Walter Huston News

"It's always gorgeous when you sing," and so the same goes for NBC's musical drama series SMASH. This week's penultimate episode of the first season order of fifteen gave us a long-awaited real look at the actual production of the musical-within-the-show live onstage in the form of the first Boston preview in the out-of-town tryout of BOMBSHELL. Up until this point, we have only been provided with sporadic glimpses into the mind's eye of the director of the show as he stages and rehearses the various song sequences. With last night's "Previews" episode we got our third major iteration of "Let Me Be Your Star" - following the full-out song at the conclusion of the pilot episode and the subsequent ballad opening number version shown in Episode 2 - with Rebecca Duvall (guest star Uma Thurman) belting it out to mixed results. Mixed results is the kindest way to say that the volatile and kooky movie star character simply does not work in any way as Marilyn Monroe in the bio-musical about her life being created - not physically, tonally and certainly not musically. Croaking out the sumptuous and richly melodic Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman gems that have been specifically created for SMASH's BOMBSHELL - songs dutifully doled out in sparingly small doses of one or two each week - is near-sacrilege when one ponders the talent even on the very same stage; Ivy (Megan Hilty) or Karen (Katharine McPhee) could both kill the role, as wee have seen. So, who will ultimately make it to the stage that now, in the eleventh hour, the star of the show has walked? Of course, the sure-to-be action, drama and music-filled finale to Season One arrives next Monday at the same SMASH place and same SMASH channel - will the Marilyn musical be a bomb or a smash? Will the show even go on at all given the unforeseen obstacles? A lot remains to be answered, but the fever pitch fans and viewers have been yearning for has definitely entered, stage right. Next week we will see who truly sparkles, who really shines - and who ends up exploding.

Anjelica Huston, the Oscar-winning actress known for her genre-spanning performances in CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS, THE WITCHES, The Addams Family, PRIZZI'S HONOR and THE GRIFTERS - among many other notable performances sings 'September Song' in her singing debut on tonight's episode of SMASH. Check out the full song below!

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's extensive coverage of NBC's musical dramedy series SMASH by talking to an Oscar-winning actress known for her genre-spanning performances in CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS, THE WITCHES, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, PRIZZI'S HONOR and THE GRIFTERS - among many other notable performances - the simply divine Anjelica Huston. Sharing stories about her famous family - father, director and actor John Huston; grandfather, stage and screen actor Walter Huston - Huston opens up about her experiences preparing for the tailor-made role of Eileen Rand on SMASH and drops some hints about the future for her character, in business and romance, as well as what we can expect her to sing in a future episode - the classic Kurt Weill/Maxwell Anderson gem originally written for her grandfather in KNICKERBOCKER HOLIDAY, "September Song". Additionally, Huston recalls previously musically collaborating onscreen with stupendous SMASH songwriter Marc Shaiman on THE ADDAMS FAMILY (remember The Mamoushka?) and reflects on her unforgettable role in the Stephen Frears modern classic THE GRIFTERS. Plus, Huston's memories of performing Shakespeare on Broadway, her reaction to Stephen Sondheim's insights on her father in his recent book, and much, much more!

Yesterday, I had the exceptional privilege of talking to Oscar-winning stage and screen star Anjelica Huston and Broadway sensation Megan Hilty all about the new NBC musical series SMASH and their roles in it, and, while both their complete Spotlight On SMASH InDepth InterViews will be coming in full next week, we have some breaking news to share with you now that is certain to excite the many SMASH fans here on BroadwayWorld and beyond!

Bonnie and Clyde, the Musical will open on Broadway December 1, 2011. In the weeks before the opening I will be rebroadcasting interviews I did with the stars and the creative team when they worked on the show at the Asolo Theater in Sarasota FL., and adding new interviews.

Bonnie and Clyde, the Musical will open on Broadway December 1, 2011. In the weeks before the opening I will be rebroadcasting interviews I did with the stars and the creative team when they worked on the show at the Asolo Theater in Sarasota FL., and adding new interviews.

Seventy-three years after its Broadway premiere, Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson's Knickerbocker Holiday can finally be heard in its first full recording, released on CD by Ghostlight Records on June 28, 2011.

'Knickerbocker Holiday', a performance by The Collegiate Chorale recorded live at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on January 25 & 26, 2011 is now available for pre-sale from Ghostlight Records.

The Collegiate Chorale, led by music director James Bagwell, announces its 69th season, including Brahms' Alto Rhapsody and A German Requiem, featuring Stephanie Blythe, Erin Morley, and Eric Owens, on October 13, 2010 at 7pm at Carnegie Hall; Knickerbocker Holiday on January 25 and 26, 2011 at 8pm at Alice Tully Hall; and two special events: We Remember Them: Choral Music from the Camps and the Ghettos on March 10, 2011 at 7pm at Central Synagogue, and Something Wonderful - A Night of Broadway with Deborah Voigt, conducted by Ted Sperling, on May 19, 2011 at 7pm at Carnegie Hall.

The Collegiate Chorale, led by music director James Bagwell, announces its 69th season, including Brahms' Alto Rhapsody and A German Requiem, featuring Stephanie Blythe, Erin Morley, and Eric Owens, on October 13, 2010 at 7pm at Carnegie Hall; Knickerbocker Holiday on January 25 and 26, 2011 at 8pm at Alice Tully Hall; and two special events: We Remember Them: Choral Music from the Camps and the Ghettos on March 10, 2011 at 7pm at Central Synagogue, and Something Wonderful - A Night of Broadway with Deborah Voigt, conducted by Ted Sperling, on May 19, 2011 at 7pm at Carnegie Hall.

Metropolitan Playhouse, 'theatrical archaeologist extraordinaire' (Backstage), presents a revival of Dodsworth by Sidney Howard, adapted from the novel by Sinclair Lewis. First presented on Broadway in 1934, Dodsworth has not received a professional production in New York since, but will be revived at Metropolitan's home at 220 E 4th Street May 15th through June 6th, 2010.

Metropolitan Playhouse, 'theatrical archaeologist extraordinaire' (Backstage), presents a revival of Dodsworth by Sidney Howard, adapted from the novel by Sinclair Lewis. First presented on Broadway in 1934, Dodsworth has not received a professional production in New York since, but will be revived at Metropolitan's home at 220 E 4th Street May 15th through June 6th, 2010.

Metropolitan Playhouse, 'theatrical archaeologist extraordinaire' (Backstage), presents a revival of Dodsworth by Sidney Howard, adapted from the novel by Sinclair Lewis. First presented on Broadway in 1934, Dodsworth has not received a professional production in New York since, but will be revived at Metropolitan's home at 220 E 4th Street May 15th through June 6th, 2010.

Liz Callaway, Judy Blazer and Walter Charles will perform songs from the Saver/Cole musicals Dodsworth and Time After Time at Tower Records at Lincoln Center on September 21st

Despite enthusiastic reviews and internet buzz, Glen Roven's interview series with Broadway's musical legends is set to close after this week's visit from Florence Henderson.