| SMASH Will Open at Broadway's Imperial Theatre This Spring (video) | |
| Last Edit: Official_Press_Release 10:04 am EDT 10/22/24 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 10:03 am EDT 10/22/24 | |
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| FADE IN ON A GIRL… SMASH TO OPEN ON BROADWAY THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2025 Starring Robyn Hurder as "Ivy" Brooks Ashmanskas as "Nigel" Krysta Rodriguez as "Tracy" John Behlmann as "Jerry" Kristine Nielsen as "Susan" Caroline Bowman as "Karen" Jacqueline B. Arnold as "Anita" Bella Coppola as "Chloe" Casey Garvin as "Charlie" Performances Begin Tuesday, March 11, 2025 At Broadway's Imperial Theatre Music by Marc Shaiman; Lyrics by Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman Book by Rick Elice & Bob Martin Choreography by Joshua Bergasse Direction by Susan Stroman (New York, NY) Producers Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg are thrilled to announce that the stage musical adaptation of SMASH will begin performances on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, and officially open Thursday, April 10, 2025 at Broadway's Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street). Directed by five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman (The Producers), SMASH will star Tony nominee Robyn Hurder (Moulin Rouge) as "Ivy," two-time Tony nominee Brooks Ashmanskas (The Prom) as "Nigel," Krysta Rodriguez (Spring Awakening, "Smash" TV Series) as "Tracy," John Behlmann (Shucked) as "Jerry," two-time Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) as "Susan," Caroline Bowman (Frozen Tour) as "Karen," Jacqueline B. Arnold (Moulin Rouge) as "Anita," Bella Coppola (Six) as "Chloe," and Casey Garvin (Some Like It Hot) as "Charlie." The company will include Wendi Bergamini, Sarah Bowden, Jacob Burns, Deanna Cudjoe, Chelle Denton, Daniel Gaymon, Merritt David Janes, Megan Kane, David Paul Kidder, Ian Liberto, Libby Lloyd, McGee Maddox, Connor McRory, J Savage, Jake Trammel and Katie Webber. Additional casting will be announced shortly. SMASH will feature a score by Tony, Emmy and two-time Grammy winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Some Like It Hot, Hairspray, Mary Poppins Returns), who wrote over two dozen songs for the television show, many of which will be used in the musical, in addition to new material they have written for the stage. With a book by two of Broadway's most seasoned craftsmen, four-time Tony nominee Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher) and Tony winner Bob Martin (The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone), Emmy-winning and Tony-nominated choreographer Joshua Bergasse (On The Town), who choreographed the television series, will reprise his role for the stage adaptation. EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson recently joined the producing team for SMASH. Hudson appeared as a guest star on season 2 of the fan-favorite NBC series that serves as the basis for the musical. American Express® Card Members will have exclusive access to tickets beginning now through Friday, October 25 at 9:59AM ET by clicking HERE . SMASH Fans, who signed up on the official website will have special access to tickets before the general public beginning Friday, October 25 at 10AM ET though Monday, October 28 at 9:59AM ET. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, October 28 at 10AM ET through Telecharge by calling 212-239-6200 or visiting HERE . Robert Greenblatt said, "Neil, Steven, and I are elated to announce that Smash is definitely coming to Broadway this season, a dozen years after the series ended on NBC! We always knew Shaiman & Wittman's fantastic score belonged on Broadway, and our show is a clever, funny adaptation of the series — with a few surprises — that we hope will delight die-hard fans as well as anyone who didn't see the series." Neil Meron said, "Working with our incomparable director, Susan Stroman, our first-class bookwriters, Rick Elice and Bob Martin, and our original series choreographer, Josh Bergasse, has been a joy. This dream team has created the quintessential new musical about the rollercoaster ride of creating a new musical. (Very meta!) And it not only sends Broadway up, but sends Broadway a big love letter at the same time." SMASH will feature scenic design by two-time Tony winner Beowulf Boritt (New York, New York), costume design by Lucille Lortel winner Alejo Vietti (Titanique), lighting design by Tony winner Ken Billington (Chicago), sound design by two-time Tony winner Brian Ronan (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), projection design by S Katy Tucker orchestrations by three-time Tony winner Doug Besterman (The Producers), dance and incidental music arrangements by Tony nominee Sam Davis (New York, New York), and music supervision by two-time Tony winner and two-time Grammy winner Stephen Oremus (Wicked, Frozen). 101 Productions, Ltd. will serve as General Managers. Casting by Bernard Telsey, CSA and Kristian Charbonier, CSA. SMASH, inspired by the TV series, is a hilarious behind-the-scenes rollercoaster ride about the making of a Marilyn Monroe musical called Bombshell, with all the iconic songs, kick-ass choreography, and backstage pandemonium that make Broadway the beloved institution it is today. SMASH is based in part on the NBC television series created by Theresa Rebeck. Executive producers included Steven Spielberg, Neil Meron, Craig Zadan, Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Theresa Rebeck, David Marshall Grant, and Joshua Safran. The show was produced by Universal Television. Follow SMASH at @smashbway on Instagram. For more information visit www.SmashBroadway.com. As the Official Card Partner of SMASH on Broadway, American Express® Card Members can access tickets to the show through Amex Presale Tickets™ and Amex Reserved Tickets™, and eligible Card Members can access tickets through American Express® Preferred Access. (While supplies last, not all seats may be offered. Terms apply.) Through Amex Experiences™, American Express continues to enhance the unique value of Amex membership by delivering epic access, benefits and perks to Card Members globally across the arts, theatre, sports and music. # # # BIOGRAPHIES ROBYN HURDER (Ivy) is best known for her Tony Nominated performance of "Nini" in original Broadway cast of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and her dynamic portrayal of "Cassie" in the 75th Anniversary New York City Center Gala Production of A Chorus Line. Most recently, Robyn led the Broadway cast of Chicago as "Velma Kelly". Other Original Broadway/Revival Casts: A Beautiful Noise (as "Marcia Murphey", Drama Desk Nomination, Chita Award Winner), Nice Work If You Can Get It (as "Jeanie Muldoon"), Grease (as "Marty"), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (as "Violet"). NYCC Encores: The New Yorkers (as "Lola McGee"), Paint Your Wagon (as "Cherry Jourdell"). National Tours: A Chorus Line (as "Cassie") and Starlight Express (as "Pearl"). Selected Regional: 5th Avenue Theatre: Kiss Me Kate (as "Lois/Bianca", Gregory Award Nomination), Drury Lane: Crazy For You (as "Polly Baker"), Shakespeare Theatre Company: Kiss Me Kate (as "Lois/Bianca", Helen Hayes Award Winner, Emily Battis Award for Excellence in Acting Recipient). Film/TV: "The Equalizer" (CBS), "Fosse/Verdon" (FX) Management: The Rosenzweig Group BROOKS ASHMANSKAS (Nigel). Two-time Tony Award nominee, Brooks Ashmanskas has appeared on Broadway in Once Upon A Mattress, The Prom (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Drama League nominations), Sunday In The Park With George, Shuffle Along, Something Rotten, Bullets Over Broadway, Promises, Promises, Present Laughter, The Ritz, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me (Tony, Drama Desk nominations), The Producers, Gypsy, Little Me, Dream and How To Succeed. He has appeared in multiple Off-Broadway productions including Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's WiseGuys, Jonathan Marc Sherman's Clive, Neil Simon's London Suite, Jason Robert Brown's Songs For A New World and New York City Opera's Candide directed by Hal Prince, and has been seen in regional theaters across the country from Los Angeles to Boston, Atlanta to Washington D.C. Brooks can be seen as Stanley James in the Showtime series "UnCoupled" and heard as the voice of Gore Vidal in Ethan Hawke's The Last Movie Stars on MAX. Other recent television appearances include "The Good Lord Bird" (Showtime), "Tales Of The City" (Netflix), "I Love You More" (Amazon) and as Judge Greg Brochard in both "The Good Wife" and "The Good Fight" (CBS). On film he was in Nora Ephron's Julie and Julia, can be seen in Tim Federle's recent feature Better Nate Than Ever, William Parker's Atrabilous, and Richard LaGravanese's A Family Affair. KRYSTA RODRIGUEZ (Tracy). Fans of NBC's "Smash" may remember her as the high-flying diva ‘Ana Vargas' in the original television series. Krysta starred as ‘Cinderella' in the Broadway revival of Into the Woods and in The Collaboration for Manhattan Theatre Club. Most recently, she took on the role of ‘Rosie Alvarez' in the Kennedy Center/Broadway Center Stage production of Bye Bye Birdie. Rodriguez co-starred in the Emmy Award winning Netflix/Ryan Murphy limited series "Halston" as the iconic entertainer Liza Minnelli, which marked her return to the platform after starring in "Daybreak" with Matthew Broderick. Krysta's long list of television roles include the NBC series "Trial & Error" and "Smash". Other credits include recurring roles on "Younger," "Married," "Gossip Girl," "Quantico", "Chasing Life", "The Mysteries of Laura" and "Indoor Boys" (Indie Series Award). Rodriguez's theater résumé includes Theresa Rebeck's play Seared at MCC, in a role she originated at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, for which she was honored with an Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance. Rodriguez took on the role of famous animated princess ‘Megara' in Disney's premiere stage adaptation Hercules as part of The Public Theater's PublicWorks program. Broadway credits include: Ilse in the Deaf West revival of Spring Awakening; First Date and original companies of The Addams Family, In the Heights, Spring Awakening, A Chorus Line (Revival) and Good Vibrations. Other memorable turns include ‘Anita' in West Side Story at The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra; What We're Up Against at The Women's Project; and a standout in the Hollywood Bowl production of A Chorus Line as ‘Diana'. JOHN BEHLMANN (Jerry) was most recently on Broadway in the Tony-nominated musical comedy Shucked, originating the role of con man Gordy Jackson for which he earned a Grammy nomination. Prior to that, John received an Outer Critics Nomination playing Max Van Horn in the Tony-winning musical Tootsie. He also appeared on Broadway in Joshua Harmon's play Significant Other, starred in the New York production of The 39 Steps, and made his Broadway debut in the Tony-winning play revival of Journey's End. On film, he last appeared with Jon Hamm in the Miramax feature Confess, Fletch directed by Greg Mottola and with Ben Schwartz in indie feature Standing Up, Falling Down, having the distinct honor of punching both leading men in the face on camera. On television, he can be seen in season 2 of "Elsbeth" and HBO's "The Gilded Age." He recurred as Agent Adams in "Riverdale" and as Ann Dowd's FBI partner in "Good Behavior," and has guested on "And Just Like That," "Madam Secretary," "Instinct," "Odd Mom Out," "Blue Bloods," and "The Good Wife." Equally at home in comedy or drama, on stage or screen, John has been fortunate to work in a wide array of mediums and styles. He's been in Off-Broadway plays and musicals for many of New York's most respected theater companies including Lincoln Center, Ars Nova, Roundabout, MTC, MCC, Encores, and the Civilians. He's had an extensive commercial career and has been a voice actor for over a decade, most notably in the World Of Warcraft franchise. John is also a photographer, proud husband and father, and one-time trapeze artist. KRISTINE NIELSEN (Susan) was just in Joseph Schuman and Austin Stark's comedy Coup! which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was seen in Carol McCann's The Suit competing in many short film festivals around the country, and receiving some award recognition. She is currently a regular in Julian Fellowes' "The Gilded Age" as Mrs. Bauer. She will next be seen in Peacock's "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy." She is a 2-time Tony Award nominee for Taylor Mac's Gary, A Sequel To Titus Andronicus and for Christopher Durang's Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike. For VSMS, she was awarded the Outer Critics Circle Award. Additional Broadway credits include The Iceman Cometh, Present Laughter, You Can't Take It With You, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Green Bird and others. She has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions at the NY Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizons, MTC, The Roundabout, Second Stage, the Promenade, The Signature, NY Theatre Workshop, and Lincoln Center. She is a recipient of 2 Obie Awards, a Drama Desk nomination, and many Drama League nominations. She has worked extensively in regional theatres throughout the US. She attended the Yale School of Drama and Northwestern University. CAROLINE BOWMAN (Karen). she/her. Currently, the Norma Desmond standby in the Revival of Sunset Blvd. Fresh off her 5-year run as Elsa in the North American tour of Disney's Frozen playing over 1,000 performances. Broadway/Tours include Kinky Boots OBC and closing cast (Nicola), Wicked (Elphaba), Evita (Eva Peron, Helen Hayes nomination), Spamalot (Lady of the Lake), Fame (Carmen) and Grease (Rizzo). Select Regional: The Muny (All Shook up, Kinky Boots), Cape Playhouse (Gypsy), Toby's Dinner Theatre (Joseph and the…) HH nom, Vancouver Opera (Evita). She holds a BFA in musical theatre from Penn State. Instagram: @carolinebowman5 JACQUELINE B. ARNOLD (Anita). Recently seen as La Chocolat in Moulin Rouge! The Musical Broadway OBC. Other credits include: Priscilla Queen of the Desert Broadway OBC (Diva 1), Hairspray 1st National Tour (Lorraine, Motormouth U/S), Rent 2nd National Tour (Joanne), We Will Rock You 1st National Tour (Killer Queen), An Evening with Phyllis Hyman (One Woman Show), Vocalist for RuPaul's Drag Race Season 7 Finale, Bette Midler Harlette. BELLA COPPOLA (Chloe). Previous: Jane Seymour in Six (Broadway, Mirvish Productions). Off-Broadway: Pat in Kinky Boots. Regional: Delaware Theatre Company. BFA Musical Theatre, Texas State University. Stream Bella's music on Spotify and Apple Music! @bellacoppola, bellacoppola.com CASEY GARVIN (Charlie ) Smash marks Casey's seventh Broadway show. Other Broadway credits include Bullets Over Broadway, Disaster! The Musical, Miss Saigon, King Kong, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Some Like It Hot, where he understudied Tony winner Christian Borle in the Tony nominated role Joe/Josephine. Other credits include the West Side Story first national tour, Bare: the Musical at New World Stages, and Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt in the New York City premier of From Here to Eternity, as well as on screen in the Coen Brothers' film Hail, Caesar! He has worked in the most prestigious regional theaters across the country and on numerous Broadway-bound workshops and readings over the years. "For my family, given and chosen, and, as always, my sweet Aidan." @caseygarvin WENDI BERGAMINI (Ensemble) is currently on Broadway as the Nightingale of Samarkand in the revival of Once Upon A Mattress. A native of northern California, Wendi is honored to be a part of the Smash original company. Wendi made her Broadway debut in the acclaimed revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center and has been seen as an original cast member of New York, New York, Disney's Frozen, Doctor Zhivago, Promises, Promises (Miss Olson opposite Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes) and Evita (Broadway revival starring Ricky Martin). National Tours: The Light In The Piazza (Franca Naccarelli), Cats, Evita, and Guys & Dolls. Regional credits include: Little Dancer (Kennedy Center), A Little Night Music (Huntington), The Baker's Wife (Goodspeed). Wendi appeared in Annie Live and The Sound Of Music Live on NBC. Visit Wendi at www.wendibergamini.com IG @wendibergiebaby SARAH BOWDEN (Ensemble). Broadway: Moulin Rouge, First National Tour: Nini in Moulin Rouge, Cherry Sundae in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Regional: Cassie in A Chorus Line at The Hollywood Bowl/PCLO, Roxie in Chicago at The MUNY & Velma at Maltz Jupiter. International; Sally Bowles in Cabaret and Esmerelda in Hunchback of Notre Dame. @sarahbowden.de JACOB BURNS (Swing). Detroit native. Broadway: Once Upon a One More Time. Other: Hamilton (nat'l tour); Gatsby: An American Myth (world-premiere, ART); Only Gold (MCC); West Side Story (Riff; Milwaukee Rep, KC Starlight). BFA Texas State. @jacob__burns DEANNA CUDJOE (Ensemble) is beyond honored to be making her Broadway Debut in Smash! Her credits include the world premiere of My Best Friend's Wedding (Ogunquit Playhouse: Ensemble, u/s Kimmy) and West Side Story (International Tour: Consuelo, u/s Anita). She received her BFA in Dance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and is a grateful voice student of Marianne Wells. @deannacudjoe deannacudjoe.com CHELLE DENTON (Swing). Broadway debut! She was last seen in Jagged Little Pill (First National Tour). Regional credits: Parade (Lucille Frank), Spamalot (Lady of the Lake), Something Rotten (Bea Bottom). She received her BFA from Cal State Fullerton. @cldent DANIEL GAYMON (Ensemble) is a multi-hyphenate performer and filmmaker from Columbia, South Carolina. His credits include: CATS (2016 Revival), Disney's The Lion King, Hamilton, "Superstore," La La Land, Vice, and "SNL" (Season 47, 49, and 50). Most recently, Daniel has exercised his talents as a filmmaker directing web-series' and short films, and most recently produced his first short film. www.danielgaymon.com MERRITT DAVID JANES (Ensemble). Colchester VT. UMaine/Circle In The Square Graduate. Broadway: Back To The Future (Strickland) School Of Rock (Dewey), Tours: Sweeney Todd (Sweeney), Beauty And The Beast (Lumiere), The Wedding Singer (Robbie), Shrek (Farquaad). Catch Me If You Can (Hanratty) Broadway Rocks (Founder). Album: "Waiting in The Wings." Insta: @mdjtanner. merrittdavidjanes.com MEGAN KANE (Ensemble). Broadway: & Juliet (OBC). Off-Broadway: Emojiland. Select Regional: A Walk On The Moon (George Street Playhouse), The Last Supper (SOPAC) Escape To Margaritaville (Ogunquit Playhouse) Grease (The REV), Hairspray (Arvada Center), A Christmas Carol (Alley Theatre), A Little Night Music (Houston Grand Opera), Kiss Me Kate (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis). TV: "For The People" (ABC), "Monsterland" (HULU), That Damn Michael Che (MAX). Film: Triple Threat, Welcome To New York. Training: Webster Conservatory. @itsmegankane DAVID PAUL KIDDER (Ensemble). Broadway: The Who's Tommy, Elf. First National Tour: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Film: IF. TV: SNL, 77th Tony Awards, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, Fallon, Colbert, John Oliver. NYC: The Joyce (ADM21), BAM (Kristin Sudeikis Dance). Regional: MUNY, KC Starlight, PCLO, Walt Disney World. Adjunct Professor at Marymount Manhattan College. @davidpaulkidder IAN LIBERTO (Swing). Broadway: New York, New York, Hello Dolly! (u/s Cornelius, dance captain), Chaplin, How To Succeed…, Billy Elliot (u/s Older Billy), Promises, Promises. National Tours: Mrs. Doubtfire, The Book of Mormon (u/s McKinley, dance captain), Evita (dance captain), A Chorus Line (Bobby), Thoroughly Modern Millie. Regional: Papermill, The Kennedy Center, TUTS, Hollywood Bowl, PCLO, Ogunquit, The Kennedy Center, The Marriott, Ravinia, Gateway. BFA Millikin University. LIBBY LLOYD (Swing). Favorite credits include original Nini in 1st National Tour of Moulin Rouge!, Wicked, Diana OBC (u/s Diana). Off-Broadway: The Wrong Man (MCC) and The MET Gala 2021. Regional: Tuacahn Amphitheater, MTWichita. TV: "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Gratitude to God, my fam, Telsey, and the Talent House. @libby.lloyd MCGEE MADDOX (Ensemble). Former principal dancer and most recently principal guest artist with The National Ballet of Canada. Classical repertoire: Siegfried and Benno (Swan Lake), Albrecht (Giselle), Onegin (Onegin), Romeo and Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet) Prince Charming (Cinderella). Principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, James Kudelka, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, Jiri Kylian, and Alexei Ratmansky. Regional theater: 9 to 5 (Fulton Theatre). Broadway tours: Jerry Mulligan (An American in Paris), The Rum Tum Tugger (Cats). CONNOR MCRORY (Swing) has been a die-hard fan of Smash since day one, and now he's thrilled to bring it to the stage! Broadway: Funny Girl (OBC). Off-Broadway: Trip of Love, Eurydice (The Met Opera). National Tours: Moulin Rouge, Finding Neverland, Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Regional: MUNY, PCLO, Goodspeed Opera, Sacramento Music, Ogunquit Playhouse, MSMT, and more. Proud Penn State grad. @Connormcrory J SAVAGE (Ensemble) is beyond excited to be a part of Smash's long-awaited arrival to the stage! Broadway: Elf, Bad Cinderella. Off-Broadway: Empire, A Sign of Times, and Seesaw. He is also an avid outdoorsman, a vintage Barbie collector, and a singer songwriter. @jasavage5 JAKE TRAMMEL (Ensemble) is an AMDA graduate and just finished swinging The Great Gatsby at Paper Mill Playhouse and on Broadway! He also worked on the Smash workshop as a swing and now makes his ensemble debut! Instagram: @jaketrammel KATIE WEBBER (Ensemble). This is a very full-circle moment, as Katie regularly appeared on both seasons of the original SMASH television series. Katie has had an illustrious career on Broadway for the past 20 years, with Smash being her 10th Broadway show. Katie is a proud mother and also has a passion for health & wellness and is a three-time bestselling plant-based cookbook author. For all things Broadway, healthy cooking, fashion and motherhood, follow @katiewebbernyc SUSAN STROMAN (Director). A five-time Tony Award winning director and choreographer, her work has also been honored with Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Lucille Lortel and a record six Astaire Awards. She directed and choreographed The Producers, winner of a record-making 12 Tony Awards including Best Direction and Best Choreography. She co-created, directed and choreographed the Tony Award winning musical Contact for Lincoln Center Theater, which was honored with an Emmy Award for Live from Lincoln Center. She directed and choreographed the musical The Scottsboro Boys on Broadway and in London's West End, where it was honored with the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical. She recently directed and choreographed the critically acclaimed London West End revival of Crazy for You. Her most recent Broadway productions are the new Delia Ephron play Left on Tenth, the new Kander and Ebb musical New York, New York, and the Selina Fillinger play POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. Other Broadway credits include: Young Frankenstein, Bullets Over Broadway, Oklahoma!, Show Boat, Prince of Broadway, Big Fish, The Music Man, The Frogs, Big, Steel Pier, Picnic, and Crazy for You – winner of the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. Off-Broadway credits include: the Colman Domingo play Dot, The Beast in the Jungle, Flora the Red Menace, And the World Goes 'Round, Happiness and The Last Two People on Earth: An Apocalyptic Vaudeville starring Mandy Patinkin and Taylor Mac. For ten years she choreographed Madison Square Garden's annual spectacular A Christmas Carol by Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut directing and choreographing The Merry Widow, starring Renée Fleming. She choreographed the musical numbers for Larry David's musical Fatwa! on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. She received an Emmy Award nomination for the HBO presentation Liza – Live from Radio City Music Hall, starring Liza Minnelli. She received the American Choreography Award for her work in Columbia Pictures feature film Center Stage. She directed and choreographed the Broadway bound Ahrens/Flaherty musical Little Dancer. She is the recipient of the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater and an inductee of the Theater Hall of Fame in New York City. www.SusanStroman.com JOSHUA BERGASSE (Choreographer) started his career as a young dancer on Broadway and then transitioned to choreography and direction. He is the Emmy Award-winning choreographer for NBC's musical drama "Smash," which will be coming to Broadway this spring. Joshua received a Tony nomination as well as the Astaire Award for his choreography of the Broadway revival, On The Town . He also choreographed the Broadway musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory produced by Warner Bros, as well as the revival of Gigi on Broadway. Joshua directed and choreographed the New York premiere of the re-imagined production of Smokey Joe's Café. He also choreographed Sweet Charity starring Sutton Foster, winning the prestigious Chita Rivera Award for excellence in choreography. For Encores! at New York City Center Josh directed and choreographed I Married An Angel starring NYCB Principal Sara Mearns. Other Encores! include Little Me; It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Superman!; The Golden Apple; and Annie Get Your Gun. Other credits include the Off-Broadway productions of Bomb-itty Of Errors and Cagney; multiple episodes of Fox's „So You Think You Can Dance;" Marvel's "Hawkeye" for Disney+; "Jessica Jones" for Netflix; the feature film Grown Ups 2 with Adam Sandler; Monsterland for Hulu; A Capitol Fourth and "Sinatra: Voice For A Century," both for PBS; multiple productions in Japan and China; and was director, producer and co-choreographer for THE KENNEDY CENTER 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION on PBS. Joshua is an associate artist at Barrington Stage Company and a vice president of the SDC, the union representing stage directors and choreographers. MARC SHAIMAN (Music & Lyrics) is an award-winning lyricist, composer, orchestrator and performer, who has successfully created music and lyrics for TV, films, recordings, and theater since entering show business at the age of 16 in 1976. Shaiman has been OSCAR-nominated seven times (for Mary Poppins Returns, Sleepless In Seattle, Patch Adams, The First Wives Club, The American President, and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut). He has received three TONY Award nominations (winning one for co-writing the score to Hairspray with co-lyricist Scott Wittman), eight GRAMMY Award nominations (winning two for The Original Cast Recordings of Hairspray and Some Like It Hot), twelve EMMY® Award nominations (winning two, for his work on Billy Crystal's Academy Award hosting and for co-writing, with Wittman and Pasek & Paul, "Which Of The Pickwick Triplets Did It?" for "Only Murders In The Building"), two Golden Globe nominations (for the song The Star (co-written with Mariah Carey) and his score for Mary Poppins Returns), and two BAFTA nominations (for Sleepless In Seattle and Mary Poppins Returns). Shaiman's other film work includes Beaches, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, City Slickers, The Addams Family, Addams Family Values, A Few Good Men, Sister Act (1 & 2), George of the Jungle, In and Out, Hocus Pocus" (1 & 2), The Bucket List, Parental Guidance, and Bros. He served as an Executive Producer of the successful film adaptation of his Broadway musical Hairspray. The original musicals he has co-written for Broadway and The West End are Hairspray (Tony and Olivier Award winner for Best Musical), the Tony-nominated Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, the Tony-winning Catch Me If You Can, the Olivier Award-winning Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, and most recently, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Some Like It Hot. The most award-winning musical of last season, Some Like It Hot is currently on tour in North American. Next up is the Broadway version of "Smash," the television show for which Marc & Scott were nominated for two Emmy Awards. Other Broadway credits are composing incidental music for revivals of The Odd Couple (with Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick) and Plaza Suite (starring Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick). Broadway concert credits are "Peter Allen: Up In One," Bette Midler's "Divine Madness," Ellie Greenwich's "Leader Of The Pack," and "Patti LuPone On Broadway." Shaiman has co-produced and arranged award-winning recordings for music icons such as Bette Midler, Harry Connick Jr., and Mariah Carey, including the Grammy-winning recordings "The Wind Beneath My Wings" and "From A Distance." His television ventures include "The Sweeney Sisters" on SNL, countless award and talk show appearances with Billy Crystal, Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Lane, and Martin Short, Jenifer Lewis' "Jackie's Back," the Emmy-winning "SNL 40th," the aforementioned "Smash" and "Rogers: The Musical" for "Marvel's Hawkeye.", the Rob Reiner-directed HBO documentary "Albert Brooks: Defending My Life," "The Kennedy Center Honors," where he arranged and performed in tribute to his friend Billy Crystal, and the aforementioned song "Which Of The Pickwick Triplets Did It," which Steve Martin performed on "Only Murders In The Building." But his most cherished achievement for television is his collaboration with Bette Midler for her Emmy-winning appearance as Johnny Carson's final guest on The Tonight Show. Other performers with whom he has collaborated in concert, cabaret, film, and television include Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Kristin Chenoweth, Eric Clapton, Christine Ebersole, Kathy Griffin, Allison Janney, Jennifer Holliday, Jennifer Hudson, Diane Keaton, Steve Martin, John Mayer, Audra McDonald, Barbra Streisand, Queen Latifah, and Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy, and... Robert De Niro! At the legendary after-party for "SNL 40th," he jammed with Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and Prince and completely lost his mind. In 2014, Shaiman & Wittman were celebrated by the New York Pops with a spectacular concert at Carnegie Hall. Marc was recently honored with the Ambassador Award by the Society of Composers and Lyricists in December 2018, the Icon Award at the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards in February 2019, and an Outstanding Career Achievement Award from The Hollywood Music in Media Awards. SCOTT WITTMAN (Lyrics). Tony, Emmy, two-time Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning lyricist, director, writer, and conceiver, Scott Wittman co-wrote the lyrics for the hit musical Hairspray (Tony, Grammy, Olivier Award winner) with creative partner Marc Shaiman. Wittman also served as an executive producer on the hit film starring John Travolta. Scott was nominated for a Golden Globe, Grammy, and two Emmy Awards for the original songs on NBC's musical drama "Smash." While working on the show, he co-wrote songs for Jennifer Hudson, Uma Thurman, Bernadette Peters, and Liza Minnelli. Shaiman and Wittman's original score for the Marilyn Monroe musical Bombshell was released by Sony Records. Scott's Broadway credits include Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, which he also directed, Catch Me If You Can (Tony nom. for Best Musical), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Broadway and the West End and Some Like it Hot (13 Tony nominations). Scott has created and directed two Broadway shows, and four sold-out Carnegie Hall concerts for Patti LuPone. He has created and directed solo shows for Christine Ebersole and Nathan Lane, as well as writing for Bette Midler's 2015 Divine Intervention World Tour. Off-Broadway, he conceived and directed Jukebox Jackie starring Justin Vivian Bond, Bridget Everett, and Cole Escola at LaMama, Also, Rockbottom with Bridget Everett at The Public Theatre. Scott also co- wrote the score to Disney's Mary Poppins Returns starring Emily Blunt, Lin Manuel Miranda, and Meryl Streep. Directed by Rob Marshall. The song, "The Place Were Lost Things Go" was nominated for an Oscar. He recently joined the Marvel Universe with his song cowritten with Marc Shaiman for Rodgers: The Musical in "Hawkeye." Also, for "Only Murders in the Building," he co-wrote "The Pickwick Triplets" for Steve Martin which recently won an Emmy. The notorious and legendary Downtown shows he directed are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. RICK ELICE (Book) is a four-time Tony Award nominee. His work can currently be seen on Broadway in Water for Elephants, for which he was a 2024 Tony Award nominee for Best Book of a Musical. Jersey Boys, Rick's first Broadway credit, co-authored with Marshall Brickman, won the Tony Award, the Grammy Award and the Olivier Award for Best Musical, and entered the record books as the twelfth longest-running show in Broadway history. With Marshall Brickman and Andrew Lippa, he wrote The Addams Family, starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. For the past eight years, The Addams Family has topped the list of the most-licensed musicals in North America. Rick's first play, Peter and the Starcatcher, won five 2012 Tony Awards. For the past seven years, the play has been among the top ten most-produced plays in North America. Also for Broadway, Rick wrote the two-time Tony-winning The Cher Show, directed by Jason Moore. In addition to Smash, Rick is teaming with Tony Award-winner Bob Martin on The Princess Bride. In the pipeline: Silver Linings Playbook, a musical adaptation of the popular film, directed by Jessica Stone; The Marvels, a musical adaptation of the popular novel, directed by Rebecca Taichman; Harold and the Purple Crayon, an adult adaptation of the iconic children's book with music and lyrics by indie pop band AJR, directed by Maria Friedman; and, with 2021 Ed Kleban Award-winner Benjamin Scheuer, Treasure, an original musical about the rivalry between Charles Darwin and Peter Roget, love, death, madness, and the creation of Roget's Thesaurus. From 1982-1999, Rick was Creative Director at Serino Coyne Inc, the prominent theatrical advertising agency, where he created and produced ad campaigns for more than 300 Broadway shows, from A Chorus Line to The Lion King. From 1999-2009, Rick served as first-ever creative consultant for The Walt Disney Studio. Charter Member, American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Mass. Trustee, The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors' Fund). BA, Cornell University. MFA, Yale School of Drama. Teaching Fellow, Harvard University, 1980-81. Rick's book, Finding Roger, An Improbably Theatrical Love Story, a tribute to his late husband, Roger Rees, is published by Kingswell. BOB MARTIN (Book) works as a writer, performer, and producer in theatre, television, and film internationally. He is co-creator of the beloved musicals The Drowsy Chaperone, Elf, and The Prom, which have garnered critical acclaim and perennial productions worldwide. Mr. Martin has won a number of awards for his work including a Theatre World Award, Drama Desk and a Tony. In the Spring of 2025 Smash and Boop! will open on Broadway shortly followed by a third new musical, Millions, which will premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. Mr. Martin is also the co-creator of the acclaimed television series Slings & Arrows. BEOWULF BORITT (Scenic Design). 33 Broadway designs include the Tony Award winning sets for New York, New York and Act One, the Tony-nominated sets for The Scottsboro Boys, POTUS, Therese Raquin, and Flying Over Sunset. Also on Broadway, Left On Tenth, Our Town, The Piano Lesson, Ohio State Murders. The Old Man and the Pool, Come From Away, Freestyle Love Supreme, Be More Chill, The New One, Bernhardt/Hamlet, Harmony, Meteor Shower, A Bronx Tale, Prince Of Broadway, Hand To God, Sondheim On Sondheim, …Spelling Bee , LoveMusik, Rock Of Ages, Chaplin, On The Town ('14), Sunday In the Park… ('17), Bronx Bombers, Grace, and The Two And Only. 100 Off- Broadway shows include Shakespeare in the Park (Hamlet, Much Ado, Merry Wives, Coriolanus), The Last Five Years, The Connector, Fiddler On The Roof (in Yiddish), Sleepwalk With Me, and Miss Julie. He has designed for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and designed around the world in England, Russia, China, Australia, and Japan. He received a 2007 OBIE Award for sustained excellence. Author: Transforming Space Over Time, about Broadway set design. Founder of The 1/52 Project which provides grants to early career designers from historically excluded groups. ALEJO VIETTI (Costume Design). Broadway: Allegiance (Drama Desk Nomination), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (West End Olivier nomination, Japan, Australia, UK tour and U.S. national tour), Irving Berlin's Holiday Inn. Other New York: Titanique (Lucille Lortel Award, also Australia, Canada and opening on the West End December 2024), works for Radio City Rockettes, Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage, Atlantic Theatre, NY Theatre Workshop, City Center's Encore, NY City Opera, and more. Also, Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame (Japan, Germany and Austria), West Side Story World tour directed by Lonny Price, Annie staring Whoopi Goldberg, and works for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Donesk Opera (Ukraine), and Colorado Ballet among others. Recipient of the 2010 TDF/Irene Sharaff Young Master Award. Instagram @alejo_vietti_costume_design. KEN BILLINGTON (Lighting Design) creates lighting for the theatre, television, interior spaces, and architecture. Among his over 100 Broadway shows are the original production of Sweeney Todd, the current Chicago, the longest-running American musical in history and a hit in over twenty countries, Left on Tenth, New York, New York, Waitress, Act One, Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway, The Scottsboro Boys, White Christmas, Title of Show, Footloose, as well as revivals of My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, Sunday in the Park with George (twice), Annie (twice), and Fiddler on the Roof (three times). As well as 45 Encores productions at the NY City Center. Ken's craft has illuminated many spectacular events and venues; including the Christmas Show at The Radio City Music Hall for 27 years. He has devised the lighting for over 100 opera productions, including the New York City, Houston, Dallas, Chicago and San Francisco Opera, as well as Porgy and Bess for Milan's La Scala, Madrid's Theatro Real, and Paris Opera Bastillle. His architectural lighting has enhanced such landmarks as New York's Tavern on the Green and 54 Below, as well as many other important architectural and interior design projects around the world. Ken's awards include the Tony, the Lumen (architecture), and the Ace (television). In 2015, Ken Billington was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. BRIAN RONAN (Sound Design) has designed the sound Over 45 shows on Broadway. Some are The Great Gatsby, Some Like It Hot, Funny Girl, Mrs. Doubtfire, Tootsie, Mean Girls, Springsteen on Broadway, The Prom, Beautiful, The Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, American Idiot, Promises, Promises, Next to Normal, Curtains and Spring Awakening. Regionally Brian has designed in most of the America's top regional theatres. Brian is the recipient of the Obie, Lucille Lortel, two Drama Desks, an Olivier and two Tony awards. His career has spanned North America, Europe, Australia and Asia and has allowed him to work with the most talented composers, directors, designers, actors, musicians and stagehands in the world for which he is eternally grateful. S KATY TUCKER (Projection Design). Off-Broadway: Letters from Max, a Ritual (Signature), Confidence & the Speech (Theater Row), underneath the bed (Rattlestick); Regional: Love All (La Jolla Playhouse), The Pianist (George Street Playhouse); Opera: Medeá, Eurydice, Florencia en el Amazonas, Verdi's Requiem, Peter Grimes, Prince Igor (Metropolitan Opera), Das Rheingold (Teatro alla Scala), Florencia en el Amazonas (Chicago Lyric Opera, LA Opera, Houston Grand Opera), The Ring Cycle, Heart of a Soldier, The Flying Dutchman, Two Women (San Francisco Opera); Prince Igor (Dutch National Opera); The Ring Cycle, Turandot, Fidelio, MacBeth, Elektra, il Trovatore, Written in Stone, Cosi Fan Tutti, Don Giovanni, Samson and Delilah (Washington National Opera/The Kennedy Center), Orpheus and Eurydice (Seattle Opera) International: Rebecca Das Musical (Vereingte Bühnen Wien), Klangwolke 23 (Brucknerhaus); Artus Excalibur (Theater St Gallen), En Hunds Hartja (Uppsala Stadsteater), Television: For Drew Findley Productions: The Emmy's, AMA Awards, and Netflix Rhythm + Flow 2. Lucille Lortel Nomination for Letters from Max. DOUG BESTERMAN (Orchestrations). Three-time Tony Award winner. Broadway: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Anastasia, A Bronx Tale, It Shoulda Been You, Bullets Over Broadway (Tony nomination), Rocky, On a Clear Day, Sister Act, How To Succeed…(Tony nomination), Elf, Young Frankenstein (Drama Desk nomination), Tarzan, Dracula, Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Tony/Drama Desk Awards), The Producers (2001 Tony/Drama Desk Awards), Seussical, Music Man (Drama Desk/Tony nominations), Fosse (1999 Tony), Big (Drama Desk nomination), Damn Yankees (Drama Desk nomination). International: Crazy For You, Me and My Girl, Guys and Dolls; Upcoming: BOOP!, Death Becomes Her, Schmigadoon (The Musical); Off-Broadway: Carrie, Weird Romance. Regional: Summer Stock, A.D. 16, Little Dancer, Ever After, The Honeymooners, The Sting, Calvin Berger; Film/television: "Schmigadoon," Mary Poppins Returns, Aladdin (2019), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Frozen, Mulan, Chicago. STEPHEN OREMUS (Music Supervision) is the recipient of two Tony Awards for Best Orchestrations for The Book of Mormon and Kinky Boots and two Grammy Awards for Best Musical Theater album for their original cast recordings. For Broadway and worldwide productions, he has served as Music Supervisor/Arranger and/or Orchestrator for Frozen; Kinky Boots; The Book of Mormon; Wicked; Avenue Q, All Shook Up, 9 to 5: The Musical and Off-Broadway's tick, tick…BOOM!. Stephen was the vocal arranger/conductor for the Disney films Frozen and Frozen 2. His TV credits include music director of the 2015 Oscars (Emmy nomination), Annie Live! and The Wiz Live! (NBC), RENT Live! (FOX), A Very WICKED Halloween Special (NBC), and Into the Unknown: The Making of Frozen 2 (Disney Plus). He is the executive music producer of Wicked - Part One (2024) and Wicked - Part Two (2025). ROBERT GREENBLATT (Producer) is a trailblazing television executive and award-winning producer. He ran three networks to record results and is currently executive producer of HBO's The Gilded Age. As Chairman of WarnerMedia, he oversaw HBO and the creation of HBO Max which debuted in 2020 and has amassed over 100 million subscribers. From 2011-2018 he was Chairman of NBC which was #1 for six consecutive seasons with monumental hits such as The Voice, This Is Us, The Good Place, The Blacklist, and Dick Wolf's Chicago trilogy, plus six blockbuster live musicals that began with The Sound of Music Live! (seen by 22 million people) and culminated in the Emmy-winning Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! As President of Showtime, Greenblatt transformed the network with global successes like Dexter, Shameless, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, Californication, Ira Glass' This American Life, and more. He began his career at Fox Broadcasting delivering seminal drama series such as Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, The X-Files, Ally McBeal and the pilot for The Sopranos. His partnership with Dolly Parton led to him to produce the Tony-nominated 9 To 5 The Musical and present two highly-rated Coat of Many Colors movies on NBC. Greenblatt also executive produced Annie Live! (NBC). His many awards include Golden Globe, Peabody, GLAAD, and Producers Guild awards for executive producing Six Feet Under (HBO), four Tony awards, and two Oliviers. He is the proud recipient of GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak award and he is a member of Broadcasting & Television's Hall of Fame. NEIL MERON (Producer) has produced film, television, and theatre in partnership with the late Craig Zadan that have earned a total of six Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, 22 Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, two Grammy Awards, six GLAAD Awards, four NAACP Image Awards and six Tony Awards. Meron's Broadway productions include revivals of Promises, Promises, How to Succeed in Business…, and the Tony-winning Some Like it Hot. He executive produced all of the acclaimed NBC live musicals including The Sound of Music Live!, Peter Pan Live!, The Wiz Live!, Hairspray Live!, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! (for which he won the Emmy), and Annie Live! His motion pictures include Best Picture Oscar-winner Chicago, Hairspray, The Bucket List, Footloose (remake). His many television projects have accrued 149 Emmy nominations, and they include Gypsy (Bette Midler), Cinderella (Whitney Houston, Brandy), Annie (Kathy Bates), Life With Judy Garland (Judy Davis), Serving In Silence (Glenn Close, Judy Davis), Steel Magnolias(Queen Latifah), A Raisin In The Sun (Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad), Flint(Queen Latifah), Patsy And Loretta (Megan Hilty and Jessie Mueller), the Golden Globe-nominated TV series, Smash. He also produced The Oscars for three consecutive years (85th, hosted by Seth MacFarlane; 86th, Ellen DeGeneres; 87th, Neil Patrick Harris). He currently serves as the North American consultant to Andrew Lloyd Webber and his Really Useful Group. STEVEN SPIELBERG (Producer) originated the idea for Smash on television and served as Executive Producer, and Smash is his first Broadway musical as lead producer. He is considered the most successful director/producer in film history and his list of seminal film hits is legendary. He is the recipient of every major honor including four Oscars, three Emmys, numerous Golden Globes, the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Kennedy Center Honor. His prolific list of film and TV productions through DreamWorks and Amblin' is unrivaled. And his philanthropic and humanitarian work is extensive, perhaps best exemplified by his founding of the Shoah Foundation in 1994 whose mission is to use the testimonies of genocide survivors to counteract hatred. |
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