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Similar Smash, Smash Lab, Will & Grace, The Starter Wife | ||
Smash is a musical-drama television series, broadcast on NBC since February 6, 2012. Smash features an ensemble cast, with 13 regular cast members over the course of two seasons.
Contents
- Julia Houston
- Derek Wills
- Karen Cartwright
- Tom Levitt
- Ivy Lynn
- Eileen Rand
- Ellis Boyd
- Dev Sundaram
- Frank Houston
- Sam Strickland
- Jimmy Collins
- Kyle Bishop
- Ana Vargas
- Lyle West
- Leigh Conroy
- Rebecca Duvall
- Veronica Moore
- Terrence Falls
- Recurring characters
- Cameos
- References
The show is about the creation of Broadway musicals. The first season revolves around the creation of Bombshell, a musical about the life of Marilyn Monroe. The second season follows Bombshell's road to Broadway, and introduces a new musical, Hit List.
Julia Houston
Debra Messing portrays Julia Houston, a successful Broadway lyricist and Bombshell's co-writer. She is married with a son, but had an affair with Michael Swift, who played Joe DiMaggio in the initial Bombshell workshop. She initially reconciles with her husband Frank, but they decide to get a divorce early in the second season. Houston is based on creator Theresa Rebeck.
Derek Wills
Jack Davenport portrays Derek Wills, the director and choreographer of Bombshell (in Season 1), who will stop at nothing to make the show a success. He has an on-and-off relationship with Bombshell star Ivy Lynn, though he has also shown interest in Karen Cartwright and had a physical relationship with Rebecca Duvall during the Boston preview before she left the show. In Season 2, he quits Bombshell and becomes the director and choreographer of Hit List.
Karen Cartwright
Katharine McPhee portrays Karen Cartwright, an ingenue from Iowa, who lands a successful audition and becomes a serious contender for the role of Monroe in Bombshell. Somewhat new to show business, her naiveté is generally scorned by her peers, though her talent is rarely called into question. She played Marilyn for the Boston preview, when Rebecca Duvall left. In season two, breaks up with Dev, her boyfriend, and begins seeing Jimmy Collins. She leaves Bombshell and joins Hit List.
Tom Levitt
Christian Borle portrays Tom Levitt, a theatrical composer and Julia's longtime songwriting partner. He and Derek Wills have an acrimonious relationship stemming from a business fallout 11 years ago. Tom, who is gay, briefly dates a Republican lawyer but later becomes attracted to Sam Strickland, a dancer in the ensemble of Bombshell. In Season 2, Tom and Sam break up and Tom becomes the director of Bombshell after Derek quits.
Ivy Lynn
Megan Hilty portrays Ivy Lynn, a seasoned performer who, at the beginning of the series, is working in the ensemble of Heaven On Earth, a Broadway musical that Tom and Julia wrote. Ivy is favored by nearly everyone on board with the production to play Marilyn Monroe in Bombshell, but after the workshop flops, she is replaced by a big movie star. Throughout the show, she's in an on-and-off relationship with the Bombshell director/choreographer Derek Wills and finds herself constantly competing with Karen in many different situations, eventually losing the role of Marilyn to her for the Boston previews. In the second season, she contemplates leaving show business, after Karen has her fired from Bombshell. She eventually decides to pursue other career options. She gets the female lead in Liaisons, but it ends up being a mess and closes. Karen leaves Bombshell about the same time for Hit List and Ivy takes back the lead of Bombshell. In "The Transfer," she learns she is pregnant.
Eileen Rand
Anjelica Huston portrays Eileen Rand, Bombshell's tenacious producer, who is dealing with divorce proceedings from her husband, Jerry, which could threaten the musical and forces her to think outside the box in securing funds for the show. A running gag throughout the series is Eileen throwing drinks into Jerry's face. In the first season, she begins a relationship with bartender, Nick, who later provides funding needed to get the show on Broadway. They lose funding early in the second season because the money is dirty and Nick goes to jail and ends their relationship. Because of the funding issue, Eileen briefly steps down as producer with Jerry stepping in. She gets the position back and starts to date a New York Times columnist
Ellis Boyd
Jaime Cepero portrays Ellis Boyd, Tom's and later Eileen's conniving personal assistant during the first season, who is attempting to receive credit for Bombshell and make his way as a show producer. As the first season continues, Ellis, convinced his suggestion of Marilyn created the show, takes more steps to be recognized as a producer, including giving Rebecca a drink mixed with peanuts, which she is allergic to, in order to remove her as the star. He boasts of this to Eileen as proof of his skills but she responds by firing him. Cepero did not return for season 2, though he makes small appearance in Episode 11 of season 2 during Tom's nightmare.
Dev Sundaram
Raza Jaffrey portrays Dev Sundaram, Karen's live-in boyfriend, who works in the office of the New York City mayor's press secretary who ultimately forces her to choose between their relationship or her career. He proposes marriage but when Karen is unsure, Dev sleeps with Ivy. Ivy tells Karen of their encounter and an angry Karen breaks up with Dev. Jaffrey did not return as part of the main cast for season 2.
Frank Houston
Brian d'Arcy James portrays Frank Houston, Julia's husband and a high-school chemistry teacher, who wishes that Julia would spend more time at home. He was upset when she confessed to her affair with Michael Swift and more so when he confronted Swift and learned Julia had cheated on him earlier in the marriage. They separated but eventually reconciled. However, they decide to get a divorce in the second season. Julia makes good with Frank in the series finale and they both go easy with their divorce proceedings. James was credited as recurring in Season 1's pilot, but was promoted to regular from episode 2. James did not return as part of the main cast for season 2.
Sam Strickland
Leslie Odom, Jr. portrays Sam Strickland, an ensemble member, a good friend of Ivy who is gay and very much into sports. Due to their mutual friendship with Ivy, he forms a connection with Tom. Sam and Tom break up in Season 2 as Sam takes a role in a touring production of The Book of Mormon. Sam returns to town and quits the Mormon job, but can only get a temporary position in Bombshell. Initially recurring, Odom joins the main cast in season 2.
Jimmy Collins
Jeremy Jordan portrays Jimmy Collins, a young songwriter from Brooklyn with a troubled past. He has an aggressive temperament and owes thousands of dollars to his former drug lord. He and his roommate Kyle are writing a new musical, Hit List, for which they enlist Karen's help. Jordan joined the cast at the start of season 2.
Kyle Bishop
Andy Mientus portrays Kyle Bishop, a Jonathan Larson-like poor kid from Brooklyn with dreams of writing for Broadway. He and Jimmy are writing a musical Hit List. He wrote the book, and Jimmy wrote the music. He and Jimmy are childhood friends. Kyle saved Jimmy from his self-destruction and drug use. They have an apartment together. He is, however, has a crush on Jimmy. He begins dating the lighting technician for Hit List, Blake. However, a starstruck Kyle begins an affair with Tom Levitt after the Bombshell premiere. He dies after being hit by a car. They dim the lights at the theatre for him. He, post-humously wins the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. Jimmy gives a speech honoring him. Mientus joined the cast at the start of the second season.
Ana Vargas
Krysta Rodriguez portrays Ana Vargas, Karen's new roommate and old friend who is looking for her big break and joins Hit List. Rodriguez became a part of the cast in season 2.
Lyle West
Nick Jonas portrays Lyle West, a former child star who got his start in a show written by Tom and directed by Derek. He is a potential investor for Bombshell.
Leigh Conroy
Bernadette Peters portrays Leigh Conroy, former stage actress and Ivy's mother. She eventually joins the cast of Bombshell, as the mother of Marilyn Monroe.
Rebecca Duvall
Uma Thurman (1x10–1x14) portrays Rebecca Duvall, a Hollywood actress who wants to star in Bombshell despite having limited musical ability. Initially, the team behind Bombshell are intent on pandering to Rebecca's celebrity status, but grow increasingly exasperated by her unprofessional behavior. After the first preview, Rebecca is hospitalized after Ellis slips peanuts, which she is allergic to, in her smoothie. She eventually backs out of the show.
Veronica Moore
Jennifer Hudson (Season 2) portrays Veronica Moore, a Tony Award-winning Broadway star who has had to pay a price to reach her Broadway dream.
Terrence Falls
Sean Hayes (Season 2) portrays Terrence Falls, a comedic television and film star who is making his Broadway debut in the musical Liaisons, based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses.