Scott Wittman News

On next week's episode of SMASH, titled 'Enter Mr. DiMaggio' Casting begins for the Joe DiMaggio character, played by Broadway's Will Chase, and the lead contender is hiding something. Meanwhile, Karen returns to her hometown to attend a baby shower; and Eileen's ex-husband pollutes her pool of potential investors. Check out a preview below!

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.

Last night, SMASH cast Marilyn Monroe in the big Broadway musical based on her life at the show's center. Or, did they? While Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) may have done whatever it took to make an impression on the show's lothario director, Derek (Jack Davenport), it was Ivy's long-standing friendship with the songwriting team of Julia & Tom (Debra Messing & Christian Borle) and the belief in her readily apparent talent by the lead producer, Eileen (Anjelica Huston), that really sealed the deal. So, where does that leave Karen (Katharine McPhee)? In the chorus, it seems - at least for now. The drama escalated and reached an early peak along with the crescendos of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's smashing "Twentieth Century Fox Mambo" showstopper - the musical highlight of the impossibly strong second episode - as the heated fully-staged and fully-choreographed audition gave way to a dream reality which finally showed us all out there in the audience what a Karen/Marilyn could potentially be: a true blonde bombshell to beat the band. Of course, nothing is quite so cut and dry as it may appear and Karen may get her chance in the spotlight on the actual Marilyn musical's stage after all. Yet, for the next few episodes at least, Ivy is the star of the show - and she is going to wring every last wiggle, coo and peck out of the role. Plus, who can put over a number in true Broadway fashion - as Marilyn Monroe, perfectly played, no less - than Megan Hilty? Did you hear her line in the newly envisioned 'Let Me Be Your Star'? In much the same way as Hilty with the Broadway pizazz, McPhee effortlessly puts over treacherously tricky pop songs with smoothness, sweetness and near-tangible sincerety and conviction. Which way will the score ultimately go - and, furthermore, what shall be of the show that contains it? Will the musical be more Norma Jean or more Marilyn, thus more befitting of Karen or Ivy, respectively? Who knows, perhaps there ultimately will be two Marilyns required - as was proposed in this very column last week at this time and seems the logical ultimate conclusion of the casting dilemma at the show's core. We will certainly have to wait and find out what happens next on SMASH and what the show ends up requiring of its incredibly talented cast of hoofers and stars-to-be. Plus, Nick Jonas, Uma Thurman and Bernadette Peters make guest star debuts in the next several weeks!

From Nick Jonas and Michael Urie to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Barbra Streisand to Alan Menken, Bernadette Peters to Susan Boyle, Colin Quinn to GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2012 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever!

With tonight's second episode broadcast of NBC's new critically acclaimed musical drama series SMASH (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records are making select songs available today on the iTunes store.

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!

Patti LuPone will be celebrated in an all-star evening of song and memories on Monday, March 12. The Acting Company will salute a founding member and board director with the help of two other founding members, Kevin Kline and David Schramm, joined by Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Harvey Fierstein, Zoe Caldwell, Laura Benanti, Boyd Gaines, Michael Urie, Melissa Errico, Howard McGillin, Steven Pasquale, Anthony Dean Griffey, Manoel Feliciano, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Tickets range from $75 to $175 from http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/226559 or at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office 212-772-4448. Benefit tickets, which include dinner with Patti LuPone and the cast, are available from 212-258-3111.

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.

Hairspray is performing in Peoria as a Theater Works' Youth Works special presentation.

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!

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

3-D Theatricals has announced its most ambitious season ever during its second season at Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton!

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 Gexa Energy Broadway at the Hobby Center 2012-2013 season, announced today, contains both new hits and familiar Broadway favorites. The five-show season package includes the most beautiful love story ever told, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the spectacular new 25th anniversary production of LES MISÉRABLES, the high-flying new musical CATCH ME IF YOU CAN and the feel-good musical with heart and soul, SISTER ACT.

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.

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.