Robert Green News

The highly anticipated NBC News primetime newsmagazine 'Rock Center with Brian Williams' will debut on Monday, October 31st at 10pm ET. The announcement was made today by Steve Capus, President of NBC News and Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment.

NBC has picked up the new comedies 'Up All Night' and 'Whitney' for the remainder of the 2011-12 season, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment.

Wesley Taylor (Rock of Ages, The Addams Family, Tales of the City) is rumored to play a recurring role in the Broadway-centric NBC mid-season replacement, SMASH, exec. produced by Steven Spielberg, according to a post on Facebook. Also rumored to play a recurring role is Savannah Wise (Ragtime, Rock of Ages). According to varied sources, Taylor and Wise are rumored to play dancers in the chorus who become friends with Katharine McPhee's character.

According to the New York Times, Michael Riedel Joins SMASH series as himself.

Program executive Paul Telegdy has been promoted to the newly created position of President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC, from Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

Will Chase, most recently seen on Broadway in Billy Elliot, has joined the myriad of stage stars who will be seen in the upcoming NBC series SMASH.

According to TVLine.com's Matt Mitovich, NBC's highly anticipated new musical series SMASH will premiere on February 6 at 10 PM, and BroadwayWorld couldn't be more excited for the big day!

The New York Times reveals today that director Michael Mayer, a consulting producer on the upcoming NBC series, Smash, has invited the creative team involved in crafting SMASH's workshop episodes to his own developmental lab of On A Clear Day You Can See Forever at the Vineyard. According to the report, attendees include 'Mr. Grant, a former writer and producer on the ABC series 'Brothers and Sisters' who is also a playwright and Tony-nominated actor ('Angels in America'); Ms. Reingold, also a playwright ('String Fever') who most recently wrote for HBO's 'In Treatment'; Jason Grote ('Civilization'); and Elisa Zuritsky and Julie Rottenberg, a writing team who worked extensively on HBO's 'Sex and the City.' Head SMASH writer Teresa Rebeck will also be on hand.

The cast of the highly anticipated musical drama SMASH, recently visited NBC's upfronts, where they chatted up the new series. In the video below, Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Raza Jeffery and more talk about what to expect from the series!

AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) announced today that a range of celebrities -- including Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson, Kathy Griffin, La Toya Jackson, Olivia Newton-John, Andrea Bowen, Jackie Collins, Joan Collins, Seth Green, Robert Greenblatt, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Pauley Perrette, and many more - are lending their support to Art Project Los Angeles, a star-studded, charity art auction and gala benefiting APLA.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today spoke with Tracy Morgan following anti-gay remarks made during a recent performance in Nashville, Tenn. He also spoke out in support of LGBT people, marriage equality and against anti-LGBT bullying on Global Grind.com.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today renewed a call for Tracy Morgan to speak out following anti-gay remarks during a comedy show. GLAAD also responded to a NBC statement which was issued following a call for the network to speak out and discussions with GLAAD today.

BroadwayWorld.com previously reported that NBC has officially picked up the pilot entitled SMASH for a series to begin mid-season. The show is already generating positive buzz, and even some award recognition, nominated for the first Critics' Choice Television Awards in the category 'Most Exciting New Series.'

According to Deadline.com, NBC just signed a deal with Columbia Records to release the soundtrack for the highly anticipated new series Smash. Additionally, leading lady and American Idol alum Katharine McPhee has also signed a recording contract with Columbia.

Broadway hit and four-time Tony Award® nominee 9 to 5: The Musical closes at Pittsburgh CLO's 65th Summer Season June 5 at the Benedum Center in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District.

In NBC's highly anticipated new series SMASH, Debra Messing plays a lyricist developing a brand new Broadway show about Marilyn Monroe, but according to a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter she has also been inspired by musical theatre in real life. Messing revealed: 'My prototype growing up was Barbra Streisand. That's how I saw myself more at the time, I wanted to be Funny Girl, literally on Broadway and in the real world.'

Broadway hit and four-time Tony Award® nominee 9 to 5: The Musical kicks off Pittsburgh CLO's 65th Summer Season May 31 - June 5 at the Benedum Center in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's new feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more!

Culled from as A-list a list as you are ever likely to acquire - Steven Spielberg, Robert Greenblatt, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Michael Mayer, Theresa Rebeck and Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman onwards - SMASH is the adult answer to riveting dramatic musical entertainment coming with heart, laughs, unforgettable characters and some of the biggest twists this side of the starry stages on the Great White Way. Oh, yeah, and those hallowed Broadway halls, too. Plus, SMASH provides a great new opportunity to showcase the unbelievable talent on display on the stages of Broadway and Off-Broadway and beyond, particularly given the fact that it is shot in New York and it is being cast by the biggest casting director on Broadway, Bernie Telsey. Consider the theatre-centric casting LAW & ORDER times seventy six (trombones). All of New York is the talent pool from which the stage of SMASH shall be set. And, what exactly is SMASH about, anyway? Well, SMASH is all about Broadway and what makes a musical tick - from the very inception of the show's idea by the songwriters, through writing, rehearsals and the road; all the way to the big Broadway opening where dreams are made - and nightmares born - on one magnificent, momentous night. As viewers, we are taken inside the ticking clock of the show and we experience each and every one of the multitude of machinations enacted by everyone from the stars - Marilyn Monroe, and the actress playing her, Ivy; and, more importantly, her alternative, Karen - to the overworked director (Derek), harried songwriters Tom and Julia, and the speculative and cutthroat producer behind it all, Eileen.