A collection of our favorite reviews from professional news sources.
"Full of big, juicy showstoppers and a cast to die for, SMASH is exactly what we need right now."
The Observer
David Cote
"Cause for celebration! Smash lives up to its name. The great musical comedy no one saw coming.”"
The New York Times
Jesse Green
"A fizzy, fun musical comedy with a phenomenal score! It’s undeniably thrilling to experience these beloved songs on stage. SMASH is, in fact, what you’ve been needing."
"The lead singers were unbelievably talented. A lot of huge surprises came out vocally. The dancing was top-notch, and the energy never really slowed down. It had a humor that the television show lacked.
My favorite part of the night was how the second act cranked it up and took it home to a great finale all the way around!
Id see it again!"
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Broadway.com Customer on May 28, 2025
One word, fantastic!!!
"I loved everything about this play. It had humor, drama, fantastic storytelling, great costumes. Wow. "
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Terri J F from Cincinnati on May 10, 2025
Smashingly Funny!
"So funny! Director was amazing. Ivy’s vocals were not bad everyone else did a great job. Very well casted all the way around. Sets were fantastic.
Simply loved the production! If it comes to Des Moines, I would definitely love to see again."
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Broadway.com Customer on Apr 27, 2025
Unbelievable
"I loved the whole play and the voices were incredible!!"
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Frank V from Pompano Beach on Apr 16, 2025
EXHILARATING
"Very funny with a clever plot line. There was so much talent on that stage. Great musical numbers. I have never been in an audience that displayed that much exuberance. This musical is a must see for theater goers "
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Jack S from Arnold on Apr 8, 2025
One great show!
"The cast was extremely talented!!!!! The dialog and songs were fabulous. Costumes were over the top.....need I say more????!"
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Eileen G from Breezy Point on Mar 31, 2025
Lots of laughs!
"Very talented cast: singing, dancing, lyrics, costumes, set design all top notch. Fun storyline. Sometimes couldn’t make out the words of songs. Wish the show started at 7:00 p.m., but 8:00 was still worth the wait. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Mar 16, 2025
I loved Smash the TV series, I liked Smash the musical
"Smash ended over 10+ years ago and had a loyal following of viewers who more than likely hoped to see a broadway show that aligned with or stayed true to the tv show and/or the concept of “Bombshell.” This show did not do that. I understand what the writers were trying to do i.e., take a new or fresh approach to a drama tv series and turn it into a comedy for stage, but some of that fell flat leaving loyal viewers such as myself a bit confused and disappointed in the final product. I was hoping to see more of a triangle or conflict between Karen, Ivy and the director. All of that conflict was glossed over and instead an assistant director was thrown into the mix to play Marilyn at the last minute and lots of antics with social media. The use of social media on the backdrop seemed out of place and reminded me of Mean Girls or Dear Evan Hanson and really didn’t make much sense to me as to why it was needed in this show. Character names were changed and the placement of some of the more emotional songs were sang in the bar scenes with no context while other songs from the tv soundtrack were completely cut from the show. Performers were great and delivered a stellar performance with the material they were given. Costumes were beautiful. Sets were good. Am I glad to have seen it, yes. Was it funny, yes. But if you are expecting to see a remake or condensed version of the tv show, you won’t. Personally, waiting 10+ years for a stage version, I hoped for something better or more memorable. But with that said, if you are going to a show merely to be entertained, you will. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jun 9, 2025
Great musical numbers and choreography
"I really liked the stage production and music book. The actors were amazing even with having a few stands in during our show which shows just how talented the whole cast is and all the hard work they put into it even though they may not go on. "
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Broadway.com Customer on Jun 7, 2025
Good memories brought to life
"I loved the music. The score. It was familiar for me and well done. The lead playing Ivy Lynn has great tone and is a powerhouse singer. Could have done without the ensemble cast and wish the Karen character was a stronger singer. Overall I did like it a lot. They too the TV show that I loved and made it their own as it should be. Like going down memory lane. Let Me Be Your Star is timeless and so is Don't Say Yes!!"
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Broadway.com Customer on May 29, 2025
Fun and big talent
"The 3 female voices were outstanding. We saw the understudy, but cannot imagine any better."
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Terri Y from St Louis on May 29, 2025
Fun and entertaining! Vocals outstanding!
"The actor who played the director was wonderful. Many LOL moments. I recommend adding it to your Broadway list. "
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Broadway.com Customer on May 26, 2025
Smash is a great time!
"The actors were terrific! The singing and dancing- amazing! We had great seats and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The show exceeded our expectations and we recommend it without reservation. "
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JoAnn D from Glendale on May 5, 2025
Amazing show!
"I love the tv show and was excited to see this play. It was definitely different than the tv show. The story line was almost the same with some changes. It was very funny and the cast was amazing. Whether you saw the TV show or not go see this play. It’s definitely worth seeing. "
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Broadway.com Customer on May 4, 2025
Songs are from the TV series.
"Brooks Ashmanskas was funny and carried the show. Bella Coppola was amazing. It was very funny."
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Tim P from West Fargo on May 1, 2025
Very fun, different from the show
"It’s hard to evaluate the show comparing it to the show. If you do that, then there are musical moments and references you would love, but overall will be disappointed. If you don’t know the show and won’t mind the changes- the show overall is very amusing, funny, performances are great from all actors, and humor is in plenty especially Nigel the director. However, writing is a bit rushed and makes the characters sometimes to fall flat. Not a lot of depth, but a lot of fun! "
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Or Michael D from Mattan on Apr 8, 2025
Tight 2nd act! Confusing 1st act!
"Terrific cast and show! Too much dialogue and not enough music in 1st act. The female leads knocked it out of the park! The 2nd act has an economy of verbiage and sticks to the shows strength in its great score. Will recommend SMASH to friends and family!"
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Broadway.com Customer on Mar 30, 2025
About
Smash
Smash, inspired by the hit TV show, is finally coming to Broadway! A hilarious behind-the-scenes rollercoaster ride about the making of a Marilyn Monroe musical called Bombshell, it’s got all the iconic songs, kick-ass choreography, and backstage pandemonium that make Broadway the beloved institution it is today.
Our cast is stacked, because who better to play a bunch of wannabe Broadway big shots than actual Broadway big shots? Among them: Robyn Hurder, Brooks Ashmanskas, Krysta Rodriguez, Bella Coppola, Jacqueline Arnold, Caroline Bowman, John Behlmann, Kristine Nielsen and Casey Garvin to name just a few.
The production will also be helmed by five-time Tony Award® winner Susan Stroman, and feature a score by Tony, Emmy®, and Grammy Award®-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who wrote over two dozen songs for the television show (many of which will be heard in the musical), a book by Rick Elice and Bob Martin (Tony winner), and choreography by Joshua Bergasse.
