With Season 2 of NBC's "Smash" ready to premiere on February 5, we thought we'd take a look through some of the performers and writers that are part of the show who have also been part of our nearly 13 year history of creating and releasing Broadway-related albums. Cheers to all of our Sh-K-Friends who are involved with the show (we love seeing you on TV!) and we hope you'll all check out some of these albums if you haven't already.
Jeremy Jordan
SMASH Role: On the new season of "Smash," Jeremy will star as Jimmy Collins, a music composer who is creating a contemporary rock musical along with his music partner Kyle Bishop in Brooklyn.
Sh-K-Connection: Jeremy can be heard as Jack Kelly on our Grammy-nominated Broadway Cast Recording of Newsies.
Joe Iconis
SMASH Role: Listen for Joe's thrilling song "Broadway Here I Come," in the very first episode of "Smash," sung by Jeremy Jordan.
Sh-K-Connection: We produced and released the double-disc Original Cast Recording of Joe's incendiary rock show Things To Ruin featuring some of Broadway's best and brightest up-and-coming talents. This is an excellent show for schools or regional theaters to perform and we think you'll hear why as soon as you give it a listen.
Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman
SMASH Role: This well-known Broadway writing team are the talent behind all of the songs from the fictional Broadway show Bombshell from "Smash."
SMASH Role: Christian stars as composer Tom Levitt, who fights to help his old friend Ivy achieve stardom at long last - and tries to maintain his cool when necessity pairs him with his archrival, the brilliant but arrogant director Derek Wills.
Sh-K-Connection: While he doesn't sing nearly often enough for our tastes on "Smash," Christian can be heard as Emmett on the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Legally Blonde. Fun Fact: Christian was also an understudy in the Broadway production of Amour, which was one of our earliest cast recordings!
Jennifer Hudson
SMASH Role: The Oscar-winning actress and singer makes an appearance as ficitional Broadway diva and Tony-winner Veronica Moore in the upcoming season of "Smash."
Sh-K-Connection: You may not know it, but before her days as a Dreamgirl, Jennifer appeared in the special Actors' Fund Benefit performance of Hairon Broadway. She can be heard putting her own remarkable stamp on the song "Easy To Be Hard" on our recording of that all-star cast.
Leslie Odom, Jr
SMASH Role: Leslie stars as Sam Strickland, who is a member of the Bombshell chorus and a Broadway veteran fighting to break out of the ensemble.
Sh-K-Connection: Leslie can be heard on one of our newest releases, Leap of Faith, playing the character of Isaiah. Listen in especially for his rousing song "Dancing In The Devil's Shoes!"
Andy Mientus
SMASH Role: On the new season, Andy stars as Kyle Bishop, a music composer who is creating a contemporary rock musical along with his writing partner, Jimmy Collins, played by Jeremy Jordan.
Sh-K-Connection: Andy can be heard as part of the ensemble of Carrie. One of our favorite tracks featuring Andy and the full company is the first song on the album, "In."
Krysta Rodriguez
SMASH Role: Also new this season, Krysta will star as Karen's (played by Katharine McPhee) lively new actress roommate, Ana Vargas, who struggles with the realities of launching a career in the theater.
Sh-K-Connection: Krysta can be heard as part of the ensemble on our Grammy Award-winning cast recording of In the Heights.
Brian D'Arcy James
SMASH Role: Brian plays the husband of "Bombsell" lyricist/librettist Julia Houston (played by Debra Messing).
SMASH Role: Will was featured on "Smash" as Broadway star Michael Swift, who stepped in to the role of Joe DiMaggio in Bombshell.
Sh-K-Connection: Will is the leading man for our cast recording of Tom Kitt and Amanda Green's high-octane rock musical High Fidelity. Check out the album if you've never heard the tunes?we think it's highly underrated! He is also part of the live City Center Encores! recording of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Pipe Dream.
