In the exclusive clip below, Peters (only somewhat reluctantly) performs a rousing rendition of the classic “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from Gypsy to the delight of Tom, Julia, Karen, and other gawking onlookers from the Marilyn cast and crew. Bernadatte Peters will play Ivy’s mother, Broadway star Leigh Conroy.
“SMASH”
“HELL ON EARTH”
04/02/2012 (10:00PM – 11:00PM) (Monday) : “Hell on Earth” – The team begins their pursuit of a marquee star, as Eileen (Anjelica Huston) charges Tom and Julia (Christian Borle and Debra Messing) with finding a title for the newly reinvigorated musical. Karen (Katharine McPhee) and Ivy (Megan Hilty) find themselves in competition again — this time for an orange juice commercial. Relationship troubles abound, as Frank (Brian d’Arcy James) makes an unwelcome discovery. Jack Davenport, Raza Jaffrey and Jaime Cepero also star.
The Smash: Season 1 Episode Guide has been updated.
Ivy’s famous Broadway mom will make her debut in Monday’s episode of Smash — much to her overshadowed daughter’s dismay — and it looks like she’s also reserved tickets to opening night.
Bernadette Peters, who plays Mama Rose, er, Leigh Conroy, tells TVGuide.com that she’ll return to the set of Smash next week to film the season finale. Is that because she’s attending Ivy’s big night as Marilyn? “I’m in the finale. I come to see my daughter, yes,” Peters says, coyly. (No word on whether it’s a conciliatory visit because, we suspect, Karen winds up clinching the role.)
We talked to Peters about her role on Smash, Karen’s lack of desperation (shouldn’t she be wanting that part a whole lot more?) and the perilous life of a theater performer:
In Smash, you play Ivy’s mom Leigh, a theater grand dame. When she visits a rehearsal for Marilyn, the cast and crew go wild and beg you to perform on the spot. I have to know: Does that happen to you every time you do a new show?
Bernadette Peters: (Laughs.) Well, people don’t say, “Get up and sing me a song!” Actually, people usually a have a lot on their minds when they’re about to start a new show. They’re very gracious and very sweet but they’re concentrating on what they need to do. Now kids, on the other hand, who have less to focus on, can get very, very excited. I can’t recall singing on command for any though.
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder will make his mark on NBC’s Smash this month, guest starring as himself in an episode that also features Katharine McPhee’s Karen performing a song the OneRepublic frontman penned.
In the eighth episode of the Broadway musical drama, airing March 26th, Tedder will cameo when hotshot director Derek (Jack Davenport) asks him to come in and work on a project for him.
The hour will also feature a song the record producer wrote and produced for the series when McPhee performs “Touch Me.” You can check out a clip of “Touch Me” that was aired before the Smash premiere.
The Hollywood Reporter has provided some pictures from the episode featuring Ryan Tedder that can be seen below:
NBC’s musical drama pays homage to Indian movies with an elaborate performance airing April 23. It’s a dream sequence, set to the original song ”A Thousand and One Nights” written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and is triggered by the strained relationship between Karen (Katharine McPhee, pictured) and Dev (Raza Jeffrey). ”They have dinner in an Indian restaurant and there are Bollywood numbers playing in the videos on the wall,” says Smash creator Theresa Rebeck.
”The tension [between Karen and Dev] is kinda being whipped up by [guest star] Uma Thurman, who plays a star joining Marilyn the Musical,” says Smash creator Theresa Rebeck. ”So in the middle of the fight, Karen falls into this fantasy.”
Source: EW.com
Question: Can you please, please, please share some Smash scoop with us?
Ausiello: Someone (a very important someone) gets fired from Marilyn: The Musical in next week’s episode [The Workshop airing March 19th], but it remains unclear if the pink slip will stick. In other news, my dream scenario that has Julia pushing Ellis in front of a fast-charging subway has yet to play out on screen. Maybe producers are saving that crowd-pleasing twist for sweeps.
Nick Jonas obviously hit the right note during his guest-star stint on NBC’s “Smash,” because he’ll be returning to the musical series in the role of Broadway-baby-turned-TV star Lyle West for the series finale on May 14, reports the Hollywood Reporter.
He first came on the “Smash” scene during the series’ fourth episode, and he could have a potentially pivotal role in the production of “Marilyn.” Eileen (Anjelica Huston) approached him to buy a piece of her art in order to fund the musical; however, he instead opted to become an investor with a stake in “Marilyn.”
Even before it was confirmed that he would return, the youngest Jonas brother was optimistic about coming back.
“Lyle’s in this one episode and maybe he’ll come back in the future and be involved in another episode. You definitely could see Lyle pop up,” he said.
So what do you think this means for the musical? Do you think Lyle will take on a larger role in the production of “Marilyn”?
Check out the songs that will be featured in next week’s all-new episode of Smash airing March 19th at 10pm on NBC. We will provide links for audio and purchase very soon.
Check out more songs to come this season on Smash in the Smash Upcoming Music section.
Check out the Smash 1×07 promo video. Synopsis: Everything comes to a head as Eileen (Anjelica Huston), Derek (Jack Davenport) and the team present “Marilyn The Musical” to would-be investors. Ivy (Megan Hilty) is under pressure to perform, while her mother, Broadway star Leigh Conroy (special guest Bernadette Peters), undermines her at every turn. Karen (Katharine McPhee) must decide between the workshop and a meeting with a big-time music producer. Julia (Debra Messing) and Michael (guest star Will Chase) must face up to the consequences of their actions.
