NewsJeremy Jordan, Krysta Rodriguez, Andy Mientus, Carrie Manolakos Bring "Smash" Musical Hit List to Life Dec. 8-9 at 54 BelowHit List — the fictional musical from the NBC television drama "Smash" that was written by the characters of Jimmy Collins and Kyle Bishop, played on the series by Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan and Andy Mientus, respectively — comes to life at 54 Below. Concert versions of the musical are offered Dec. 8-9.
By
Michael Gioia
December 08, 2013
Katharine McPhee and Jeremy Jordan as imagined by Derek for Hit List.Photo by Will Hart/NBC
The concerts, which sold out within one hour of tickets being on sale, are held Dec. 8 at 11:30 PM and Dec. 9 at 9:30 PM and 11:30 PM. Aaron Tveit's solo engagement at 54 Below still holds the record for fastest selling time at five minutes.
Hit List stars Jordan (Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde), Mientus (Carrie), Krysta Rodriguez (First Date) — who bring to life the characters they created on the NBC musical drama "Smash" — and Carrie Manolakos (Mamma Mia!).
The Hit List concerts are presented by Julia Brownell, Joshua Safran (executive producer and showrunner of the second season of "Smash") and Jennifer Ashley Tepper. Read the Playbill.com Brief Encounter with Tepper, the new director of programming at 54 Below, here.
Benjamin Rauhala (Pippin) is the musical director of Hit List, which features a full band, vocal arrangements by Rauhala and orchestrations by Charlie Rosen (One Man, Two Guvnors). The band includes Rauhala, Rosen, Shannon Ford, Alisa Horn, Dennis Michael Keefe and Hiroko Taguchi. The score of Hit List comprised songs by various composers — both in the musical theatre industry and pop worlds — including Drew Gasparini (Make Me Bad), Joe Iconis (The Black Suits), Andrew McMahon, Tony Award nominees Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (A Christmas Story, Dogfight), Tony Award winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and Lucie Silvas.
The concerts include additional songs from the composers that were intended for Hit List but never made it to air as well as special appearances by several of the composers and additional performers.
The musical, according to 54 Below, is "a modern fable about identity and the price of fame [that] tells the tragic love story of a wannabe pop singer who transforms herself to become a star and the hidden songwriter she uses to get there – but at what cost?"
On "Smash," the fictional musical opened at Manhattan Theatre Workshop and transferred to Broadway's Barrymore Theatre, winning seven Tony Awards. The 54 Below concerts mark Hit List's real-life world premiere. Read the Playbill.com "Smash" Reports, recapping each episode.
54 Below is located at 254 W. 54th Street. For more information, visit 54Below.com.
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PHOTO SPECIAL: A Farewell to "Smash" — Looking Back at Season Two
PHOTO SPECIAL: A Farewell to "Smash" — Looking Back at Season Two
"Smash," the NBC musical series about the lives of modern-day Broadway babies, will end its run May 26 with a two-hour finale. We take a look back at some photo highlights from the show's second and last season.
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Jennifer Hudson ("Veronica Moore") and Katharine McPhee ("Karen Cartwright") in Season 2, Episode 1: "On Broadway"
NBC
Harvey Fierstein (Himself) and Christian Borle ("Tom Levitt") in Season 2, Episode 2: "The Fallout"
NBC
Megan Hilty ("Ivy Lynn") in Season 2, Episode 2: "The Fallout"
NBC
Megan Hilty ("Ivy Lynn") and Leslie Odom Jr. ("Sam Strickland") in Season 2, Episode 2: "The Fallout"
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Debra Messing ("Julia Houston") and Christian Borle ("Tom Levitt") in Season 2, Episode 3: "The Dramaturg"
Created by and featuring original cast members and creative leads of Sleep No More, the work will be directed by Ashley Brett Chipman on Governors Island.
