plays Ivy, an actress cast in the lead role of a new musical about Marilyn Monroe, and Butler appears as Karen, Ivy’s understudy. Their characters share the names of two pivotal roles in the TV show, which also focused on the development of a Marilyn Monroe musical called “Bombshell.”
While it retains the series’ most recognizable elements, the musical adaptation of “Smash” departs in other ways with a storyline and cast of characters that are inspired by the series but not direct translations. “It’s definitely a new script,” said directorof the musical’s book by Bob Martin and Rick Elice . “It has a dramatic twist at the end of it. But you will see familiar characters.”
In the reading, Alex Brightman and Krysta Rodriguez portray a married composer-lyricist duo who are writing the score for “Bombshell”; Vanessa Williams plays the show’s producer; and Brooks Ashmanskas takes on the part of the director with Tony winner Bonnie Milligan appearing as his associate director. Kristine Nielsen and Milligan’s “Kimberly Akimbo” castmate Justin Cooley round out the reading’s cast.
The two invite-only readings, to be held at Open Jar Studios in midtown Manhattan, mark the culmination of a two-week developmental lab. Given the potential for changes in the show’s creative needs and in actor availability, none of the performers are guaranteed to be involved in the project beyond this week’s readings.
Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman , who wrote songs for the series, pen the score for the “Smash” musical, which will feature their tunes from the TV show as well as new songs. The musical is produced by Steven Spielberg,