Susan Granger’s review of “Smash: The Musical” (Imperial Theatre on Broadway)
Confession: I’ve never seen the NBC backstage drama series on which the new Broadway musical “Smash” is based, so I cannot make comparisons. But what I can tell you is: audiences who are familiar with the premise, love, love, love it!
Basically, it’s about the making of “Bombshell,” a musical about Marilyn Monroe. Book writer/lyricist Tracy (Krysta Rodriguez), her composer/ husband Jerry (John Behlmann), droll director Nigel (Brooks Ashmanskas) and imperious producer Anita (Jacqueline B. Arnold) are all determined that this will be an upbeat story and not end with “Marilyn lying in her bed naked and dead, wrapped in a white satin sheet.”.
But early in the rehearsal period, Tracy makes a major mistake: giving a book about how Marilyn used The Method – written by Susan Proctor, her drama coach – to Ivy Lynn (Robyn Hurder), their sweet-natured star, who immediately devours it.
“If I ever see you giving books to an actor again,” snarls Nigel with a sense of foreboding, “I will replace you – with an app!”
Sure enough, once-bubbly Ivy succumbs to The Method, hiring creepy, black-clad Susan (Kristine Nielsen, riffing on real-life Paula Strasberg, wife of Lee Strasberg from The Actors Studio), who feeds her amphetamines like candy.
Under Susan’s orders, Ivy insists on being addressed only as Marilyn and adopting the most neurotic, self-destructive traits of the doomed actress – alienating everyone, including her best friend/understudy Karen (Caroline Bowman).
Rebellion is inevitable and Ivy is replaced by Karen, who mistakenly eats a laxative-laced cupcake meant for Ivy and, literally, blows the first preview performance.
That’s when assistant director Chloe (Bella Coppola) steps in; she’s a terrific singer who has been told repeatedly that her larger body size prevents her from ever being considered as a leading lady.
Exuberantly directed by Susan Stroman, the engaging book is by Rick Elise and choreographer Joshua Bergasse with a jukebox score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
Amplifying the comedy, there are clever ‘insider’ jokes and behind-the-scenes theater references – contributing to the farcical upheaval.
While the ensemble works superbly together, scene-stealing Brooks Ashmanskas is particularly hilarious, as is young Nicholas Matos as Scott, Anita’s Gen-Z clueless quipster assistant.
Running 2 hours, 30 minutes with one intermission, “Smash” is at the Imperial Theater on Broadway: smashbroadway.com. And, fortunately, ‘affordable’ tickets are available.