Jennifer Hudson Reveals Why She Missed Opening Night of Broadway’s Smash, the Musical She Produced

The musical is now playing at the imperial Theatre in New York City

The opening of Broadway’s Smash brought out a slew of celebrities. But one famous face in particular was missing from the action.

Jennifer Hudson skipped the premiere of the fan-favorite NBC drama series’ stage adaptation on Thursday, April 10 — a surprise since she not only had a memorable role in season 2, but also is one the musical’s producers (alongside Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron, Steven Spielberg and more).

Photographers snapped the stars as they walked the red carpet before the show at the Imperial Theatre in New York City, Billy Crystal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, and a slew of Smash alums including Debra Messing posing for pictures. But Hudson was nowhere to be found.

Turns out, the EGOT winner had a reason for missing the show. She was across the country in Los Angeles, filming an episode of her self-titled talk show.

Despite being absent in flesh, Hudson made sure it was known she was there in spirit.

Sharing a video from set of The Jennifer Hudson Show, the 43-year-old opened up about having to skip the milestone performance, explaining, “I can’t be two places at one time.”

“I gotta be here with y’all, so I’m going to miss opening night but I hope everyone enjoys the show,” Hudson said in the clip, shared on her personal Instagram page. “But we get to send them love! I’m sending the cast and the crew so much love. We are there in spirit and cheering you on from the happy place!”

She went on to tease the production, which she had told the audience “has a ton of your favorite songs from the show plus some great surprises that I know you’re going to love.”

“Oh my goodness, I’m so proud of this production,” Hudson said. “I can’t wait for y’all to see it. I can’t wait to get there.”

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Smash features the original songs Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winners Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman wrote for the TV show, like “The 20th Century Fox Mambo,” “They Just Keep Moving the Line” and the Emmy-nominated “Let Me Be Your Star.” Those tunes are incorporated into a new comedic tale from book writers Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher) and Bob Martin (a Tony winner for writing The Drowsy Chaperone).

The premise— about of the making of a fictional Marilyn musical named Bombshell — is the same, but gone are most of the show’s characters and the overall premise of the bitter feud between two women vying for the title part.

Instead we follow Ivy Lynn (Robyn Hurder, in the role Megan Hilty made famous on screen), who goes a little-too meta when playing Marilyn and isolates the show’s entire creative team and cast, including understudy Karen Cartwright (Caroline Bowman, in a version of Katharine McPhee‘s character).

Smash Stars Debra Messing, Christian Borle and More Reunite at Opening of Broadway Musical (Exclusive Details)

Tony Award-winner Susan Stroman directs Smash, while Emmy Award-winning choreographer Joshua Bergasse recreates and expands upon his work from the TV series. 

Surrounding Hurder and Bowman is a stellar cast of Broadway greats. Two-time Tony nominee Brooks Ashmanskas plays Bombshell‘s director/choreographer ‘Nigel;’ stage veterans Krysta Rodriguez (Spring Awakening, The Addams Family, Into the Woods) and John Behlmann (Shucked, Tootsie, Significant Other) are Bombshell‘s songwriting and book-writing team ‘Tracy’ and ‘Jerry;’ and two-time Tony nominee Kristine Nielsen mixes things up as acting coach ‘Susan.’

Rounding out the cast is Jacqueline B. Arnold as play producer ‘Anita;’ Nicholas Matos as her assistant, ‘Scott;’ Bella Coppola as assistant choreographer ‘Chloe;’ and Casey Garvin as Bombshell‘s Joe DiMaggio, ‘Charlie.’

The company is made up of Wendi Bergamini, Sarah Bowden, Jacob Burns, Deanna Cudjoe, Chelle Denton, Daniel Gaymon, Ndaya Dream Hoskins, Merritt David Janes, Megan Kane, David Paul Kidder, Ian Liberto, Libby Lloyd, McGee Maddox, Connor McRory, J Savage, Jake Trammel and Katie Webber.

Tickets for Smash are now on sale.