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Notes on a Script: How Bob Martin Created the Farcical Backstage Story of SMASH

Martin and Rick Elice wrote the book for Smash, running on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre.

By: May. 19, 2025
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What goes into crafting the words that make up our favorite Broadway shows? How do Broadway playwrights and book writers make our favorite characters shine and our favorite scenes come alive? BroadwayWorld is finding out with Notes on a Script.

In Smash, get ready for all the backstage pandemonium that brings a team of Broadway big shots to their knees heading to the opening night of Bombshell, a splashy new musical about Marilyn Monroe. It’s a rollercoaster ride filled with hilarious setbacks and surprises, kick-ass production numbers and iconic songs like “Let Me Be Your Star,” which were featured on the NBC television series that inspired it. One of the men behind the show's story is Bob Martin.

"Smash has  been written and rewritten," he explained. "We didn't have an out-of-town, so we had to do all of the work in  rehearsal and previews. Our associate, Emily Huber, told us that she printed 500K script pages, so that's how many changes we made! It's very gratifying to see an audience laughing. When the show really starts to kick, there's a laugh every line and it just moves... especially towards the end of the first act."

In this video, watch as Martin breaks down his words in the newest episode of BroadwayWorld's Notes on a Script and catch up on all of his latest projects!


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