One-Night Only Benefit Production of “Smash” Musical “Bombshell” Set

“Smash,” the NBC drama created by playwright Teresa Rebeck about the making of a Broadway musical, is back! Sort of.

The Actors Fund will stage a one-night-only benefit production of “Bombshell,” the musical at the center of the cult series, this June.

The concert, which will take place June 15 at a New York City theater to be named, will feature all 22 songs from “Bombshell” penned by Tony-winning songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (“Hairspray”). That includes “The National Pastime,” “History Is Made at Night” and the Emmy and Grammy-nominated hit “Let Me Be Your Star.”

While no casting has been confirmed yet, it is expected that Megan Hilty will be reprising her role as Monroe, with Bernadette Peters returning as Gladys Pearl Baker, Monroe’s mother.

Of course, “Smash” stars will prefer to call Hilty and Peters by their character names: Ivy Lynn and Leigh Conroy.

A few actors stepped into the role of Joe DiMaggio during the fictional show’s run -- chief among them Michael Swift, played by Tony nominee Will Chase (“The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” TV’s “Nashville”).

Katharine McPhee’s Karen Cartwright also played the role of Marilyn in “Bombshell” for a bit. Could she make a return appearance?

“Smash” producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron sure seem to hope so. The duo behind NBC’s “Peter Pan Live!” and “The Sound of Music Live!” shared the news with McPhee on social media. They’ll produce again here, in between the Academy Awards and NBC’s next live musical.

The benefit concert will also give Zadan and Meron a chance to see whether “Bombshell” has legs on a Broadway stage — something they’ve wanted to try since “Smash” premiered.

Joshua Bergasse, who won an Emmy for his “Smash” choreography, will also stage the dance numbers in the benefit. His work can be seen right now in the current revival “On the Town,” and in the Broadway-aimed revival of “Gigi.”

“Bombshell” isn’t the first “Smash” musical to receive a second life on the New York City stage. Last year, 54 Below produced a staged reading of “Hit List,” the musical introduced during the show’s second season, with Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez, Andy Mientus and Ann Harada reprising their “Smash” roles.

Tickets for the Actors Fund benefit staging of “Bombshell” will go on sale in early 2015. Visit actorsfund.org/Bombshell for more information.

Contact Us