Theresa Rebeck's Smash Does Marilyn The Musical

By Winnie Bonelli 

Heads up Broadway, NBC-TVs’ musical-in-making “Smash” is reworking the out-of-town tryout process before a potential audience of 10 million viewers.

Spearheaded by executive producer Steven Spielberg, “Smash” boasts a creative team with a Tony Award pedigree, from the songwriting team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittmann of “Hairspray” fame to onscreen names like Emmy Award winner Debra Messing and Oscar winner Anjelica Huston.

In the forefront is the rivalry between an inexperienced Midwestern beauty named Karen (Katharine McPhee, an “American Idol” runner-up) and a stage veteran/chorus girl Ivy Bell (Megan Hilty from “9 to 5: The Musical” and “Wicked), vying for the title role in “Marilyn: The Musical.”

Premiering immediately after “The Voice” on Monday, Feb. 6 at 10 p.m., viewers will learn who lands the role by the end of episode 2, but “things can change,” according to the acclaimed playwright/screenwriter Theresa Rebeck. The Park Slope, Brooklyn resident also happened to mention that Uma Thurman will be joining the cast in midseason, playing a movie star eyeing the same role.

Represented on Broadway this season with “Seminar,” starring Alan Rickman, Rebeck was tapped by Spielberg for the job. She didn’t totally rule out the possibility of “Marilyn the Musical” eventually taking up residency on the Great White Way. “What we are aiming to do right now is write a great television show. That’s really what we’re all about. Whatever happens in the future, who knows. Like, we could all die tomorrow or something. This show is enough of a challenge right now,” stated Rebeck, who holds a Phd in Victorian Era Melodrama from Brandies University.

Rebeck might not seem like an obvious first choice given her reputation for writing very gritty, hard hitting plays and her long affiliation with Rene Balcer on the set of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.” Producer Craig Zadan, who together with partner Neil Meron was responsible for “How to Succeed in Business” with Daniel Radcliffe, disagreed, “Theresa’s the only person that we know who has that authenticity of writing the way Aaron Sorkin wrote ‘The West Wing” where it felt like you were there eavesdropping on these people and you shared their personal lives as well.”

Aspiring Marilyn, Hilty agrees, “The wonderful thing about the show is that there are so many people here that come from the theater world. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been backstage, looking around, going, ‘Where’s the camera? There needs to be a camera here, because the drama that happens behind the curtain is way more interesting than what’s happening on the stage.”

The fourth place broadcast network NBC-TV is waging heavily on the anticipated success of “Smash,” having spent a reported $7.5 million on the pilot alone. Drawing early comparisons to the musical phenom “Glee,” “Smash” plans to deliver at least one new musical number per episodes coupled with several cover hit like Rihanna’s “Cheer (Drink to That)” and Blondie’s “Call Me.” Naturally, fans will be able to download these tunes from iTunes prior to the release of the show’s soundtrack.

While there’s already no lack of star power, the producers are promising story arches for guest stars Nick Jonas and Bernadette Peters.

Winnie Bonelli writes for Life & Style Magazine, The Independent [Hamptons], New Jersey Monthly and The Herald News. She is a member of The Women Film Critics Circle.