IT’S DA BOMB!
The best set of new Broadway-style songs I’ve heard in years. Marc Shaiman and Scott Witman deserve a standing ovation for creating the spectacular score, the songs of which came from the cancelled TV show Smash. These are the tunes that were from Bombshell, the musical-within-the musical that was about Marilyn Monroe on the short-lived series. In 2015, a concert version of Bombshell was created as a fundraiser for The Actors Fund, raising over $800,000. Last night, the never-seen on tape, sold-out live performance began streaming for the first time as a way to urge donations to The Actors Fund, which provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals. It will also entertain the hell outta ya. The free Bombshell in Concert livestream, produced by Neil Meron and Bob Greenblatt, will also begin to promote interest in the new Broadway musical of Smash, slated to open in 2021, it was announced today. We can’t say how long the video will remain up, so catch it while you can.
The evening was introduced by Renée Zellweger and, during intermission, Julie Klausner of Difficult People hosted a live, virtual reunion with the show’s original cast members: Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty, Christian Borle, Jaime Cepero, Will Chase, Brian d’Arcy James, Jack Davenport, Ann Harada, Jeremy Jordan, Andy Mientus, Debra Messing, Leslie Odom Jr., Krysta Rodriguez and Wesley Taylor, who chatted at intermission via ZOOM.
From the dazzling “Let Me Be Your Star” through the energy of the Marilyn-meets-rockabilly rave-up “I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn’t Love to Howl”, and beyond to a perfect Kander and Ebb-like “They Just Keep Moving the Line”, this song stack does not disappoint. Anyone who loves musicals needs to watch this. So much richness, variation, and the sparkling vocals have captured my imagination. You may feel that there is hope yet for the American Music. Or at least for Smash‘s view of theater.
And it’s not all flash and sizzle. Magnificent character songs such as “Never Give All the Heart”, “Second Hand White Baby Grand”, and the simultaneously exhilarating/sentimental finale “Don’t Forget Me” round out this wowser of a score.
photos by Jay Brady
RUNNING ORDER
0:43 Introduction by Renée Zellweger
3:00 “Overture”
9:07 “Let Me Be Your Star” – Katharine McPhee & Megan Hilty
14:10 “The 20th Century Fox Mambo” – Katharine McPhee, Ensemble
18:04 “Never Give All The Heart” – Katharine McPhee
21:13 “The National Pastime” – Megan Hilty, Ensemble
24:16 “History Is Made At Night” – Megan Hilty & Will Chase, Ensemble
28:42 “I Never Met A Wolf Who Didn’t Love To Howl” – Ann Harada, Ensemble
33:44 “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” – Megan Hilty & WIll Chase
37:35 “Don’t Say Yes Until I Finish Talking” – Christian Borle, Ensemble
41:04 “On Lexington & 52nd Street” – Will Chase
44:42 “They Just Keep Moving The Line” – Megan Hilty
48:07 INTERMISSION – Smash Cast Reunion hosted by Julie Klausner
1:18:45 “Cut, Print… Moving On” – Jeremy Jordan, Ensemble
1:22:12 “Public Relations” – Katharine McPhee, Wesley Taylor, Ensemble
1:27:13 “Second Hand White Baby Grand” – Megan Hilty
1:31:58 “(Let’s Start) Tomorrow Tonight” – Leslie Odom Jr., Ensemble
1:35:33 “The Right Regrets” – Brian d’Arcy James
1:38:55 “Let’s Be Bad” – Megan Hilty, Ensemble
1:43:03 “Hang The Moon” – Donna McKechnie & Megan Hilty
1:50:08 “Don’t Forget Me” – Katharine McPhee & Megan Hilty
1:56:21 Big Finish – Megan Hilty & Katharine McPhee
