# Sweet Smell of Success (musical)

Sweet Smell of Success is a musical created by Marvin Hamlisch (music), Craig Carnelia (lyrics), and John Guare (book). The show is based on the 1957 movie of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1955 novelette of the same name by Ernest Lehman. The show tells the story of a powerful newspaper columnist named J. J. Hunsecker (based on famed New York columnist Walter Winchell) who uses his connections to ruin his sister's relationship with a man he deems inappropriate.
It was a critical and commercial failure.

## Production history

A workshop was held in Toronto in August 1998. According to a Livent spokesman "...the show had a cast of 18, made up mainly of Canadians. The performers' names were not revealed." The workshop was directed by Nicholas Hytner. The workshop was followed by a reading in November 1998 in New York City, with Jonathan Pryce as J.J. Hunsecker, Brian d'Arcy James as Sidney, Anastasia Barzee, Patrick Wilson, Stacey Logan and an ensemble of 12.
The work had a pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago in January 2002. Critics' reactions were not favorable. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones found that it had an "identity crisis" and warned that "...[b]etween now and the Broadway opening, director Nicholas Hytner and the other multitalented parties involved had better all get on the same conceptual page, or what’s left of the gossip column fraternity will have a lot to chew on."
Subsequently changes were made to the show, including a new ending.
Modifications to the plot and differences from the film reportedly reflect author Ernest Lehman's original intent. Lehman, the author of the original novelette, was a producer on the musical adaptation.
The musical opened on March 14, 2002 at the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway. Again directed by Hytner, it closed on June 15, 2002, after 109 performances and 18 previews. The show starred John Lithgow as J.J. Hunsecker, and Brian d'Arcy James as Sidney Falcone.
The creative team included choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, sets and costumes by Bob Crowley, and lighting by Natasha Katz. Sweet Smell garnered seven Tony Award nominations including Best Musical. John Lithgow received the show's only Tony Award, winning Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.

## Cast and characters

| Character | Broadway (2002) |
| J.J. Hunsecker | John Lithgow |
| Sidney | Brian d'Arcy James |
| Susan | Kelli O'Hara |
| Dallas | Jack Noseworthy |
| Rita | Stacey Logan |
| Club Zanzibar Singer | Bernard Dotson |

### Notable Replacements

* Susan: Elena Shaddow (u/s)
* Sidney: Frank Vlastnik (u/s)

## Musical numbers

Source: Playbill
† Not included on the Original Broadway Cast Recording (2002)

## Awards and nominations
### Original Broadway production

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Musical | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Book of a Musical | John Guare | Nominated |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Original Score | Marvin Hamlisch and Craig Carnelia | Nominated |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | John Lithgow | Won |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Brian d'Arcy James | Nominated |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Orchestrations | William David Brohn | Nominated |
| 2002 | Tony Award | Best Lighting Design | Natasha Katz | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical | Outstanding Musical | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical | John Guare | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | Craig Carnelia | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Marvin Hamlisch | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | John Lithgow | Won |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Brian d'Arcy James | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Nicholas Hytner | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Christopher Wheeldon | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design | Bob Crowley | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Set Design | Bob Crowley | Nominated |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design | Natasha Katz | Nominated |

## Reception

Despite eager anticipation, the musical version received largely negative reviews and it was a commercial flop. Reportedly, it lost its entire $10 million investment. One critic lamented that it was "a real heartbreaker; one of those fabulous sounding new musicals with an impeccable pedigree which never quite comes together and ultimately only disappoints."
A 2012 London production of the musical met with mixed reviews. Theatre critic Lyn Gardner of The Guardian praised the score and choreography but found that it: "sugars the pill and never locates the savage, cynical heart... It wants to be a straightforward song-and-dance show – the problem is, this piece is anything but."