SMASH 9: Hell on Earth

Ivy's Downfall

I loved Ivy’s immediate crumbling upon her return to the chorus; she played the perfect foggy, feathery dilated starlet with a lost sense of footing. I lost a little bit of my interest in Ivy when Karen showed up because I like their feud (and lately Karen has rarely added to her scenes). The female-power moment in Times Square scene felt like a little too much like music video & halted the progression of the storyline. I am curious as to if this is rock bottom for Ivy. I can’t imagine they will allow her to return to Heaven on Earth, so losing her chorus girl role (when it’s all she has left at this point) might be the catalyst for Ivy to make some changes.

THE MAN FIGHT: Husband V. Lover

I was surprised to see Will Chase’s face again. This was a great scene (and would have been an excellent moment to break into song). I was happy for insight into Frank (Julia’s husband) played by Broadway all-star Brian D’Arcy James. It was clever to have him use her notes/words to piece together the puzzle of the affair & I’m glad he got to sing for a minute. I like Julia (and I LOVE her glasses), but I’m glad she got caught & the affair haunts her.

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.