A BROADWAY SMASH

Actor Brooks Ashmanskas discusses the long road (and rumored curse!) of bringing Marilyn Monroe to Broadway

BERNARDO SIM

Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, NBC’s Smash premiered in 2012 as a prime-time musical drama series centered on two actresses (Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty) competing for the role of Marilyn Monroe in a new Broadway musical about the Hollywood icon. But Smash wasn’t just a TV show trying to succeed on its own — it was also intended to become a hit Broadway musical promoted by the series and improved by feedback from viewers. Spoiler alert: That original concept wasn’t realized. Smash was canceled during its second season in 2013, and a new musical about young Norma Jeane Baker — with titles like Hit List and Bombshell: The Musical — didn’t go anywhere. Still, Smash’s status as a cult classic grew. And the tides shifted during COVID-pandemic lockdowns with a virtual…

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OUT (Digital) - 1 Issue, March/April 2025

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