'Smash' hopes Broadway makes TV musical miracle

Professional producer Steven Spielberg and producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are behind NBC's 'Smash.'There's no denying that musical television is getting its day under the sun. With shows for example "Glee," "The American Idol Show,Inch "The Voice" and "DwtsInch one of the most popular in primetime, it's really no surprise that systems are greenlighting more music-based programming.Buzzed about within the coming fall months are NBC's "Smash," which has a team of heavy players behind it, including Steven Spielberg as co-executive producer together with Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (producers of "Chicago" and "Hairspray"), famous songwriting duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Broadway's "Catch Me if you're able to,Inch "Hairspray") and playwright Theresa Rebeck, who is also mind author. The show, that will begin airing midseason with "The Voice" since it's lead-in, goes behind the curtain of the Broadway musical in line with the existence of Lana Turner, and stars Debra Playing and Christian Borle because the musical's designers and songwriting team. "The American Idol ShowInch alumna Katharine McPhee plays an ambitious youthful actress-singer competing for that title role, and Anjelica Huston stars because the musical's producer. "It's basically a place of work drama and the middle of it's about the building of a musical," describes Rebeck, who's mining her very own existence as inspiration for Messing's character. "It is a very dynamic, intriguing and complicated world. I believe it is a world that includes a lot of great interest for America. It's kind of like 'The West Wing' with music because that world had really intelligent, passionate people inside it.InchWittman adds: "It comes down to the theater and those that inhabit it and surround it. It is a new arena as well as an interesting inside look that individuals might not learn about hpv warts and all sorts of.InchThe pilot is incorporated in the can, and includes three original tunes by Wittman and Shaiman, in addition to a tune by Christina Aguilera, sang by McPhee's character at her audition for that "Marilyn" musical.Based on Shaiman, popular tunes will have as large a job within the show as original tunes. "The slots for existing, contemporary tunes is going to be as vital within the storytelling because the original theatrical tunes," he states. "All the tunes presented every week will state or discuss what are you doing psychologically using the figures."Deals for "Smash" soundtracks in addition to a solo cope with McPhee have been in place with Columbia Records, that also has got the privileges to "Glee's" soundtracks which have offered a lot more than tens of millions of copies worldwide. Columbia Records chairman Steve Barnett states it is a natural fit because of the label's effective history with platform soundtracks. "I believe 'Smash' is a component of the new trend in music television in which the music drives figures and story lines instead of being part of the backdrop color," he notes. "The tunes co-star using the stars and also the narrative, making this an chance for all of us to reveal great tunes of history and offer all genres to some broad TV audience." Rebeck thinks series like "Glee" have assisted open the doorway for "Smash." "We owe an excellent debt to individuals shows, which paved the best way to doing something similar to this," she states. "What we are attempting to do is meld the musical form for an hour-lengthy drama. 'Glee' would be a great precursor we are essentially creating a slightly different dramatic world around the concept that tunes can exist together with drama inside a tv program.InchWittman adds that "Smash's" theme appeals to some broad demographic. "Theater includes old pros and new upstarts therefore it cuts a large swath," he states, before chuckling, "And hopefully we are able to even get Anjelica Huston to sing. That's our goal." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com