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Broadway review by Adam Feldman
Rating: ★★★★ (four stars)
Ticketing: Buy tickets to Schmigadoon!
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.
Schmigadoon!’s love for classic musical theater may not be 100% true—everything about it is in quotation marks—but good gosh, is it enjoyable. Writer-composer Cinco Paul, adapting the first season of his series for the stage, has retained most of its plot and songs: knowing and affectionate pastiches inspired mainly by The Music Man and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music. (Other shows evoked include Finian’s Rainbow, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and, of course, Brigadoon, whose premise Paul borrows.) Under the protective cover of parody, Schmigadoon! is free to deliver real pleasures of old-school American musical comedy: catchy melodies with clever lyrics, laughs on the regular, a little romance and a large cast of seasoned pros in big, joyous production numbers.
Melissa, who loves musicals, has an easier time fitting in—she soon discovers she can communicate in song like a real Schmigadoonian—whereas Josh, who hates them, stubbornly refuses to sing. When the pressure of their situation drives them apart, they have ill-considered rebound flings. A drunk Melissa heads to the local carnival to hook up with the studly buck and would-be bad boy who works there, the very Billy Bigelow-ish Danny (Max Clayton, dancing with winsome vigor), who teaches her a new expression of surprised appreciation: “Yee honk!” At an auction for dating women—“Somehow we’re okay with it!” sing the cheerful citizens—Josh buys a picnic with the Ado Annie-esque Betsy (the hilariously committed McKenzie Kurtz, making a comedic meal of her part), a flirty farmer’s daughter of indeterminable age. Later, Melissa and Josh find more suitable possible matches: she with a handsome physician (Ivan Hernandez), he with a spirited schoolteacher (Isabelle McCalla) who leads a Pennies from Heavenly classroom number and has a suspiciously younger brother (a lisping and totally adorable Ayaan Diop).
Meanwhile, two of the town’s most prominent couples have troubles of their own. The kindly Mayor Menlove (Brad Oscar) is saddened by romantic yearnings that he can’t quite understand. (Melissa, asking the obvious: “Mr. Mayor, are you gay?” Mayor, forlornly: “I try to be.”) His none-too-bright wife (national treasure Ann Harada, reprising her TV role) is devoted but understandably undersatisfied. And the town’s soft-spoken preacher (Maulik Pancholy) is saddled with a farbissiner wife (Ana Gasteyer, pure starch), who leads a biddy committee called Mothers Against the Future; in the second act, she adds some hustle to her bustle with “Tribulations,” a takeoff of “Ya Got Trouble” that Gasteyer hits clean.
Christopher Gattelli choreographed the TV series; now he serves as director, too, but dance plays a large role in his vision. He puts the 12 members of Schmigadoon!’s ensemble through their paces in one highly dynamic number after another, wittily stuffed with kicks and lifts and spins and the twirling of frilly calico dresses and the occasional slapping of thighs. In addition to their excellent group work, many of these triple-threat performers—such as Jess Leprotto, Kaleigh Cronin and Afra Hines (who plays an icy aristocratic rival of Melissa’s)—also get moments to stand out as individuals. It seems like everyone is having fun, including the designers: you can feel it in Scott Pask’s storybook sets and Linda Cho’s busily patterned pastel costumes.
If you’ve already watched the TV version of Schmigadoon!, you may wonder if you should see the Broadway one as well. There are several reasons to do so, I think. There are several new songs; Kurtz has one of them, “Not That Kind of Gal,” and Harada now sings a duet with Melissa, “What’s the Matter with Men,” in lieu of her former solo. I enjoyed seeing different actors put new stamps on their roles; it’s especially nice to see Sara Chase take center stage in a role commensurate with her talents. But most of all, this version has a quality essential to the excitement of Broadway musicals that the TV series could never have: It’s live. Having liked the series very much, I admit that I too was skeptical that I needed to see another Schmigadoon! But what can I say? Yee honk.
Schmigadoon! Nederlander Theatre (Broadway). Book, music and lyrics by Cinco Paul. Directed by Christopher Gattelli. With Ana Gasteyer, Brad Oscar, Ann Harada, Max Clayton, Isabelle McCalla, McKenzie Kurtz, Ivan Hernandez, Maulik Pancholy, Ayaan Diop. Running time: 2hrs 20mins. One intermission.
Buy tickets to Schmigadoon!: Broadway.com
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