Theater News

NBC’s Smash Nominated for Golden Globe as Best Television Series

Megan Hilty, Steven Spielberg and Scott Wittman comment as the hit musical series is honored by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its first season.

Christian Borle and Debra Messing on the set of <I>Smash</I>.
Christian Borle and Debra Messing on the set of Smash.
© David Gordon

Let’s hope they don’t get too smashed to accept their award.

NBC’s Broadway backstage drama Smash has been nominated for a Golden Globe for “Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.” The awards, which are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, will take place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on January 13 and be aired live by NBC. The evening—known for its free-flowing alcohol—will be hosted by NBC sitcom stars Tina Fey (30 Rock) and Amy Poehler (Parks & Recreation).

Responding to the nomination, the show’s award-winning Executive Producer Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List) released a statement: “Everyone who is involved with Smash, whether on the outskirts or at the epicenter, is thrilled and dancing in the aisles this morning on this wonderful news.”

Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist team Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) not only contribute original music to the show, but are also executive producers on the show. Speaking to EW.com about the nomination, Wittman said, “I wasn’t expecting it at all. It wasn’t even in my zeitgeist. But we couldn’t be happier, especially for Bob Greenblatt and Steven Spielberg because this has really been their baby since the beginning. So we’re glad to be part of that.”

The series stars Christian Borle and Debra Messing as a Broadway songwriting team, Anjelica Huston as a high-powered producer, Jack Davenport as a temperamental British director, Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee as two young actresses who are both friends and rivals, and Leslie Odom, Jr. as a Broadway chorus boy.

The show’s second season will begin airing on February 5. (Click here to see TheaterMania’s exclusive photo set from outside a recent filming of Smash at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre on West 45th Street.) Among the many actors set to appear on Smash this season are Tony and Oscar winner Liza Minnelli, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, Andy Mientus, Krysta Rodriguez, Jeremy Jordan, Sean Hayes, Jesse L. Martin, Nikki Blonsky, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Daniel Sunjata, Wesley Taylor, Savannah Wise, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Tony winner Bernadette Peters, who is reprising her role of Leigh Conroy.

The series was created by playwright Theresa Rebeck (Dead Accounts), who recently explained to TheaterMania her reasons for departing the series after the show’s first season: “I can say I really would have loved to stay with the show. I had a great time working on it, and was so proud of it. The actors, the talent! I regret I’m not there. I do feel there were a lot of voices that couldn’t finally—look, when you’re a writer in that world you are a writer for hire. I was not as interested in continuing in that field.” Click here to read the full interview.

Smash is nominated against Showtime’s Episodes, as well as ABC’s ”Modern Family,” CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, and HBO’s Girls. As Smash cast member Megan Hilty said in a separate statement: “Seeing our show in that company is thrilling and amazing.”