My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!
Scott Wittman Headshot
Get Scott Wittman Alerts

Scott Wittman News

Get Scott Wittman Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.
Photo Flash: First Look at Grace Gummer on SMASH

Grace Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep, will soon guest star on an episode of NBC's SMASH as Eileen's (Anjelica Huston) daughter. Zap2it just released photos of the actress in action, and you can check out additional shots here.

SMASH Ratings Get Slight Boost with Episode 4

According to published reports, NBC's SMASH, which aired its fourth episode last night, got a slight ratings boost with almost 6.9 million viewers. Last week's audience was 4% smaller at 6.5 million viewers. The series premiere earned the show a whopping 11.5 million tuning in on February 6.

STAGE TUBE: Sneak Peek of SMASH's 'Let's Be Bad' Episode

On next week's episode of SMASH, titled 'Let's Be Bad,' Karen discovers a new acting opportunity while attending a government party with Dev. Things get more complicated between Michael and Julia and Eileen teams up with Ellis. Check out a preview below!

STAGE TUBE: Miss SMASH's 'The Cost of Art?'- Watch it Here!

Last night on NBC's SMASH entitled 'The Cost of Art', Karen needed to start learning how to get ahead in the world of Broadway, and Eileen tested a new fundraising strategy. Tom went on a date and, Derek threw a party for a hot young celebrity, played by Nick Jonas. Miss the Episode? Catch up below!

SOUND OFF: SMASH Is Out For Blood

SMASH is out for blood - wolf's blood, that is. So, go howl! In the climax of the series so far - at least since that thrilling finale to the pilot episode - the wildly talented cast of characters that inhabit SMASH were joined in purpose and performance for the first time onscreen all together, singing "I Never Met A Wolf That Didn't Like To Howl" - well, at least the current top choices for Marilyn Monroe (Megan Hilty) and Joe DiMaggio (Will Chase) by the songwriting duo (portrayed by Debra Messing and Christian Borle) behind the show-within-the-show; guest appearance by prospective investor portrayed by pop idol and current Broadway star Nick Jonas notwithstanding. Yet, Katharine McPhee shone bright in her secondary storyline, bringing defiant joie de vivre to a karaoke cover of Adele's soulful earworm "Rumor Has It" at the close of the show. Nick Jonas got a moment in the musical spotlight, as well, in a self-played piano accompanied cover of Michael Buble's "Haven't Met You Yet". On the dramatic side of SMASH, the twists and turns of the theatre-centric musical series are beginning to create intriguing complexities for the individuals caught in the tumult - none the least being the budding romances between Derek (Jack Davenport) and Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty), but also the secret liaison rekindled of one half of the songwriting duo (Messing) and Joltin' Joe (Chase) himself. Plus, the other half of the team behind the Marilyn musical, Tom (Christian Borle), finally got his own romantic plotline and sudsy, soap-ish moment. It seems to be a prerequisite that each cast member have a post-coital scene at some point, so, one supposes Eileen (Anjelica Huston) and her ex husband, Jerry (Michael Cristofer), may re-team behind the scenes - or, maybe not. Eileen was given finest material of the night as far as I'm concerned and Huston's delicate portrayal of a woman conflicted was artful in its attentiveness and believability. She imbues the material with a grace and gravitas that few stars can consistently achieve as she has done throughout her career and continues to do so here on SMASH. Episode Four cleanly and clearly displayed the attributes we came to love about the pilot - natural integration of fabulous Marilyn-themed musical numbers into the drama, as in "Howl"; superlative new renditions of modern-day pop hits, such as "Rumor Has It"; and a specialty song or two, too, like Nick Jonas and his Michael Buble party accompaniment. While it did not break new ground as far as where the show is heading as a series like last week's show, this episode gave us an inkling of the entertainment experience coming in the next few weeks as we anticipate the arrival of many new and exciting guest stars, such as Bernadette Peters and Uma Thurman, in addition to the pain, passion, ecstasy and As for the rest of the drama, music and comedy, read on!

Songs From Tonight's SMASH Episode Now Available on iTunes

Select songs from tonight's new episode of the critically acclaimed NBC musical drama series SMASH (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), will be available today from NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records on the iTunes store

UPDATED: Britney Spears Will Not Guest Star on SMASH

Earlier today, InTouch reported that Britney Spears wants a recurring role on NBC's SMASH. A friend of Britney's revealed that “She's met with producers, and they're looking for the appropriate role for her.'

BWW Reviews: You Can't Stop The Beat Of CM PAC's HAIRSPRAY

From the moment the curtain for 'Hairspray" rises, you can tell you're in for a great time. Running through March 11th at CM PAC of Oakdale, you'll find this Tony-award winning show has a great story (by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan), great music (by Shaiman and Wittman), and a wonderfully talented cast directed by Patrick Grossman.

Victoria Morgan to Star in Broadway By the Bay's HAIRSPRAY, 4/5-22

Broadway By The Bay, the Peninsula's premier musical theatre company, has finalized its casting for Hairspray, the first show of its 2012 season. This will be the second year of performances at the company's new home, the historic Fox Theatre in Redwood City and the 47th season in their history. The season will feature three full-scale productions and the return of the hit Broadway By The Year® series. Hairspray runs April 5 - 22 and tickets as well as season subscriptions are available now by calling 650-579-5565 or at www.broadwaybythebay.org.

SMASH's Ratings Drop; NBC Still Earns Most Viewers

According to published reports, NBC's SMASH, which aired its third episode last night, dropped in the ratings again- moving this week from 8.1 million to 6.5 million viewers. The series premiere earned the show a whopping 11.5 million views on February 6. Despite the ratings dip for the series, NBC still won the night with help from THE VOICE, with 15.7 million viewers.

TV: Check Out Nick Jonas on Next Week's SMASH - Complete Highlights!

On next week's episode of SMASH, titled 'The Cost of Art,' Karen needs to start learning how to get ahead in the world of Broadway, and Eileen tests a new fundraising strategy. Tom goes on a date and, Derek throws a party for a hot young celebrity, played by Nick Jonas. BroadwayWorld has gotten ahold of the full episode preview and brings it now to you below!

STAGE TUBE: Miss SMASH's 'Enter Mr. DiMaggio?' Watch It Here!

On last night's episode of SMASH, titled 'Enter Mr. DiMaggio' casting began for the Joe DiMaggio character (played by Broadway's Will Chase). Meanwhile, Karen returned to her hometown to attend a baby shower; and Eileen's ex-husband polluted her pool of potential investors. Miss the episode? Catch up by clicking below!

STAGE TUBE: Next Week on SMASH's 'The Cost of Art'

On next week's episode of SMASH, titled 'The Cost of Art,' Karen needs to start learning how to get ahead in the world of Broadway and, Eileen tests a new fundraising strategy. Tom goes on a date and, Derek throws a party for a hot young celebrity, played by Nick Jonas). Check out a preview below!

SOUND OFF: SMASH Catches Joe DiMaggio's Grenade

"Baby, I would catch a grenade for you," as Bruno Mars wrote in his international smash hit song "Grenade", recently nominated for a Grammy, and, so, too, would Joe DiMaggio catch a grenade for Marilyn Monroe, and, maybe - just maybe - married Broadway star Michael Swift (Will Chase) will cross the line into the danger zone and rekindle his romance with former flame (similarly, married with children) Julia (Debra Messing), half of the songwriting team responsible for the spectacular musical-within-the-show on NBC's SMASH. Yes, the third episode of the new musical drama series was a much different experience from the first two shows, with Karen (Katharine McPhee)'s journey back home to Iowa - complete with down-home karaoke baby shower and Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman" - and the introduction of Broadway star Will Chase's character and the subsequent exploration of his prior trysts with Julia, as well as detailing more of Ivy (Megan Hilty) and Derek (Jack Davenport)'s hot and heavy romance. So, too, did the dissolving marriage between the Marilyn musical's lead producer, Eileen (Anjelica Huston) and her ex (Michael Cristofer) see further shading, as did the trusting and caring coupling of Karen and Dev (Raza Jaffrey). Along with recurring guest stars Dylan Baker and Becky Ann Baker as Karen's supportive but speculative parents, "Enter Mr. DiMaggio" was a relationship-themed episode that reached its thematic, dramatic and musical apotheosis in the stunning new Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman Marilyn musical composition, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith", ending the episode on a stylish and all-too-apropos note. A hard rock rendering of the aforementioned Bruno Mars pop hit "Grenade", as well as Karen's spirited country karaoke "Redneck Woman" were the other musical entertainments in an episode that showed that SMASH does, indeed, have legs - a Rockette-worthy line of them, actually - and this story can sustain more than a handful of episodes or, even, a season or two. Sure, this episode had a different feel than the first two, more Broadway-based shows, yet the series seems to be finding a rhythm that is particularly appreciable at this very, very early stage of the game. After all, the first two episodes of an hour-long adult drama such as SMASH usually set the scene for the series as a whole, if they even succeed at accomplishing that. So far, SMASH has already gone far beyond that, and, I promise, next week will be more along the lines of the first two entries, showcasing the simple fact that this tree has many, many branches and exceptionally deep roots supporting the strong core of central and supporting performers that make up its trunk. Episode Three was a gamble that largely paid off dramatically and thematically, and, wow, that final number was a home run hit truly worthy of a show billing itself as SMASH.

Songs From Tonight's SMASH Episode Now Available on iTunes

NBC has announced that select songs from tonight's third episode of NBC's new critically acclaimed musical drama series SMASH (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET), will be available today from NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records on the iTunes store.

Theater Works' HAIRSPRAY Closes

It's time to let your hair down and dance the night away! Hairspray, Broadway's musical comedy phenomenon that inspired a major motion picture is coming to Peoria as a Theater Works special presentation. Audiences will be swept away to 1960s Baltimore in this 'international smash-hit musical, piled bouffant-high with laughter and romance - and enough deliriously tuneful songs to fill a nonstop platter party.' It's Hairspray, live on stage, in living color! Performing on the Gyder Mainstage Hairspray runs through February 19 and tickets are on sale now!

BroadwayGirlNYC: Pop Culture & Broadway

Pop culture and Broadway. They have a long history together. However, there remains a divide - brought into the spotlight in recent days after Randy Jackson, for the umpteenth time, dismissed a contestant on American Idol as "too Broadway" for the competition. Broadway's stalwarts didn't take it lying down, with Betty Buckley leading the charge. And she was right: It's time for shows like American Idol to embrace what the public already has: musical theatre has exploded out of its niche and become a mainstream form of pop entertainment.

  …        122       …    

Get Scott Wittman Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos


TICKET CENTRAL
Hot Show
Tickets From $68
Hot Show
Tickets From $59
Hot Show
Tickets From $66
Hot Show
Tickets From $58