siren as far as the vivacious and curvaceous Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) was concerned. While many were quick in giving Ivy Lynn the upper hand - or upper skirt, as the case may be - it was evident from the first moment of the series that Karen, the underdog, is who we were largely meant to be rooting for above all others; the naive Iowa girl singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" on a stage of glitterring stars, so close and yet so far away. Ivy surely made a fast and furious impression soon thereafter with "The National Pastime" in SMASH's pilot, but Karen had already been quite clearly established as our most central protagonist - perhaps with Julia (Debra Messing) equally as prominent. As the fourteen subsequent episodes have progressed, SMASH has revealed itself to be a true ensemble piece with the emphasis on the collective journey of all of the characters and how that has had an effect on the burgeoning Broadway musical at the show's core, but Karen and Julia still have remained the two given the most screen-time and exposure. Megan Hilty has nonetheless emerged as a force to be reckoned with and her performance in the role is the finest of all on the series, outshining all in her songs and scenes. The various highways, byways and alleyways by which we have journeyed on the road of SMASH from the beginning to last night has unquestionably been leading to the BOMBSHELL first preview performances and the reveal of who would ultimately win the part of a lifetime in the show-within-the-show - and, on that count, the SMASH season finale bared all. And, as if all of that were not enough - cameos from Broadway heavyweights Bernadette Peters and Nick Jonas, too!

Estamos de enhorabuena. Al fin podemos disfrutar de Smash en nuestro país. El canal de pago AXN White sirve de plataforma para el lanzamiento español de la serie, estrenada en la NBC el pasado 6 de febrero con una audiencia superior a los 11 millones de espectadores en su primer capítulo. Se trata de una producción de DreamWorks Television (con el mismísimo Steven Spielberg al mando) creada por Theresa Rebeck y con canciones, especialmente compuestas para la ocasión por Marc Shaiman y Scott Whitman. A día de hoy, en que se emite el último capítulo de la primera temporada en Estados Unidos, sabemos que hay renovación para una segunda. Y si esto sigue así, podemos asegurar que tendremos Smash para rato.

Don't forget to tune in tonight to the season finale of SMASH! In the episode, Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) race against time to save the show, while Derek (Jack Davenport) makes a decision that will change the lives of Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) foreveR. Ellis (Jaime Cepero) reveals his true colors. But when he finally makes his move to save "Bombshell," will it be for or against Eileen (Anjelica Huston)? In the midst of it all, another bombshell goes off - this one is in Karen and Dev's (Raza Jaffrey) relationship.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's ongoing interview series with the stars and creative team of NBC's hit musical drama series SMASH with a Broadway/Hollywood leading man who first made his mark on the stage creating a role in the Tony Award-winning TITANIC after having appeared in BLOOD BROTHERS and CAROUSEL and who has since starred in productions as diverse as SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, NEXT TO NORMAL, SHREK and many more - the jovial and multi-talented Brian d'Arcy James. Discussing all aspects of his role on SMASH as well as cluing us in on what we can expect from Monday's highly awaited season finale, d'Arcy James and I also take a look back at his career onstage thus far and he shares fond recollections of working on TITANIC, SWEET SMELL, SHREK, NEXT TO NORMAL, TIME STANDS STILL and THE WILD PARTY Off-Broadway as well as offers his observations of his collaborators and co-stars in each endeavor. Plus, Brian also reveals his other current TV project: his character arc on Showtime's dramedy THE BIG C, starring his TIME STANDS STILL co-star Laura Linney and previous John Benjamin Hickey, that begins this Sunday and continues through the rest of this month. Additionally, we also discuss his upcoming 54 Below concerts June 26-30 - as well as his thoughtful and candid opinions on some of his favorite songwriters and his own songs. Plus, comments on his film roles in HBO's GAME CHANGE, FRIENDS WITH KIDS, an upcoming short film - and much, much more!

Luckily (for me and for you, the rest of the audience who may or may not have seen the show in any of its multiple onstage incarnations), director Patrick Kramer, choreographer Kate Adams-Johnson and musical director Randy Craft have fashioned a rendition of Hairspray-that indomitable musical about one determined and ambitious Baltimore teenager in 1962-that fairly snaps, crackles and pops with its fresh delivery, its clever staging and the laudable and thoroughly committed performances of a cast of thousands.

SMASH's Megan Hilty recently visited 'Last Call With Carson Daly' and discussed her role in SMASH, her Broadway debut in WICKED, and more.

The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) will present Hairspray May 25-June 24, 2012.

Next week on the season finale of SMASH, the big night is finally here. Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) race against time to save the show, while Derek (Jack Davenport) makes a decision that will change the lives of Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) foreveR. Ellis (Jaime Cepero) reveals his true colors. But when he finally makes his move to save "Bombshell," will it be for or against Eileen (Anjelica Huston)? In the midst of it all, another bombshell goes off - this one is in Karen and Dev's (Raza Jaffrey) relationship. In the video below, Hilty and McPhee chat about their favorite moments of season one. Click below to check it out!

Next week on the season finale of SMASH, the big night is finally here. Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) race against time to save the show, while Derek (Jack Davenport) makes a decision that will change the lives of Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) forever. Ellis (Jaime Cepero) reveals his true colors. But when he finally makes his move to save "Bombshell," will it be for or against Eileen (Anjelica Huston)? In the midst of it all, another bombshell goes off - this one is in Karen and Dev's (Raza Jaffrey) relationship. Additionally, Nick Jonas returns as 'Lyle' and you can check out a sneak peek of him in action below!

Next week on the season finale of SMASH, the big night is finally here. Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) race against time to save the show, while Derek (Jack Davenport) makes a decision that will change the lives of Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) forever. Ellis (Jaime Cepero) reveals his true colors. But when he finally makes his move to save "Bombshell," will it be for or against Eileen (Anjelica Huston)? In the midst of it all, another bombshell goes off - this one is in Karen and Dev's (Raza Jaffrey) relationship. Check out a sneak peek below!

On last night's episode of SMASH, viewers finally got their first look at 'Bombshell,' the Marilyn Monroe musical at the heart of NBC's new musical drama. The show opened for a test run in Boston. In the episode entitled 'Previews', the writing team of Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) scrambled to fix the show when the first preview fell short, and Frank (Brian d'Arcy James) had to adjust to the unwelcome return of Michael Swift (Will Chase) to his life. Dev (Raza Jaffrey) seeked reconciliation with Karen (Katharine McPhee), but explosive information about Ivy (Megan Hilty) lurked just beneath the surface.

"It's always gorgeous when you sing," and so the same goes for NBC's musical drama series SMASH. This week's penultimate episode of the first season order of fifteen gave us a long-awaited real look at the actual production of the musical-within-the-show live onstage in the form of the first Boston preview in the out-of-town tryout of BOMBSHELL. Up until this point, we have only been provided with sporadic glimpses into the mind's eye of the director of the show as he stages and rehearses the various song sequences. With last night's "Previews" episode we got our third major iteration of "Let Me Be Your Star" - following the full-out song at the conclusion of the pilot episode and the subsequent ballad opening number version shown in Episode 2 - with Rebecca Duvall (guest star Uma Thurman) belting it out to mixed results. Mixed results is the kindest way to say that the volatile and kooky movie star character simply does not work in any way as Marilyn Monroe in the bio-musical about her life being created - not physically, tonally and certainly not musically. Croaking out the sumptuous and richly melodic Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman gems that have been specifically created for SMASH's BOMBSHELL - songs dutifully doled out in sparingly small doses of one or two each week - is near-sacrilege when one ponders the talent even on the very same stage; Ivy (Megan Hilty) or Karen (Katharine McPhee) could both kill the role, as wee have seen. So, who will ultimately make it to the stage that now, in the eleventh hour, the star of the show has walked? Of course, the sure-to-be action, drama and music-filled finale to Season One arrives next Monday at the same SMASH place and same SMASH channel - will the Marilyn musical be a bomb or a smash? Will the show even go on at all given the unforeseen obstacles? A lot remains to be answered, but the fever pitch fans and viewers have been yearning for has definitely entered, stage right. Next week we will see who truly sparkles, who really shines - and who ends up exploding.

Anjelica Huston, the Oscar-winning actress known for her genre-spanning performances in CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS, THE WITCHES, The Addams Family, PRIZZI'S HONOR and THE GRIFTERS - among many other notable performances sings 'September Song' in her singing debut on tonight's episode of SMASH. Check out the full song below!

Playwrights' Arena with Artistic Director Jon Lawrence Rivera, the only theatre dedicated to discovering, nurturing and producing original works written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights, is celebrating its 20th Anniversary with their annual fund-raiser presenting HOT NIGHT IN THE CITY: an evening of songs by local composers and lyricists tonight, May 8, 2012, at the Los Angeles Theatre Center -- our home in historic downtown Los Angeles. The special performance, which benefits the programs of Playwrights' Arena, celebrates the works of Los Angeles' most adventurous resident composers and lyricists writing for the theater today and honors Theresa Chavez & Rose Portillo (Artistic Director and Associate Director of About Productions) and Velina Hasu Houston (Playwright) with the *Lee Melville Award for their outstanding contribution to the Los Angeles theater community.