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SMASH - Broadway Show Review
Mar. 21st, 2025 02:00 pmSaw SMASH last night.
First show that I've seen on Broadway since 2019. Also first one in a full theater without a mask since 2019.
I survived. I'm not sick. I was going to wear a mask, but literally no one was.( Read more... )
Wasn't raining when I arrived at 7:40 pm as you can see from the photo above (or not as the case may be). But it was pouring when I exited the theater, the next street over. (We entered on 45th and exited on 46th.)( Read more... )
They had "heightened security" - so I went through this weird metal detector that would turn green to go, and red if it detected metal (which of course it did - I am wearing a watch and have keys, and an umbrella. It's not quite that advanced.) I wasn't permitted to bring in any outside drinks or food into the theater. (Mainly because they wanted to sell it all to me inside, as I quickly discovered. Water cost $6, a small water bottle.)
The seats were surprisingly comfortable, and I had more leg room than expected, in that my knees weren't braced against the seat in front of me.
I was sitting between, a kind older gentleman, who was quiet, and an insanely boisterous young blond tourist who was chatting with her mother through the first number (resulting in sharp glares from those in the seats in front and behind them) and hooted and hollered and applauded throughout.
I kind of wish the audience could restrain itself a tad. But at least it was enjoying itself. And the musical was very funny in places. I roared with laughter during the second act.
The musical is much better than the television series - in part because it is more focused. Also they got rid of a lot of the annoying subplots, such as the adoption subplot, the director sexually harassing both Marilyn actresses, the Angelica Huston and her horrible ex-hubby, and the conflict between the female writer/hubby on who should work, or Karen and her fiancee and their work life balance.
The musical is a comedy about making a musical. The lead decides to hire Marilyn Monroe's acting coach to get into character, and goes all "method", and drives everyone crazy. There's no real competition between Karen and Ivy, Ivy is the lead, Karen is the understudy. It's very "meta" about Broadway and the Theater biz, also social media, which plays a role.
Also, as one of the audience members commented during intermission? It's more of a play with music, than a straight musical? The musical numbers are show numbers that they are rehearsing or doing for the musical. Kind of similar to Stereophonic in concept. We see the rehearsal numbers.
A friend asked me if it was "Marilyn the Musical" or "the series SMASH", and I responded, neither. It's about the making of Marilyn the Musical.
The audience was filled with theater nerds and a lot of obnoxious tourists, many from LA and Ohio. One woman was visiting from Ohio and seeing about ten shows.
Me: So what are you doing in LA? (I meant for work)
Guy: Oh, it's cheaper to live in LA and just fly here and see shows, then to live in NY.
I raise an eyebrow.
I sincerely doubt that's true?
At any rate, it was a mixed bag? The musical was good. The seat was perfect, middle row, orchestra, middle of the row, smack dab in the middle of the theater. But the young woman seating next to me? I wanted to smack.
I've seen a lot of theater in my lifetime? In Kansas City, Sydney, Australia, London, Berlin, Paris, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and this is the first time that I've wanted to smack the person sitting next to me. Or felt the audience was far too loud?
They served snacks and alcohol (in concessions on the way to the restrooms) prior to the show, which was part of the problem. (In the past, they only served wine and water, and at intermission, there was no concessions.) The concessions - caused problems getting to the restrooms during intermission, also meant for an obnoxious audience. The woman sitting next to me was eating peanuts and chips, and slurping wine and stunk of wine and peanuts. It felt like I was at a rock concert or a movie theater? Usually in the theater, you can't buy anything until intermission, and no food is permitted in the theater. They might sell a glass of wine, or water, and souvenirs.
I did learn something? If I want to avoid the tourist trade? Go to plays not musicals. And avoid the popular ones. (I thought I was but clearly not). Maybe do off-Broadway.
First show that I've seen on Broadway since 2019. Also first one in a full theater without a mask since 2019.
I survived. I'm not sick. I was going to wear a mask, but literally no one was.( Read more... )
Wasn't raining when I arrived at 7:40 pm as you can see from the photo above (or not as the case may be). But it was pouring when I exited the theater, the next street over. (We entered on 45th and exited on 46th.)( Read more... )
They had "heightened security" - so I went through this weird metal detector that would turn green to go, and red if it detected metal (which of course it did - I am wearing a watch and have keys, and an umbrella. It's not quite that advanced.) I wasn't permitted to bring in any outside drinks or food into the theater. (Mainly because they wanted to sell it all to me inside, as I quickly discovered. Water cost $6, a small water bottle.)
The seats were surprisingly comfortable, and I had more leg room than expected, in that my knees weren't braced against the seat in front of me.
I was sitting between, a kind older gentleman, who was quiet, and an insanely boisterous young blond tourist who was chatting with her mother through the first number (resulting in sharp glares from those in the seats in front and behind them) and hooted and hollered and applauded throughout.
I kind of wish the audience could restrain itself a tad. But at least it was enjoying itself. And the musical was very funny in places. I roared with laughter during the second act.
The musical is much better than the television series - in part because it is more focused. Also they got rid of a lot of the annoying subplots, such as the adoption subplot, the director sexually harassing both Marilyn actresses, the Angelica Huston and her horrible ex-hubby, and the conflict between the female writer/hubby on who should work, or Karen and her fiancee and their work life balance.
The musical is a comedy about making a musical. The lead decides to hire Marilyn Monroe's acting coach to get into character, and goes all "method", and drives everyone crazy. There's no real competition between Karen and Ivy, Ivy is the lead, Karen is the understudy. It's very "meta" about Broadway and the Theater biz, also social media, which plays a role.
Also, as one of the audience members commented during intermission? It's more of a play with music, than a straight musical? The musical numbers are show numbers that they are rehearsing or doing for the musical. Kind of similar to Stereophonic in concept. We see the rehearsal numbers.
A friend asked me if it was "Marilyn the Musical" or "the series SMASH", and I responded, neither. It's about the making of Marilyn the Musical.
The audience was filled with theater nerds and a lot of obnoxious tourists, many from LA and Ohio. One woman was visiting from Ohio and seeing about ten shows.
Me: So what are you doing in LA? (I meant for work)
Guy: Oh, it's cheaper to live in LA and just fly here and see shows, then to live in NY.
I raise an eyebrow.
I sincerely doubt that's true?
At any rate, it was a mixed bag? The musical was good. The seat was perfect, middle row, orchestra, middle of the row, smack dab in the middle of the theater. But the young woman seating next to me? I wanted to smack.
I've seen a lot of theater in my lifetime? In Kansas City, Sydney, Australia, London, Berlin, Paris, Colorado Springs, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and this is the first time that I've wanted to smack the person sitting next to me. Or felt the audience was far too loud?
They served snacks and alcohol (in concessions on the way to the restrooms) prior to the show, which was part of the problem. (In the past, they only served wine and water, and at intermission, there was no concessions.) The concessions - caused problems getting to the restrooms during intermission, also meant for an obnoxious audience. The woman sitting next to me was eating peanuts and chips, and slurping wine and stunk of wine and peanuts. It felt like I was at a rock concert or a movie theater? Usually in the theater, you can't buy anything until intermission, and no food is permitted in the theater. They might sell a glass of wine, or water, and souvenirs.
I did learn something? If I want to avoid the tourist trade? Go to plays not musicals. And avoid the popular ones. (I thought I was but clearly not). Maybe do off-Broadway.