Michael Mayer News

On last night's episode of NBC's new musical drama series SMASH entitled 'The Callback', Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) jumped through hoops for the brilliant but temperamental director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) as they pursued the role of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Julia (Debra Messing) and her husband Frank (Brian d'Arcy James), were frustrated by the red tape of an international adoption process, and Eileen (Anjelica Huston) fought to finance her new musical in the midst of an acrimonious divorce.

Cabrillo Music Theatre today announced its 2012-2013 SEASON, produced exclusively in the Kavli Theatre, at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. The 2012-2013 Season will treat audiences to four Cabrillo premieres, with three of them also Civic Arts Plaza premieres.

On the February 13th episode of NBC's new musical drama series SMASH entitled 'Callbacks', Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) jump through hoops for the brilliant but temperamental director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) as they pursue the role of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Julia (Debra Messing) and her husband Frank (Brian d'Arcy James), are frustrated by the red tape of an international adoption process, and Eileen (Anjelica Huston) fights to finance her new musical in the midst of an acrimonious divorce. Christian Borle, Raza Jaffrey, and Jaime Cepero also star. The episode airs Monday, February 13th at 10:00 pm/ET. I the video below, SMASH star Katharine McPhee chats about the new series with Jimmy Fallon on 'The Late Show.' Click below to check it out!

On the February 13th episode of NBC's new musical drama series SMASH entitled 'Callbacks', Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) jump through hoops for the brilliant but temperamental director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) as they pursue the role of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Julia (Debra Messing) and her husband Frank (Brian d'Arcy James), are frustrated by the red tape of an international adoption process, and Eileen (Anjelica Huston) fights to finance her new musical in the midst of an acrimonious divorce. Christian Borle, Raza Jaffrey, and Jaime Cepero also star. The episode airs Monday, February 13th at 10:00 pm/ET.

On the February 13th episode of NBC's new musical drama series SMASH entitled 'Callbacks', Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) jump through hoops for the brilliant but temperamental director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) as they pursue the role of a lifetime.

On the next episode of NBC's SMASH entitled 'Callbacks', Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) jump through hoops for the brilliant but temperamental director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) as they pursue the role of a lifetime. Check out a just released photo of the duo below!

Last night, BroadwayWorld reported that E! Online revealed that Spring Awakening's original Wendla, GLEE star Lea Michele, is being courted for her old role in the upcoming film version of the show. Now EW.com has confirmed that she is not infact in talks to star in the project. Michele told EW: 'Spring Awakening is so special to me, as is the character Wendla. We have discussed this as a possibility, and we'll see what happens.'

Get a sneak peak of next week's episode of NBC's SMASH, along with a preview of what's to come this season!

E! Online has just revealed that Spring Awakening's original Wendla, GLEE star Lea Michele, is being courted for her old role in the upcoming film version of the show. E! reports that the film's director, McG, told them that they're hoping the film's schedule can coincide with her GLEE committments to make this happen.

On the February 13th episode of NBC's new musical drama series SMASH entitled 'Callbacks', Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) jump through hoops for the brilliant but temperamental director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) as they pursue the role of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Julia (Debra Messing) and her husband Frank (Brian d'Arcy James), are frustrated by the red tape of an international adoption process, and Eileen (Anjelica Huston) fights to finance her new musical in the midst of an acrimonious divorce. Christian Borle, Raza Jaffrey, and Jaime Cepero also star. The episode airs Monday, February 13th at 10:00 pm/ET. In the clip below, Karen (Katharine McPhee) channels Mariyn in a special musical number- '20th Century Fox Mambo!'

NBCUniversal cable networks are joining forces to create a formidable 'cable roadblock' to promote NBC's new hit musical drama 'Smash' from 12 a.m.-1 a.m. (ET/PT) tonight.

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts announced today its 2012-2013 Broadway Series.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Our reaction to 'Smash,' 'Gypsy,' 'American Idiot,' casting for 'A Little Night Music' and 'Floyd Collins,' 'Blue Man Group' and more....

Last night was the premiere of the highly-anticipated musical drama SMASH, and according to published reports, the show is off to a great start when it comes to ratings. SMASH ended up with a 7.7/13 at 10pm, and was only beat out NBC's THE VOICE and TWO AND A HALF MEN, which also aired last night.

Last night was the premiere of the highly-anticipated musical drama SMASH! In case you missed any of this exciting debut episode, BWW offers you a 'SMASH-Peat' of all the show's musical performances.

Last night was the premiere of the highly-anticipated musical drama SMASH! Now that viewers had their first look at the show, NBC offers a preview of what's to come during the upcoming season. The show airs Mondays at 10:00 pm/ET on the NBC network.

On the February 13th episode of NBC's new musical drama series SMASH entitled 'Callbacks', Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Karen (Katharine McPhee) jump through hoops for the brilliant but temperamental director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) as they pursue the role of a lifetime.

Get SMASH-ed. Last night, NBC unveiled the most sparkling, dazzling jewel of many a TV season with the hotly anticipated debut of the new musical dramedy series SMASH. Hatched from an idea by mega-mogul Steven Spielberg and given life by playwright Theresa Rebeck, director Michael Mayer and songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, SMASH follows the journey of the auditioning actors and creative team of a new Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe from inception to final presentation on opening night and follows the highs and lows of making a hit show on the Great White Way. While I have only viewed the first four episodes, I can tell you that this show certainly knows where it is heading and heads will unquestionably turn with each new surprise and dramatic twist along the way - and that's to say nothing of the simply stupendous presentation of original songs by Shaiman & Wittman for the musical-within-the-show and spirited, inventive covers of pop hits, new and old, ranging from Adele to Blondie to Bruno Mars and beyond. In just the first four episodes alone, SMASH manages to pack more sheer entertainment value into its running time than virtually any other show on network TV - besides GLEE, that is. Ah, yes: GLEE. Comparisons will be made - and most critics have already made them - but, the truth of the matter really is that there is more than enough room on network TV for two music-themed shows that tell their story through song from time to time. After all, on SMASH, there are a lot dramatically justified reasons to break out into a song - or four. Plus, there's certainly a big enough audience out there to justify AMERICAN IDOL, THE VOICE, THE X FACTOR and AMERICA'S GOT TALENT - to name just the network reality competition shows focusing on performance-based entertainment - so why can't GLEE and SMASH happily co-exist on TV together? As SMASH shows, if there can be two Marilyns in a Marilyn Monroe musical, then anything is possible. The possibilities are as vast and numerous as the possible subjects for a new Broadway musical - endless. Endless, too, is the enjoyment and entertainment value SMASH potentially can provide for many more seasons to come. All that is needed, wanted and so desperately desired is an audience - so, let SMASH be your star.

92nd Street Y has announced that Jordan Roth, President of Jujamcyn Theaters, continues the new season of his popular interview series, "Broadway Talks with Jordan Roth," with Harry Connick, Jr. (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) on Tuesday, February 7th at 8:00 p.m. and Nick Jonas (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) on Sunday, March 4th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are from $29 and are available at www.92Y.org/BroadwayTalks or by calling 212.415.5500.

AMERICAN IDIOT begins performances in Chicago at the Oriental Theatre February 7 and concludes on February 19.