Photos: Jennifer Simard Joins SCHMIGADOON! As ‘Mildred Layton’

Check out new photos of three-time Tony Award and Grammy Award nominee Jennifer Simard in the role of Mildred Layton in the Tony Award winning ‘Best Musical,’

Simard steps into a role originated on Broadway by Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Ana Gasteyer and created by Tony and Emmy-winner Kristin Chenoweth for the AppleTV musical television series. 

Most recently, Jennifer starred as Helen Sharp in the Broadway musical Death Becomes Her, earning a Tony Award nomination and widespread critical acclaim. She also received Tony Award nominations for her performances as Sarah in the acclaimed revival of Company, Sister Mary Downey in Disaster!, and her work in Death Becomes Her. Her Broadway credits include Once Upon a One More Time (Stepmother); Company (Sarah); Mean Girls (Adult Woman); Hello, Dolly! (Ernestina); Disaster! (Sister Mary Downey); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona Lisa Peretti, opposite Mo Rocca); Sister Act; and Shrek the Musical.

The most Tony Award-nominated new musical of the season, Schmigadoon! won four Tony Awards including ‘Best Musical,’ ‘Best Book of a Musical,’ ‘Best Original Score,’ and ‘Best Orchestrations.’ The production was also named ‘Outstanding New Musical’ by the Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Dorian Theater Awards. At the Chita Rivera Awards, Schmigadoon! received ‘Best Choreography’ and ‘Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show,’ while Max Clayton and Isabelle McCalla were each recognized as ‘Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show.’

Schmigadoon! opened on Broadway on Monday, April 20 and is currently on sale through Sunday, January 3, 2027 at The Nederlander Theatre (208 W. 41st Street).

Schmigadoon! stars Alex Brightman and Sara Chase as Josh Skinner and Melissa Gimble, a couple who accidentally wanders into Schmigadoon – the magical town where every day is a musical. Everybody has a song for everything, the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye, and the only bridge out of town leads nowhere. Melissa and Josh soon discover the only way to escape is by finding true love—which may or may not be with each other.

The musical also stars Emmy Award winner Ana Gasteyer (‘SNL,’ Wicked) as Mildren Layton, Ann Harada (Avenue Q, Into the Woods) reprising her role of Florence Menlove, Tony Award-nominee Brad Oscar (The Producers, Something Rotten) as Mayor Menlove, Isabelle McCalla (Water For Elephants, The Prom) as Emma Tate, Ivan Hernandez (Dear Evan Hansen, ‘And Just Like That…’) as Doc, Maulik Pancholy (’30 Rock’) as The Reverend Layton/Leprechaun, Max Clayton (Bandstand, The Music Man) as Danny Bailey, McKenzie Kurtz (Heathers, Wicked) as Betsy and Ayaan Diop as Carson.

Rounding out the company are Afra Hines (Ensemble/Countess Gabrielle Von Blerkom), Becca Petersen (Ensemble/Annie), Brandon Block (Swing), Clyde Alves (Ensemble/Tommy), Eldridge Taylor Jr. (Alternate for Carson), Jess LeProtto (Ensemble/Pete), Joshua Burrage (Ensemble/Larry The Fireman), Kaitlyn Davidson (Ensemble/Helen Pritt), Keven Quillon (Swing), Kimberly Immanuel (Ensemble/Carrie), Lauralyn Mcclelland (Swing), Lyrica Woodruff (Ensemble/Nancy), Maria Briggs (Swing), Nathan Lucrezio (Ensemble/Farmer McDonough), Richard Riaz Yoder (Ensemble/Harvey The Innkeeper), Shina Ann Morris (Ensemble/Meg), and Zachary Downer (Ensemble/Freddy).

From Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels, this brand-new comedy trapped inside a big Broadway musical is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, Death Becomes Her), with a book and Emmy Award-winning score by Cinco Paul (Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets), orchestrations from Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, music supervision and arrangements from David Chase, music direction from Steven Malone, scenic design from Scott Pask, costume design from Linda Cho, lighting design from Donald Holder, sound design from Walter Trarbach, hair and wig design from Tom Watson and makeup design from Ashley Ryan.

The North American tour of Schmigadoon! will launch in September 2027, kicking off at Baltimore’s historic Hippodrome Theatre before traveling across the U.S and Canada, with major engagements slated for Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and more.

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy