It seems like a lifetime ago that I was obsessed with Smash on TV. The backstage lives of Broadway wannabes and icons alike was like a weekly drug. And that was just watching it to see who I recognized! Add to it the compelling story about getting a musical about Marilyn Monroe (and later a more modern musical) to the Great White Way, with a banging score and sexy choreography, and this theater lover was thrilled each week.
Now, after years of hints, a concert and SRO staged readings, Smash is finally, inevitably, on Broadway. Focusing only on Bombshell, the Marilyn musical, the show is now in previews and is soon to open. I suspect that no matter what the advertising looks like, the TV show's fans will flock to the Imperial. But what about other potential ticket buyers?
2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos:
Smash
The title work and font seem pretty obvious - giant marquee letters, bright red and glowing bulbs. All of them lit seems to imply that the show in question is an unqualified success...a smash. (I could have sworn an earlier iteration had some bulbs unlit and/or missing...)
The taglines cover a lot of ground in terms of content, while giving, possibly, some shade to the banality of Broadway taglines. The first, "The Bombshell Is About to Drop" is clever word play - "Bombshell" in a musical about Marilyn Monroe, the quintessential blonde bombshell; "about to drop", like a bomb being dropped set to explode; the theatrical meaning: a flop show. Perhaps most importantly, it's an in-joke/signal to fans that the show will be about everything but that other "show" within the TV show, Hit List. The second tagline, "A Comedy About a Musical" is certainly a play on that most usual of such things, "A Musical Comedy." It also lets audiences know that the intent here is fun, not drama.
The chief imagery used on the Playbill and window card is far more interesting and clever that the taglines it illustrates. The black and white image allows the title of the show stand out, cleverly perched atop the Imperial's 45th Street marquee/box office entrance. A closer look shows the bombshell tagline, and just below that, a cheeky play on the ubiquitous need to use pull quotes. I love that sense of meta humor. The rest of the busy image does a great deal of work. It's a red carpet opening with celebs and paparazzi all vying for our attention. One glance at it tells a passerby all they need to know: Marilyn has arrived in her iconic skirt blowing up pose while adoring fans look on and the photographers get their shot. But sharp-eyed fans will really see more, and it also tells the story of the show. Robyn Hurder in opening night gown glares at "Marilyn" who is taking her role and her spotlight. The principal cast, in character, also look on - Brooks, Krysta, Kristine (with fan blowing wind up her skirt), John, etc. And in a really fun, insider twist, the "paparazzi" includes actual theater writers, interviewers and influencers. (My invite must have gotten lost in the mail...)
All of this combined makes a doozy of a show logo. One of my favorites of the season, really. But if you follow any of the chat rooms and other social media, you know that so far, the show is not exactly coming across as a smash. So when I saw the show art below, I couldn't decide if they are cheekily acknowledging public opinion (it would match the tone of their other taglines) or if they are really tempting fate...