Two years after leaving the airwaves the television show Smash is coming back to life June 8 at the Minskoff Theatre for one night only.
Smash’s original cast members: Leslie Odom Jr., Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty, Debra Messing, Christian Borle, and Will Chase have all signed on to perform the fictional Broadway musical Bombshell.
Bombshell is a biographical account of the rise and fall of screen legend Marilyn Monroe and served as the center of the NBC drama. The one night only production is a benefit for The Actors Fund, an organization that assists performing arts professionals.
McPhee confirmed the reunion by telling Zap2it: “It’s so cool. I’m going to be there – me and Megan – everyone – Debra, Anjelica. It’s going to be so fun. That was such a great, really fun — another really special job.”
American Idol runner-up McPhee and Broadway star Hilty’s characters battled it out as they competed to land the lead role of Marilyn during the series.
When the show was canceled Megan Hilty told Zap2it the idea of brining Bombshell to Broadway seemed nearly impossible.
“Right now, we have a bunch of amazing songs … and no book [for ‘Bombshell’]. And I would love to meet the woman who could actually sing all those songs in a row, let alone eight times a week! They’re all epic showstoppers. I’d love to see somebody do something with it, but as far as I know, nothing’s happening.”
According to Playbill the cast will perform 22 original songs written by Mark Shaiman and Scott Wittman with choreography form the show’s original choreographer Joshua Bergasse.
Playwright Theresa Rebeck created the Stephen Spielberg produced series, which chronicled the backstage story of Bombshell.
During its two-year run the show had cameos from many Broadway Black actors including: Condola Rashad, Vivian Nixon, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessie L. Martin, Montego Glover, Jennifer Hudson, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Bombshell was one of two musicals featured in the series that provided audiences a fictional glimpse of what goes into creating a Broadway play.
Watch one of our favorite moments from the show below. Jennifer Hudson singing “Mama Makes Three” in a Broadway Black SMASH musical, Beautiful.
