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Smash (musical)
''Smash'' is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and a book by Rick Elice and Bob Martin (comedian), Bob Martin. Based on the 2012–2013 NBC television series of the Smash (TV series), same name created by Theresa Rebeck, the musical includes songs from the TV series and an original finale song written for the stage. Like the television series, the musical follows the creation of a musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe. The show opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 10, 2025. Development In June 2015 the original cast of the NBC series reunited in a concert co-directed by Joshua Bergasse, who also choreographed the show, and Scott Wittman. Tickets for the event were made available to fans who donated to a Kickstarter campaign to fund the concert and were sold out in an hour. Series leads Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee were joined by Christian Borle, Debra Messing, Will Chase, Jaime Cepero, Brian d'Arcy James, Ann Harada, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marc Shaiman
Marc Shaiman ( ; born October 22, 1959) is an American composer and lyricist for films, television, and theatre, best known for his collaborations with lyricist and director Scott Wittman, actor Billy Crystal, and director Rob Reiner. Shaiman has received List of awards and nominations received by Marc Shaiman, numerous accolades including two Grammy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. He has also received seven Academy Award nominations. Early life, family and education Shaiman was born to a American Jews, Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Claire (née Goldfein) and William Robert Shaiman. He grew up in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. He attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, but he left school at age 16 to start working in New York's theaters; he later obtained a GED. Career Shaiman started his career as a theatre/cabaret musical director. He started working at ''Saturday Night Live'' as an arranger/writer. He portrayed Recurring Saturday Nig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ann Harada
Ann Harada is an American actress and singer known for originating the role of Christmas Eve in '' Avenue Q''. Early life Harada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She attended the Punahou School and was active in theatre in high school. After college at Brown University, she moved to New York City and worked with producer Suzanne Schwartz. She performed with the New York City Gay Men's Chorus, did cabaret, and appeared in the Broadway production of '' M. Butterfly''. Career Harada earned her Equity card in 1987 when she was cast in Maury Yeston and Larry Gelbart's ''1,2,3,4,5'' at Manhattan Theatre Club. She is a member of the Vineyard Theatre's Community of Artists and appeared in four original musicals there, including ''Hit the Lights!.'' In 1998, Harada starred in the National Asian American Theatre Company's production of '' Falsettoland''. Peter Marks of ''The New York Times'' described her rendition of "Holding to the Ground" as a "full-throttle success." A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephen Oremus
Stephen Oremus (born 1971) is an American musician who has worked on Broadway theatre productions as musical director and as orchestrator. His credits include arranger and orchestrator for the music for ''Avenue Q'', musical director and arranger for ''Wicked'', arranger and orchestrator for ''All Shook Up'', and musical director for ''9 to 5''. His orchestrations (with Larry Hochman) for ''The Book of Mormon'' won him a Tony Award in 2011, for Best Orchestrations. Oremus also won the Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for '' Kinky Boots.'' Oremus served as orchestra conductor and music director for Frozen 2 and Rufus Wainwright's 2006 Judy Garland tribute concert, which was released as the 2007 album '' Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall'' and DVD '' Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! Does Judy! Judy! Judy!: Live from the London Palladium''. In 2022, Oremus and Broadway stars Elizabeth Stanley, Nikki Renee Daniels, Jeff Kready, and Tamar Greene performed reimagined renditions of iconic songs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maddie Baillio
Maddie Baillio (born February 15, 1996) is an American actress and singer who appeared in the television special '' Hairspray Live'' and the film '' Dumplin'''. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Baillio focused on her health. She became a vegan and started working out, ultimately shedding around 150 pounds over a two-year period. In 2022, she made her New York concert debut with a performance at Birdland Jazz Club. Early life and education Baillio started her passion for singing and dancing when she was eight. She studied musical theatre at Marymount Manhattan College. In 2016, she moved to Los Angeles when she got the role of Tracy in ''Hairspray Live''!, which made her screen debut. Filmography Stage In 2022 Baillio was part of the reading of the musical adaptation of ''Smash'', joining Broadway veterans Megan Hilty, Krysta Rodriguez, Brooks Ashmanskas Brooks Ashmanskas (born June 15, 1969) is an American actor. He has appeared both on Broadway and Off-Broadway as wel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kristine Nielsen
Kristine E. Nielsen (born May 28, 1955) is an American actress known for her work on Broadway and Off-Broadway. Nielsen was nominated for the 2013 Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance as Sonia in ''Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike'' and the 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in '' Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus.'' Personal life Nielsen grew up in the Washington, D.C., and Bethesda, Maryland, areas, the daughter of Homer Nielsen (1912–2005), who was born in the Philippines, and Eloise (née Gerard) Nielsen (1918–2009). Her mother, a Democrat, worked in government, at one point for president Jimmy Carter, and her father was a U.S Navy captain. The family spent summers on Cape Cod.Soloski, Alexis"Theater Special. Kristine Nielsen Delights in Durang"''The New York Times'', May 8, 2013 Her sister was Karen (Nielsen) Grammaticas (1951–2007), wife of Dr. Andrew Grammaticas. Her paternal grandfather was Harold Nie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Daniel Breaker
Daniel Breaker (born June 2, 1980) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Donkey in the original cast of '' Shrek the Musical''. His other Broadway credits include principal roles in ''Hamilton'', ''Hadestown'', ''Once Upon a Mattress'', and ''The Book of Mormon''. Career Beginning his career in 2002, immediately after graduating from Juilliard, Breaker has performed in Off-Broadway, London, and U.S. regional theatre productions. He performed in five plays at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. His first major role was the Youth, protagonist of the Off-Broadway premiere of '' Passing Strange'', for which he won an Obie Award in 2008. He was then nominated for a Tony Award for the show's Broadway transfer, in which he again played the Youth; he also played this role in Spike Lee's filmed version of the musical. One of his most recognizable roles was Donkey in the original Broadway production of '' Shrek the Musical'', which ran from November 2008 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bonnie Milligan
Bonnie Milligan is a musical theater performer and television actor, known for her " belting" style of singing and wide vocal range. She was awarded the 2023 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Debra in '' Kimberly Akimbo''. Early life Milligan is originally from Illinois and Ohio. The daughter of a Protestant minister, she has stated that her parents divorced when she was sixteen and that her mother, with whom she lived, often had financial trouble. Her father passed away at the age of 69 in 2020 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Milligan has one brother, Tim. After her parents' divorce, Milligan moved to the small farm town of Archbold, Ohio, where she graduated from high school. She subsequently went to Ohio State from which she graduated with a theatre degree in 2006. Following that, she moved to New York to try to break into musical theater there. In New York, Milligan worked as a waiter while going to auditions before breaki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beth Leavel
Beth Leavel (born November 1, 1955) is an American stage and screen actress and singer. She is best known for her performances in Broadway musicals such as ''The Drowsy Chaperone'', '' Baby It's You!'' and '' The Prom'', receiving Tony Award nominations for all three and winning for ''The Drowsy Chaperone''. Life and career Leavel attended Needham B. Broughton High School and Meredith College, earning a degree in social work. She completed a graduate theatre degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1980. She acted during college, appearing in productions such as ''Cabaret'' and '' Hello, Dolly!'' Her Broadway debut was in the 1980 production of '' 42nd Street'' as a replacement for Annie Reilly. Leavel was in the original Broadway cast of '' Crazy for You'' (1992) as Tess Parker and an understudy for Polly Baker. In 1999, she played the roles of Mabel and Mrs. Lydia Bixby in '' The Civil War''. Leavel returned to the Broadway revival of ''42nd Street'' in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brooks Ashmanskas
Brooks Ashmanskas (born June 15, 1969) is an American actor. He has appeared both on Broadway and Off-Broadway as well as in regional theatres. Ashmanskas has done limited film and television work, appearing in the 2022 Netflix series ''Uncoupled''. He received Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominations for playing various characters in ''Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me'' (2006), Barry Glickman in '' The Prom'' (2018), and Nigel Davies in '' Smash'' (2025). Early life Ashmanskas is originally from Salem, Oregon, but grew up in Beaverton, just outside of Portland. He is of Lithuanian descent. He graduated from Bennington College.Biography americantheatrewing.org. Retrieved August 24, 2013 He is openly gay. Career Off-Broadway and Broadway Ashmanskas was in the original production ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Krysta Rodriguez
Krysta Anne Rodriguez is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Ana Vargas in the NBC series '' Smash'', Summer Henderson in the NBC series '' Trial & Error'', Maxine Griffin in the ABC series '' Quantico'' and Ms. Crumble in the Netflix comedy series '' Daybreak''. She's also starred on Broadway in the musicals '' Spring Awakening'', '' The Addams Family'', and '' Into the Woods''. Early life and career Rodriguez grew up in Orange County, California. She began taking dance lessons at the age of 13, after being involved with cheerleading in middle school. After traveling to New York and seeing eight Broadway shows, she realized performers had to sing and act as well as dance, so once she returned home Rodriguez began taking singing and acting lessons. She was a cast member of the Christian television show '' Colby's Clubhouse'' from 1995 to 2000. She attended Orange County High School of the Arts where she played many lead roles including Marian i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is the highest-grossing film director of all time. Several of Spielberg's works are considered among the greatest films in history, and some are among the highest-grossing films ever. Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He moved to California and studied film in college. After directing several episodes for television, including '' Night Gallery'' and '' Columbo'', he directed the television film ''Duel'' (1971), which was approved by Barry Diller. He made his theatrical debut with '' The Sugarland Express'' (1974) and became a household name with the summer blockbuster ''Jaws'' (1975). He directed more escapist box office successes with '' Close Encounters of the Third Kind'' (1977), '' E.T. the Ext ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wesley Taylor
Wesley Taylor (born August 13, 1986) is an American stage actor and writer, best known for his work in musical theatre and television. Theatre career In summer 2008, Taylor performed in Barrington Stage Company's production of the musical ''See Rock City and Other Destinations''. The show won Richard Rodgers and Jerry Bock Awards. Taylor made his Broadway debut in the rock musical ''Rock of Ages'', where he originated the role of the German city developer Franz. He won a Theatre World Award for this role and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. His second major role on Broadway was as Lucas Beineke, Wednesday's love interest, in the musical ''The Addams Family'', a role he originated after previously playing the role in the 2009 Chicago production of the show. The show premiered on Broadway in April 2010, with Taylor appearing alongside Krysta Rodriguez, who played Wednesday Addams, Lucas' love interest. He left the role on March 8, 2011. On March 7, 2011, Taylor pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
