It’s a musical every day in Schmigadoon!, Broadway’s newest musical, now playing at Nederlander Theatre! See what the critics are saying in our review roundup!
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 Saturday Night Live alum Ana Gasteyer as Mildred Layton, Ann Harada reprising her role of Florence Menlove, Tony Award-nominee Brad Oscar as Mayor Menlove, Isabelle McCalla as Emma Tate, Ivan Hernandez as Doc, Maulik Pancholy as The Reverend, Max Clayton as Danny Bailey, McKenzie Kurtz as Betsy and Ayaan Diop as Carson.
Rounding out the company are Afra Hines, Becca Petersen, Brandon Block, Clyde Alves, Jess LeProtto, Joshua Burrage, Kaleigh Cronin, Keven Quillon, Kimberly Immanuel, Lauralyn Mcclelland, Lyrica Woodruff, Maria Briggs, Miles McNicoll, Nathan Lucrezio, Richard Riaz Yoder, Shina Ann Morris, and Zachary Downer.
Elisabeth Vincentelli, The New York Times: Gattelli excels at big ensemble numbers like “Corn Puddin’” (which won an Emmy Award for outstanding original music and lyrics in 2022) or “Cross That Bridge.” But even more satisfying is his ability to showcase triple-threat performers who can segue from acting to singing to dancing and back again. It’s exciting to watch McCalla further explore the versatility she had revealed as a closeted high schooler in “The Prom.” As for Melissa and Danny’s duet “Enjoy the Ride,” it is a giddy pleasure. That it includes a random “boink boink” that might be a wink to Bob Fosse (“Steam Heat,” maybe?) is the elective cherry on an already delicious sundae.
Adam Feldman, Time Out New York: Who here wants some more corn puddin’? The wholesome townsfolk of Schmigadoon, first seen on Apple TV+’s spoofy musical series, have relocated to Broadway, where they’re serving a generous second helping of their corny and sweet local specialty—and, of course, singing and dancing its praises in a delightfully pointless musical number. That sort of thing comes naturally to the denizens of this special place; they are familiar character types from musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. But it’s a bit overwhelming for modern timers Melissa (Sara Chase) and Josh (Alex Brightman), a squabbling couple of doctors who find themselves in Schmigadoon after crossing a magical bridge. Only true love can break the spell that keeps them there; meanwhile, they might as well enjoy what the town has to offer.
Kobi Kassal, Theatrely: While some may toss Schmigadoon! aside as a frivolous night out, Paul has created a world deeply rich in humanity, charm, and musical theatre heritage. Go do yourself a favor and get trapped in Schmigadoon, I think we could all use it right about now.
Charles Isherwood, The Wall Street Journal: While it cannot field the starry cast of the series, which featured Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming and Ariana DeBose among others, the ensemble taking their roles to the stage is impeccable, as is Mr. Gattelli’s nimbly paced direction and splashy, old-school choreography. Although it essentially recycles its central joke repeatedly (in half-hour doses, this was less noticeable), “Schmigadoon!” celebrates the musicals it evokes with as much spirited conviction as it lampoons them. Parody, in this case, is the sincerest form of flattery.
Naveen Kumar, Variety: Not that anyone wants to think about the present day. The concept in “Schmigadoon!” of a literal portal through which to escape reality is undoubtedly part of its appeal. Even musical-theater haters would have to ask, why even bother trying to come back?
Jonathan Mandell, New York Theater: Five years later, that first season of “Schmigadoon” has itself been turned into a Broadway musical, opening tonight at the Nederlander with little changed. If there’s an entirely new cast (with the exception of Ann Harada, who is reprising the part of the mayor’s wife), and it’s no longer six episodes of thirty minutes apiece (its total running time is now about 45 minutes shorter), the stage show retains co-creator Cinco Paul’s songs, characters, plot, most of the dialogue verbatim, and much of the choreography by Christopher Gattelli, who is now also the director. There are different designers, but the stage show has the same look as the TV series: cheery, pastel-colored, painted-on. Did this need to be brought to the stage? Maybe not, but it was probably inevitable, and I’m glad for it.
Christian Lewis, New York Theatre Guide: For lovers of Golden Age musicals like Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! or Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, getting trapped in one sounds like a dream. For others, who think spontaneously breaking into song and dance is odd, it might be a nightmare. This is the case for Melissa (Sara Chase) and Josh (Alex Brightman), who, during a couples retreat in the woods, accidentally find themselves in Schmigadoon, a musical come to life. Melissa is charmed, but Josh is annoyed. They soon discover you can’t exit Schmigadoon unless you’ve found true love, which only solidifies their romantic issues. Their only choice is to join the chorus and 5-6-7-8 their way through it. And of course they do, because it’s impossible not to get swept up in the joy and comedy of Schmigadoon!, for them and for us.
Bob Verini, New York Stage Review: Schmigadoon! has chosen, or lucked into, just the right historical moment. Its roots are in the musicals of the 40’s and 50’s, written while the nation was seeking equilibrium in the face of the trauma of the Second World War. The shows that Paul has mined for inspiration, and that Gattelli re-creates straight from his heart, were beginning to become aware of the fissures of American life; tensions of racism, xenophobia, gender, and identity are all gently evoked here. But Golden Age Broadway was fueled first and foremost by hope. The promise that America could be better, that its people could be better, was baked into musical theater of its time, and now leavens this wonderful entertainment in an era when belief in the betterment of our country seems to be in short supply. We need it, and Schmigadoon! supplies it.
Jesse Hassenger, The Guardian: With these zingy supporting performances, it’s entirely possible that those who haven’t seen the TV show will receive Schmigadoon! as an uncomplicated good time, both an affectionate send-up of shows still performed at American high schools everywhere and a tribute to why they endure despite outdated elements. But even without watching the original version, some viewers will probably anticipate certain jokes and turns – at this point, revelations of chaste queerness are practically obligatory in a Broadway showstopper, and even the friendly brand of satire on offer here ultimately feels a little soft. The non-musical portions of the TV show were sometimes at odd angles with the pure homage but also lent the characters a tension that often feels missing here. Schmigadoon! has been properly prepped and restructured for the stage. But apart from those cosmetic changes, it’s in the same boat as any number of less honorable adaptations: failing to offer much that’s truly new.
Michael Sommers, New York Stage Review: Schmigadoon! has now been smartly and successfully retooled as a full-fledged Broadway attraction that opened Monday at the Nederlander Theatre. The first season of the series condensed here into a classic two-act Broadway format, the whimsical Schmigadoon! content brightly crystalizes into stage existence as a fond, funny salute to old school musicals like Carousel and The Music Man as delightfully populated by an ensemble of expert performers.
Robert Hofler, The Wrap: “Schmigadoon!” on stage is no “Death Becomes Her.” It is a photo-copy replica of the TV show’s first season, in which two doctors from New York go on a camping trip in the Catskills, only to end up in a musical comprised of songs and plot points from famous shows of the 1940s and ’50s, most specifically “Carousel,” “The Music Man” and, of course, “Brigadoon.” The running joke is that while Dr. Melissa Gimble likes musicals, Dr. Josh Skinner can’t stand them and has to roll his eyes and make snide comments whenever anyone dances or breaks into song, which is often.
Greg Evans, Deadline: The cast, under Christopher Gattelli’s spirit-matching direction and choreography, seem to be having the time of their lives, and why not? Gasteyer’s comic chops have diminished not an iota since her long-ago SNL days, and her uptight Elmira Gulch prickliness is as flawless as her “Trouble in River City,” I mean, “Tribulation in Schmigadoon” delivery. If Cinco Paul ever gets around to a stage sequel advancing his Broadway timeline, Gasteyer needs “Last Midnight” like Mandy Patinkin needed to finish that damn hat.
Chris Jones, The New York Daily News: For those starved of Apple TV (the pour souls also missing “Ted Lasso”), “Schmigadoon,” is a TV series that basically smashed up the plot of “Am American Werewolf in London” with the book to the 1947 Broadway musical “Brigadoon,” best known for its stellar score (“Almost Like Being in Love”) and insanely improbable book, even by the standards of so-called Golden Age musicals. Therein, a contemporary couple, Josh and Melissa, both doctors, try to repair their relationship by going backpacking. As one does.
Thom Geier, Culture Sauce: There may be a paucity of Knicks fans at the Nederlander Theatre, which is probably for the best. Schmigadoon! is a show by and for musical mavens — and they should climb any mountain, never walk alone, and rock the boat (without sitting down) to get themselves a seat.
Johnny Oleksinki, The New York Post: As the second half leaps to a close, “Schmigadoon!” shifts from a cotton candy freight train to a sentimentality dump truck. But the touching McCalla, as Marion-the-librarian-inspired Emma, makes the change-up work by giving one of the few performances with some intellect and nuance behind it. Playing Emma’s shy younger brother Carson at select performances, little comedian Ayaan Diop steals the show.
Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly: A loving, winking, unabashedly cheesy valentine to Golden Age musicals, Schmigadoon! cherry-picks plotlines, melodies, and archetypes from Broadway classics Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Music Man, and dozens more — most notably Brigadoon. As in the 1947 Lerner and Loewe classic, our lead duo find themselves trapped in a mysterious land, in this case a town where everyone sings and dances as though they are in a musical. According to the leprechaun who magically appears when Josh and Melissa attempt to cross the bridge out of town only to find themselves in a loop returning to the town border, they will only be able to leave with their “true love.”
Brian Scott Lipton, Cititour: Still, some minor quibbles aside, I had a magically delicious time at “Schmigadoon.” Hopefully, so will you!.” Hopefully, so will you!
Matt Windman, amNY: There is an irony here. On television, “Schmigadoon!” felt like a gateway, a playful introduction to Broadway traditions for a wide audience. On Broadway, that sense of discovery disappears. The references no longer surprise; they just sit there, piling up with diminishing returns.
Billy McEntee, One-Minute Critic: Based on the Apple TV+ series and satirizing the relentless cheer of Golden Age musicals (or at least the cheery sheen of otherwise quite dark Golden Age musicals), Schmigadoon! delivers a world full of flats—literally in scenic designer Scott Pask’s perfectly pastel town, but also in the musical’s archetypes. You’ll recognize a few: McKenzie Kurtz as lipsticked flirt Betsy (Ado Annie), Max Clayton as carney himbo Danny Bailiey (Billy Bigelow), and the man who’s a “morally adrift narcissist that needs to change” (there are a few).
Average Rating:
74.2%
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