Hit List is an American musical with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Drew Gasparini, Joe Iconis, Andrew McMahon, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, and Lucie Silvas and a book by Julia Brownell, based on the original fictitious musical from the second season of the NBC television series Smash.
Within the television series Hit List is created by characters Jimmy Collins (Jeremy Jordan) and Kyle Bishop (Andy Mientus). Hit List centers around three characters, Amanda, Jesse and "The Diva", as they seek to attain and hold onto fame. Amanda is portrayed by Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee), Jesse by Jimmy Collins and The Diva by Ana Vargas (Krysta Rodriguez).
On October 15, 2013, New York City venue 54 Below announced plans to stage Hit List in concert format. Jordan, Mientus and Rodriguez each appeared, with Carrie Manolakos standing in for McPhee. The musical's original concert production opened on December 8, 2013 and closed December 9, 2013 after 3 regular performances.
Development Hit List was created for season two of Smash, intended to be a rival production to Bombshell, the Marilyn Monroe biographical musical created for season one. Drew Gasparini, Joe Iconis, Andrew McMahon, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and Lucie Silvas created the material for the fictional musical.Smash Fans, Rejoice! Hit List to Debut at 54 Below, Starring Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez & Andy Mientus Smash season two showrunner Joshua Safran envisioned Hit List as a "scrappy underdog" to the senior Bombshell, taking inspiration from the 2005 documentary film ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway, and from Broadway seasons which saw Wicked head-to-head with Avenue Q and Billy Elliot in competition with Next to Normal.
Safran wanted the sound of the second musical to completely contrast with that of Bombshell so he turned to rising theater writers. The first two songs selected for Hit List were "Broadway, Here I Come" and "The Goodbye Song", both by Joe Iconis. "So, in a very strange way, those songs actually created Hit List", Safran stated. He described Hit List as being about "really deal[ing] with the power of fame these days in the music industry or the arts. And the idea that in order to be somebody, you have to pretend to be somebody else."
Fictional genesis Karen Cartwright overhears Jimmy Collins performing "Broadway Here I Come" and calls director Derek Wills (Jack Davenport) to listen.Smash Season 2 episode 1, "On Broadway" She offers to introduce Jimmy and his writing partner, Kyle Bishop, to Derek. Jimmy initially refuses but at Kyle's urging he relents.Smash Season 2 episode 2, "The Fallout" The pair pitches the musical, about a poor boy with songwriting talent who falls for a rich girl who steals his songs. Derek agrees to help shape the musical, to be called Hit List.Smash Season 2 episode 3, "The Dramaturg"
At Derek's suggestion, Jimmy and Kyle put together a workshop production of Hit List for the New York Fringe Festival. They do a read-through for friends, which is a disaster because of Kyle's weak book.Smash Season 2 episode 5, "The Read-Through" They press on with the Fringe presentation but Karen's commitment to Bombshell prevents her from appearing. The first staging is poorly received but Karen clandestinely appears in the second staging, which is applauded. With the success Derek sees the potential and attaches himself to the show as director.Smash Season 2 episode 6, "The Fringe"
Following a successful audition, Manhattan Theatre Workshop director Scott Nichols (Jesse L. Martin) offers to stage Hit List on his venue's "underground" stage. Karen withdraws from the role of Marilyn Monroe in Bombshell and joins the cast of Hit List as Amanda/Nina.Smash Season 2 episode 7, "Musical Chairs" After an impromptu audition in a bar, Ana secures the role of The Diva.Smash Season 2 episode 9. "The Parents" With the book still in trouble, Scott and Derek enlist Julia Houston (Debra Messing) to serve as dramaturg for Hit List.Smash Season 2 episode 10, "The Surprise Party"
Hit List opens on the main stage at the Manhattan Theatre Project to excellent reviews. Broadway producer Jerry Rand (Michael Cristofer) commits to transferring it to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway.54 Below Adds Dec. 8 Hit List Concert, Based on Fictional "Smash" Musical Jimmy's volatile attitude gets him fired from the production.
The night before Hit List is slated to open Off-Broadway, Kyle is struck by a car and killed.Smash Season 2 episode 13, "The Producers" Grief-stricken, the company decides to open anyway, performing a concert version of the show as a tribute. Moments after the show begins, Jimmy arrives and re-assumes the role of Jesse, performing "The Love I Meant to Say". The company then launches into the fully staged show.Smash Season 2 episode 14, "The Phenomenon"
With Hit List running on Broadway, a member of the company named Daisy Parker (Mara Davi) blackmails Derek with threats of a sexual harassment lawsuit unless he gives her the role of The Diva. To avoid scandal, Derek capitulates,Smash Season 2 episode 15, "The Transfer", leading Ana to threaten legal action.Smash Season 2 episode 16, "The Nominations"
Hit List is nominated for 13 Tony Awards, facing off against rival show Bombshell (nominated in 12 categories). Hit List wins seven awards, including a posthumous Best Book Tony for Kyle, but loses Best Musical to Bombshell. Karen loses Best Actress to Ivy Lynn (Megan Hilty) in the role of Marilyn.Smash Season 2 episode 17, "The Tonys"
Comparisons to Rent Critics noted the similarities between Hit List and Kyle Bishop and the musical Rent and its creator, Jonathan Larson. Like Hit List, Rent premiered in a workshop setting and transferred (although Rent went first to an Off-Broadway venue before going to Broadway). The morning before the show's Off-Broadway premiere, Larson died suddenly but the cast opened the show as scheduled. Like Kyle Bishop, Larson posthumously won the Tony Award for Best Book for a Musical (also Best Score). These parallels were intentional.
Two recurring cast members of Smash, Jesse L. Martin and Daphne Rubin-Vega, were also in the original cast of Rent. Joshua Safran, who was associated with Rent through his ex-boyfriend Anthony Rapp, consulted with both actors to be sure they felt that the story was appropriate and not exploitative. "If Daphne or Jesse had said, 'We feel like this story is in poor taste,' or, 'We don’t think you should do this story,' we’d [have pulled] the plug on it ... Also, because I know them from back in the day — I lived with them ... I think they also felt like I had a connection to that history, and what I was doing was writing my life, in a way."Born To Die: Why "Smash" Killed Off A Fan Favorite Character
Andy Mientus has performed in Rent and was also aware of the parallels between his character and Larson. He was nervous about playing the parallels because of his connection to the show but hoped that it mirrored Larson's "enthusiasm and his light and positivity in a way that [made] that parallel something that’s a tribute and not exploitative. It’s about this kid who loves this art form more than anything, and has worked so hard and struggled so much to get the show to where it is, and then can’t be there to see it through. Hopefully that’s the story that we’re telling."Smash's Andy Mientus Talks Kyle's [Spoiler], Hit List's Rent Parallels and Jimmy's Redemption
Real-world staging Safran initially expressed interest in staging a real-world version of Hit List during the second season. "We all talk about doing a Hit List concert at Joe's Pub, which everyone wants to do ... and if I did, I would use some of the songs we never used." Following a performance of the song "Broadway, Here I Come" on Smash, 54 Below artistic director Jennifer Ashley Tepper contacted Safran via the social networking site Twitter. Tepper had previously collaborated with Joe Iconis, who wrote "Broadway, Here I Come".How “Hit List” Became A Real-Life Musical
On October 15, 2013, it was announced that Hit List would be staged in concert format at 54 Below for two performances on December 9. Tickets for both shows sold out in under an hour. Because of the high demand, an additional performance was scheduled for December 8. The concerts, under the musical direction of Benjamin Rauhala, was presented by Safran and Tepper, with a book written by screenwriter Julia Brownell. Smash stars Jeremy Jordan, Andy Mientus and Krysta Rodriguez performed as "Jesse", "Nick" and "The Diva" respectively. Katharine McPhee, whose character Karen Cartwright starred in the fictional Hit List, was unavailable; her role of "Amanda" was performed by Carrie Manolakos, who had recorded several demo versions of songs performed on Smash.An Encore for the ‘Smash’ That Wasn’t Completing the cast are Molly Hager, Eric Michael Krop, Julia Mattison, Monet Julia Sabel, and Eric William Morris.Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez, Andy Mientus, Carrie Manolakos Bring "Smash" Musical Hit List to Life Dec. 8-9 at 54 Below
Songs that Safran had intended to use on Smash but did not were incorporated into the show, including "Anymore", "The Guide to Success"Ten things you missed when a New York theater put on 'Hit List' -- a musical from 'Smash' and "Haddonfield, 15 Years Later" by Iconis, "Calling Out My Name" by Lucie Silvas, "If I Had You" by Gasparini and "Swim" by McMahon.Jeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez, Andy Mientus, Carrie Manolakos Prove to Be a "Smash" in 54 Below's Hit List Concert Hit List features 19 songs in total. Both Jordan and Rodriguez noted that the Hit List material when it appeared in Smash was more geared to advancing the Smash stories and characters rather than those of Hit List. With the live staging some songs were performed by different characters from those who performed them for the series.When 'Hit List' Got Another Shot At An Audience
Productions Original 54 Below Concert Production After creating a cult-like following from the television show, Hit List opened for a three show engagement at 54 Below on December 8, 2013 through December 9, 2013. The production was musically directed by Benjamin Rauhala, orchestrated by Charlie Rosen, and presented by Julia Brownell, Joshua Safran, and Jennifer Ashley Tepper. The original concert cast included Jeremy Jordan and Carrie Manolakos in the lead roles of Jesse and Amanda. The cast also featured Krysta Rodriguez as The Diva, Andy Mientus as Nick, and Eric William Morris as JB.
Synopsis (2013 Concert Version)
Setting: New York City, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, Modern Day
Act I
The Diva attends Nina Hope's concert. She walks toward the stage, raises a gun and pulls the trigger ("Broadway, Here I Come (Pre-Reprise)").