Kristen Baldwin’s April 10, 2025, review for Entertainment Weekly gives Broadway’s Smash an A−: she finds that the much-mocked NBC drama’s backstage story works as an exuberant musical, even if the second act feels rushed. Her central point is that the stage show turns the series’ fictional production of Bombshell, a musical about Marilyn Monroe, into both Broadway satire and Broadway celebration—and that newcomers can enjoy it without knowing the television show.
What the Broadway musical adapts
The stage Smash takes its premise from the NBC series: the making of Bombshell, a fictional musical about Marilyn Monroe. It does not simply reproduce the television plot. Book writers Bob Martin and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, reshape the characters and their relationships for the stage.
One notable change is the relationship between its performers. Ivy Lynn is already an established Broadway actor, while Karen is her friend and frequent understudy; the two are not framed around the same central rivalry for the Marilyn role that drove much of the TV series. The production also mines comedy from a creative team racing toward opening night, an acting coach, and online influencers watching the show take shape.
For viewers who remember the series, songs including “Let Me Be Your Star,” “National Pastime,” “Second Hand White Baby Grand,” “The 20th Century Fox Mambo,” and “They Just Keep Moving the Line” provide familiar touchstones, now performed live.
#1 Best Overall
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Why Baldwin gives it an A−
Baldwin’s enthusiasm rests on the adaptation’s ability to make an intentionally heightened backstage premise feel at home in a theater. She praises the cast and strong vocals, as well as the design and projections, and describes the result as energetic satire that also takes pleasure in Broadway’s theatricality. Hearing the series’ songs performed live is part of the appeal, not just a reference for longtime fans.
Her verdict is emphatically affectionate: “As much as I loved that mess on NBC, it’s clear Smash belonged on Broadway all along.” That is Baldwin’s critical judgment, not a claim that every reviewer agreed.
Rank #2
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Where the show may lose momentum
Baldwin’s main reservation is the second act, which she finds rushed and disjointed. That weakness matters because the show is juggling satire, character relationships, a backstage opening-night scramble, and the pleasures of a big musical. For her, the production’s theatrical energy and performers outweigh the uneven pacing; viewers who prioritize a tightly coherent story may be less persuaded.
How other opening-night critics differed
Other critics also responded to the production’s theatricality, score, and cast, but their reactions show that the balance of comedy, story, and characterization was contentious. The New York Times’ Jesse Green called it “a sterling example” of musical comedy. The Guardian’s Adrian Horton described it as an entertaining, self-aware musical about theater’s agony and ecstasy. Vulture’s Jackson McHenry, by contrast, objected to what he saw as a safer ending. These are distinct critical readings, not a single consensus.
Rank #3
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BroadwayWorld’s roundup page listed 6 positive, 12 mixed, and 2 negative reviews when accessed. That is a snapshot of the reviews gathered on that page, not a general measure of audience response or a permanent score. The roundup records previews at the Imperial Theatre beginning March 11, 2025, and an opening date of April 10, 2025; it does not establish whether the production is currently running.
Can you enjoy Smash without seeing the TV series?
Yes, according to Baldwin. The stage version supplies its own backstage setup and does not require viewers to know the series’ episodes or character history. Familiarity adds recognition—the returning songs and the show-business premise carry extra resonance for fans—but the review presents that as a bonus rather than a prerequisite.
Rank #4
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Who is most likely to enjoy this version?
The production’s appeal depends on what you want from the story. If you enjoy big performances, recognizable songs, theatrical design, and comedy about the machinery of putting on a show, Baldwin’s review suggests the stage version delivers those pleasures. If your priority is narrative consistency, tonal balance, or a close continuation of the television plot, the changed relationships and reported second-act rush are relevant cautions.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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