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Why Smash Killed Off A Fan Favorite Character. Will HartNBC. Kyle Andy Mientus goes over his notes in The Phenomenon. Kyle Bishop never really had a chance. Smashs young writer character, responsible for musical within the show Hit List, was confirmed dead on Saturdays episode The Phenomenon. The previous episode, The Producers, ended on a cliffhanger with Kyle stepping into the street and facing the bright lights of an approaching car. The character of Kyle was sort of born to die, showrunner Josh Safran told Buzz. RrxXg0/UJA6ZtAzdoI/AAAAAAAAAmo/FtVxr5DdxI8/s1600/Rent+(1).jpg' alt='Rent The Musical Script' title='Rent The Musical Script' />Feed. When we were right at the pitch stage, I had pitched a story to Bob Greenblatt and Steven Spielberg about Jimmy and Kyle, and yes, from that pitch, it was clear that Kyle would die. Kyles death was important for how it would affect Jimmy, a character who has remained mostly stuck in his ways throughout Smashs second season. And while many have remarked on the similarities between Kyles death and the real life story behind Rent, Jimmys role in all this actually goes back to a 1. Rodgers Hammerstein musical. We talked a lot about Carousel, which was sort of the basis for the Karen and Jimmy relationship, without the physical abuse, Safran explained. In Carousel, Billy Bigelow is the one who dies, but we always thought this would be a story where if Billy Bigelow had lived, what would be the thing that changed himWe talked a lot about having this relationship with his best friend, and losing that best friend, and the process he would go through. Will HartNBC. Kyle shows his parents around in The Producers. While Safran and his writers always knew Kyle would die, actor Andy Mientus only found out a couple weeks before shooting the pivotal episode. Immediately I was like, Oh, shit, I have to get back to the grind, he recalled. But real quickly I was able to see the positivity of it, in that it was this character who easily could have just been the friend. Kyles development from Jimmys sidekick to a fully realized character on his own has been one of the highlights of the season. Mientus, who had never even guest starred on a series prior to this, was careful to note how grateful he is for the experience. As for why he was kept in the dark about Kyles death, thats standard practice. Josh had asked some other showrunners and they said not to tell the actor because it would affect my performance, Mientus said. Rent-rent-22114490-960-540.jpg' alt='Rent The Musical Script' title='Rent The Musical Script' />But as I said, with me, if Id known early on because this was my first gig, I would have been thrilled anyway. And to be fair, theres only so much the writers knew. Safran said that while Kyles death was inevitable, the way he died remained up for discussion in the writers room. Craig BlankenhornNBC. Julie Debra Messing and Kyle watch a run through of Hit List in Opening Night. Safran also admitted that as Kyles death approached, he dreaded it more and more. He had pitched it back when Kyle was just an idea and before hed been fleshed out by the writers and Mientus. To be honest, I went back and forth, Safran said. I fell in love with Kyle, and I fell in love with Andys portrayal of Kyle. Of course, I was incredibly sad at the idea. I always knew it was going to happen at this point in the season, so I got I will admit cold feet over killing him. As Safran tells it, the writers pushed him back in the original direction. I also knew it was the story wed always set out to tell, he continued. The cold feet were just because we love Andy so much. For the audience, Kyle has arguably been Smashs most consistently likeable character. The charm Mientus brings to the role certainly helps, but its also in the depiction of a highly motivated but grounded writer someone who desperately hopes for success but also cares about his relationships and the quality of his work. And we cant forget that this is a character who is adorably starstruck in his first interaction with Karen, just because she played Marilyn in Bombshells out of town tryouts. The thing I loved about him just from my first awareness of him was the humor and the positivity, Mientus said. Kyles more indicative of what its really like, people who are just in love with what theyre doing. Musical theater is such a strange, niche thing, so the people who choose to do it for a living are so bizarre to begin with. Craig BlankenhornNBC. Kyle, with script. Kyles realism underlines his connection to the true story of Rent, which has popped up repeatedly in discussions of Smash this season. Rent creator Jonathan Larson died suddenly the night before the off Broadway production of his musical premiered Kyles untimely death allowed Smash to showcase a similar scenario. And prior to that, Rent has been a significant presence on the series from the poster in the background to the Hit List comparisons to the presence of original Broadway cast members Jesse L. Martin and Daphne Rubin Vega. Of course, its something we intended to do, Safran said. But its not a decision he took lightly, particularly because of his personal history with the Rent community through ex boyfriend and Rent star Anthony Rapp. Im very close to all those people, Safran noted. Daphne, Jesse the reason why theyre on the show is I love them so much and I really wanted to work with them. Before moving forward with Kyles death on Smash, Safran made sure that the reference to Jonathan Larson felt appropriate. I sat down with Daphne, I sat down with Jesse, we talked about it, he said. I wanted to make sure it didnt feel like we were exploiting reality in any way. And they both understood this is a story and it happened. Its art imitating life. Its important, and it keeps the story out there. Their input, as it turns out, was essential. If Daphne or Jesse had said, We feel like this story is in poor taste, or, We dont think you should do this story, wed pull the plug on it, Safran said. Rent The Musical Script' title='Rent The Musical Script' />FADE IN EXT. Download Zip on this page. CITY STREET DAY A restaurant supply truck is curbside, near a small restaurant. GERALD GRUNICK, fortyone, is closing the back door of his. Rent TADA Youth Theaters Musicals Plays. TADA has been producing oneact musicals and plays since 1984. Each of our original musicals was commissioned for its. Also, because I know them from back in the day I lived with them I think they also felt like I had a connection to that history, and what I was doing was writing my life, in a way. Will HartNBC. Jesse L. Martin, who played Collins in the original production of Rent, is Scott on Smash. Of course, its not just about Larson either Kyles death invokes other theatrical lore, as Safran put it. And its also central to the story of Jimmy and Kyle, which has turned out to be a major component of Smashs second season. While the two seemed to part on a sour note, Mientus believes that the friendship could have recovered under other circumstances. Kyle chooses to remove himself from the situation and not be a crutch for Jimmy, but hes still taking care of him, he said. Had Kyle not met his end that night he was hoping that Jimmy would come back to him cleaned up and they could explore their friendship in a more equal way, less caretaker and puppy dog lackey, and more an equal partnership. Will HartNBC. Kyle and Jimmy Jeremy Jordan out on the town in The Bells and Whistles. But like everything Smash does, Kyles death has inspired more criticism toward the show. The A. V. Club, for example, gave The Phenomenon an F, calling it Smashs nadir. Familia Reduviidae Pdf more. At this point, Safran has heard it all, and he does his best to not let it affect him. I feel sad that its not necessarily being viewed in the way that we hoped that it would be, he said. But of course, I also have to allow and do allow everyone to have their own opinion.