'McPheever' all over again in Smash

MANILA, Philippines - Catch singing sensation Katharine McPhee as she stars in Diva Universal’s Steven Spielberg executive-produced hit series, Smash which centers on the making of a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. 

Katharine plays Karen Cartwright, an Iowa dreamer who must learn to navigate the shark-infested waters of professional theater. A fresh, young girl who doesn’t know her way around the industry, Karen also struggles with her self confidence as she often isn’t 100-percent sure of herself and what her capabilities are. 

While the series is centered on Broadway, viewers will be pleased to know that they don’t necessarily have to love theater to fully appreciate the show. With Smash, viewers are given a glimpse of somebody’s life in the theater world, a subject that a lot of people always find intriguing. Moreover, each episode of Smash delivers a positive message that is truly inspiring. 

All the singing and dancing in the show has drawn comparisons to Glee but what sets Smash apart is that it shows all the drama of making of a Broadway show. Most importantly, Smash is driven by stories and characters, which viewers can easily relate to.

Prior to landing the role, Katharine appeared on the big screen in Shark Night 3D and also co-starred in the Adam Sandler comedy, House Bunny. On TV, Katharine co-starred in episodes of CSI: NY, NBC’s Community and The Family Guy. She was also featured on two hit PBS specials, Foster and Friends and Chris Botti in Boston alongside Sting, Andrea Boccelli and John Mayer.

In addition to her acting and singing career, McPhee is a passionate philanthropist. Katharine supports the cause, Malaria No More, which aims to end malaria deaths in Africa. 

Smash airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on DIVA Universal (Asian Vision Cable Channel 40; Cablelink Ch. 37; DREAM Satellite Ch. 33; Global Destiny Ch. 40; Sky Cable Ch. 37).