Smash has become the first Broadway show to close following a 2025 Tony Award shut out. The musical will play its final performance on Sunday, June 22, after 32 previews and 84 regular performances at the Imperial Theatre.
Nominated for two Tonys – Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Brookes Ashmanskas) and Best Choreography (Joshua Bergasse) – the musical took home no awards. In the week leading up to the June 8 Tony ceremony, Smash filled only 66% of available seats, with a gross of $656,161.
Producers Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg made the closing announcement today.
The musical opened to mixed, at best, reviews, with many critics taking issue with the convoluted, only modestly funny book and lackluster score. The musical tells the story of the making of a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe.
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Directed by five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman (The Producers), Smash stars Robyn Hurder as “Ivy,” 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,” Nicholas Matos as “Scott” and Megan Kane as “Holly.”
The company includes Wendi Bergamini, Sarah Bowden, Jacob Burns, Deanna Cudjoe, Chelle Denton, Daniel Gaymon, Merritt David Janes, Ndaya Dream Hoskins, David Paul Kidder, Ian Liberto, Libby Lloyd, McGee Maddox, Connor McRory, Jessie Peltier, J Savage, Jake Trammel and Katie Webber.
Based on the 2012 NBC series Smash created by Theresa Rebeck and produced by Universal Television, the musical features a score by Tony, Emmy and two-time Grammy winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Some Like It Hot, Hairspray), who wrote over two dozen songs for the television show, many of which are used in the musical, in addition to new material they have written for the stage. With a book by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher) and Bob Martin (The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone), choreography is by Joshua Bergasse, who choreographed the television series.
Smash on Broadway is produced by Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg. Phil Kenny & Wendy Federman, Roy Furman, Ken Davenport, Mary Maggio, Boardman Cannova Productions, John Gore Organization, Stephanie P. McClelland, Lamar Richardson, No Guarantees Productions, Nick Padgett, Marc David Levine, Willette & Manny Klausner, Rothrockin’ Productions, Robert Sher & Yeoburn, Adam Zell, Scott H. Mauro, Scott Abrams, Paris Keena, Koenigsberg Riley, 42nd.club, Richard Batchelder, Jamie deRoy, Dean Moravis, DMQR Productions, Fakler Stone, Gilad-Rogowsky, Invisible Wall Productions, Jeffrey Grove, Fern Kershon, Jim Kierstead, Lake Cohen Productions, Amanda Lee, Robin Gorman Newman, Andrew Paradis, Arlene Scanlan, Iris Smith, WitzEnd Productions, Matt & Susan Blank, The Broadway Investor’s Club, Ilona Cantor, Jonathan & Rae Corr, Michael B. Cox, Cue to Cue Productions, Jeffrey Finn, Paul Gavriani, Independent Presenters Network, Hunter Johnson, Bill and Sally Martin, Michael Patrick, Sandy Robertson, Janet & Marvin Rosen, Michael Saperstein, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, Jennifer Hudson, Nederlander Presentations, and The Shubert Organization serve as co-producers.
How silly. Give the audiences what they want. Not the critics. I had wanted to see this show so bad and planned a NY trip but now, I don’t think I’ll go.
I think changing the lead could help. But the music from this show is amazing!
I was a diehard fan of the show. Maybe it needs the Midas touch of Kathleen McFee husband David Foster
This is sad for me. I really wanted to see it on Broadway. Smash is a special memory for me. Proud of the producers for making this happen. Sad it didn’t catch fire.
I don’t think many people watched Smash on tv and thought “I’d love a stage musical of this show.” What a lot of people that watched it did think though was “Wow, I’d really love to see a full stage version of “Bombshell.”” They brought the wrong show to life.
Hear hear!
Neil Meron is an unusually kind man. But he has no taste in successful Broadway shows.
Saw it twice. Loved it. Very crowded season with a lotta choices to see big voiced ladies on Broadway this year though.