Brian d’Arcy James Joins Debra Messing in Broadway-Themed NBC Pilot Smash

Broadway regular Brian d’Arcy James will play husband to former Will & Grace star Debra Messing in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming NBC pilot Smash, according to Deadline.com. James joins the previously announced Messing, who will play a lyricist, and Wicked alum Megan Hilty in the show about the mounting of a Broadway musical.

The pilot of Smash will be written by Theresa Rebeck (Mauritius), and feature music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray). Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, American Idiot), will direct the hour-long show, which will follow a cross section of characters who come together to put a Marilyn Monroe musical on Broadway.

James most recently appeared on Broadway opposite Laura Linney in Times Stand Still. His previous Broadway credits include Next to Normal, Shrek, The Apple Tree, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Titanic.

Along with Spielberg, Rebeck, Shaiman and Wittman, producers of Smash will include Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Chicago, Hairspray) and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey for DreamWorks TV.