Schmigadoon! Broadway Revival: TV Show's Hit-and-Miss Stage Resurrection
In a world where countless movies are transformed into stage musicals against all odds, Schmigadoon! presents a unique case. This full-throated tribute to golden-age American musicals has made a natural leap from television to Broadway, but the production often struggles to bring much that feels new to the material. The show, originally an Apple TV series, has been adapted for the stage by co-creator Cinco Paul, resulting in a high-energy yet sometimes familiar experience.
From Screen to Stage: A Natural Transition
Schmigadoon! started as a television series about a couple, played by Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, who stumble into a magical world where everyone behaves like characters in an old-fashioned musical. After running for two seasons and amassing a cult following, Apple canceled the show, but Paul has adapted the first season into a Broadway production. The stage version streamlines the story, making it an even closer pastiche of its inspirations, including Brigadoon, The Sound of Music, and The Music Man.
On stage, the production requires less visual trickery than the TV series, instead reproducing the fanciful style of mid-century musicals in a heightened and eye-popping fashion. There is less dialogue, more dancing, and a running gag of nearly every number receiving an applause-milking reprise. Director Christopher Gattelli enhances the spectacle without sacrificing the material's knowing silliness, allowing for comic catharsis in how subtextual elements of classic musicals are excavated and directly discussed.
Cast Performances: Echoes and Highlights
However, the revival sometimes comes across as vaguely inferior, akin to a film production of a beloved Broadway classic. Part of this stems from lead actors Alex Brightman and Sara Chase, who often echo the intonations of their TV counterparts, creating an effect similar to talented understudies observing the original leads too carefully. Yet, the supporting cast shines brightly.
- Ana Gasteyer, taking over the role of villainously prim Mildred Layton from Kristin Chenoweth, delivers a riotous performance with a welcome dose of sketch-comedy sensibility.
- McKenzie Kurtz goes for absolute broke as Betsy McDonough, the farmer's-daughter ingenue of murky age, adding zing to the production.
- Other standout performances include Ivan Hernandez as Doc Lopez and Isabelle McCalla as Emma Tate, echoing characters from The Sound of Music and The Music Man.
Audience Reception and Critical View
For those unfamiliar with the TV show, Schmigadoon! may be received as an uncomplicated good time—an affectionate send-up of high school-performed classics and a tribute to their enduring appeal. The production is boundlessly enthusiastic and crowd-pleasing, with vibrant choreography and nostalgic charm. However, even without prior knowledge, some viewers might anticipate certain jokes and turns, such as revelations of chaste queerness, which have become almost obligatory in Broadway showstoppers.
The satire here feels a little soft, and the non-musical portions of the TV series, which added tension to the characters, often feel missing on stage. While Schmigadoon! has been properly prepped and restructured for Broadway, it ultimately fails to offer much that is truly new, placing it in the same boat as many less honorable adaptations. Despite its flaws, the revival remains a spirited celebration of musical theater history, even if it doesn't fully transcend its origins.
