Songs From Tonight's Season 2 Premiere Of NBC's Musical Drama 'Smash' Available Today On iTunes

NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tonight is the premiere of Season 2 of NBC's Golden Globe-nominated musical drama series "Smash" (Tuesdays, 10-11pm ET), and NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products and Columbia Records will make select songs from each episode this season available in the "Smash" iTunes store http://www.itunes.com/NBCSmash.  Tonight's special 2-hour premiere will begin at 9pm ET on NBC.

NBC and Columbia Records have also announced that the soundtrack for Bombshell, the musical within NBC's Golden Globe-nominated series television hit "Smash," will be released on February 12.  Bombshell contains 22 original songs that make up the Broadway-caliber cast recording of the musical, complete with liner notes detailing the plot of Bombshell.  The soundtrack features stars Katherine McPhee (Karen), Megan Hilty (Ivy Lynn), and other cast members performing the original music created for the show's musical-within-a-musical by Tony and Grammy award-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.  Bombshell is available now for pre-order.

Three songs from tonight's Season 2 double-episode premiere, entitled "On Broadway" and "The Fallout," have been made available today on iTunes:

"Mama Makes Three" – performed by Jennifer Hudson
"On Broadway" – performed by Katharine McPhee and Jennifer Hudson
"Broadway Here I Come" – performed by Jeremy Jordan
"Caught In The Storm" – performed by Katharine McPhee

In tonight's episode, back from a successful run in Boston, Eileen (Anjelica Huston), Julia (Debra Messing) and Tom (Christian Borle) are blindsided by both personal and professional obstacles as they seek to take Bombshell to Broadway. Karen (Katharine McPhee) consults her new mentor, Broadway star Veronica "Ronnie" Moore (guest star Jennifer Hudson), as she finds herself on the brink of fame, but her success may come at cost to Ivy (Megan Hilty). A new talent (Jeremy Jordan) is discovered in an unexpected place.  Meanwhile, Derek (Jack Davenport) copes with a damaging accusation. Leslie Odom, Jr., Andy Mientus and Krysta Rodriguez also star. Jennifer Hudson, Harvey Fierstein, Thorsten Kaye, and Brian d'Arcy James guest star.

"Smash" is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire – to be a "Smash."  Evolving from an idea of executive producer and multiple Emmy and Oscar winner Steven Spielberg ("ER," "Schindler's List"), the series unites the hit-making Broadway writing team of Julia Houston (Debra Messing, Emmy winner, "Will & Grace") and Tom Levitt (Christian Borle, "Legally Blonde: The Musical") with producer Eileen Rand (Anjelica Huston, Oscar winner, "Prizzi's Honor") to create a new musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, and seasoned chorus girl Ivy Lynn (Hilty, "9 to 5: The Musical") vies with newcomer Karen Cartwright (McPhee, "American Idol") for the role of a lifetime.

In Season 2, the Bombshell team is one step closer to achieving their Broadway dream. The Boston run was the success the team was hoping for, but they are all about to learn even a charmed show cannot avoid paying for sins of the past.  Across the Brooklyn Bridge, Jimmy Collins (Jeremy Jordan) and Kyle Bishop (Andy Mientus) are toiling away on a rock musical of their own, which could either become Bombshell's biggest rival, or yet one more Broadway false start.  Guest stars in season two include Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson ("American Idol," "Dreamgirls"), Emmy winner Sean Hayes ("Will & Grace"), Jesse L. Martin ("Rent," "Law & Order"), and Liza Minnelli (Tony, Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner.)  In addition to Spielberg, the executive producers include Joshua Safran ("Gossip Girl"), Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey ("United States of Tara," "The Borgias"), Craig Zadan and Neil Meron ("Chicago," "Hairspray"), Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman ("Hairspray," "Catch Me If You Can"), Jim Chory ("Heroes," "American Dreams") and Theresa Rebeck ("Mauritius"). 

"Smash" is from Universal Television in association with DreamWorks Television.

The Bombshell soundtrack is available now for pre-order at Amazon.com (http://smarturl.it/bombshellamzn) and iTunes (http://smarturl.it/bombshell) as well as www.nbcstore.com, and will be on sale February 12 wherever music is sold.  There will also be a special edition available at Target with exclusive bonus content.

The "Smash" soundtrack deal was brokered by NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group.

For embeddable clips and full episodes from "Smash," please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/smash.

For artwork and a complete press kit from the show please visit the NBCUniversal Media Village website at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/.

SOURCE Columbia Records