SMASH 8: The Coup

First, let's define COUP:
• A highly successful, unexpected stroke, act, or move; a clever action or accomplishment
• A brave or reckless deed performed in battle by a single warrior, as touching or striking an enemy warrior without sustaining injury oneself (among the Plains Indians of North America)
• Coup d’état: The sudden overthrow of a government by a usually small group of persons in or previously in positions of authority.
• THE BEST EPISODE OF SMASH SO FAR.

1. I was glad (but surprised) that Michael (Will Chase) was written off; that storyline was going nowhere except the indulgent stroll down the path of an affair & I am glad that energy has been stifled. The character of Michael was pretty boring except for the affair factor. The goodbye scene at the park was nice & much appreciated.
2. I have zero interest in Karen’s boyfriend, Dev (played by Raza Jaffrey). I hate that he actually has a storyline now & am hoping his storyline was only included to serve this episode’s theme of backstabbing. I hope they break up because their scenes seem like a waste of airtime & Karen’s breathy, romantic voice is annoying.
3. I loved Grace Gummer, who guest-starred as Eileen’s daughter Katie. Her acting style was understated with a sense of casual comfort & confidence among the established characters. Her sense of selflessness also served as such a stark contrast to Ivy, Karen, & most of the characters on the show, which was very necessary in light of this episode’s focus on theatre as A Dirty Business.
4. I am growing to like Julia’s son Leo (played by Emory Cohen) more & more; I hope he gets to air time. As children of the production staff, both Leo and Katie offer intriguing perspectives as next-generation, incidental witnesses as the musical comes together.
5. The bowling scene reminded very much of a cheesy, indulgent scene from one of my favorite guilty pleasure movies, Center Stage. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because I love me some cheesy, musical-theatre geeks breaking into dance in public places. This spectacle went pretty far & there was nothing wrong with that.
6. The Failed Experiment: I LOVED IT. I liked the masked chorus members, Karen's towel/toga/Marilyn-dress costume, the jerky choreography, the band on an upstage platform, & the presence of a band rather than a hidden orchestra. The shifting of Marilyn’s bed into prison cell exhibited awesome artistry; this potential production looked like a more enjoyable, engaging piece of theatre. Even more clever was the following image of Karen’s character locked in that same onstage-prison but with the real-life prison of her betrayal sinking in…I’m always a fan of the caged-bird imagery.
7. I think Derek’s contemporary, post-modern, “Marilyn for a New Generation” vision for the musical would be largely more appealing. The confrontation between Tom & Derek was a fierce, fulfilling fight that has been a long-time coming.
8. I can’t take this Ellis storyline seriously. I guess if art causes an emotion to erupt within you, if is effective; this storyline must be artistically warranted since it is SO exasperating. I don’t get why Katie, Eileen’s very vocal daughter, didn’t say something about this sketch weasling in on her mom & clearing riding her coattails with dishonorable intentions. It does re-enforce the notion that Eileen has an intrinsically good, trusting nature, but I find her stupidity frustrating. I also find his faux, new-found protection over Eileen overwhelmingly creepy.
9. Tom & Ivy’s scene was well-written, excellently-acted, & authentic in message. The idea that a new show needs A Star is not unfamiliar or unrealistic in the Broadway community. A perfect example of this is the story of Ms. Stephanie J. Block: in 2000, Block was cast as Elpheba in the workshop of WICKED. She is a talented performer whose performance was well-received, but she was re-cast when the show was slotted to go to Broadway for the same reasons that plagued Ivy: no one knew her name. The role for the Broadway debut went to Idina Menzel, who won the Best Supporting Actress Tony for RENT & was as well-known as a Broadway star can be. The re-casting devastated Block, but she moved on & created a successful career for herself. Ironically enough, Megan Hilty made her Broadway debut understudying Glinda in WICKED, so somehow things have come full-circle. Hilty was so incredibly well-cast in this role; her face translated the reality of accepting a dead dream & I have never once questioned that her character is married to her art. This is undoubtedly derivative of the fact that she is a successful Broadway actress & has an intimate understanding of Ivy's struggle.