Schmigadoon! is an American musical comedy television series created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, with all songs written by Paul, who also serves as showrunner. The Apple TV+ series premiered July 16, 2021, starring an ensemble cast led by Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key. The story centers around a couple from New York, both doctors, who become trapped in magical musical theatre settings and learn lessons about love and happiness.
Blending satire and homage,Rubins, Dan "Review: Schmigadoon! Dithers Between Homage and Satire of Musical Theater", Slant Magazine, July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2023 Schmigadoon! alludes to numerous musicals in a pastiche of plots and song styles. The first season, set in the bucolic small town of Schmigadoon, blends elements of various Golden Age musicals of the 1940s and '50s,Edwards, Belen. "The original songs in Schmigadoon! perfectly capture the joy of musicals" , Mashable, July 22, 2021Eckmann, Sam. "Making of Schmigadoon!" at time marking 16:10, GoldDerby.com via Youtube, June 6, 2022 while the second season relocates the action to the gritty city of Schmicago and incorporates the darker, edgier themes of 1960s and '70s musicals.
Barry Sonnenfeld directed the first season, with choreography by Christopher Gattelli, and Cinco Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song "Corn Puddin'", featured in the pilot episode. The second season premiered April 5, 2023, directed by Alice Mathias and Robert Luketic, with Gattelli's choreography.
The series was not renewed for a third season. A stage adaptation written by Paul premiered at the Kennedy Center in 2025 and opened on Broadway in 2026, winning four Tony Awards including Best Musical.
Background Cinco Paul had the idea for the show over 20 years before the series premiered, that it would be funny if two men, like the backpackers in An American Werewolf In London, stumbled upon a musical, instead of a horror story."Spoilers: Schmigadoon! Season 1 Episode 6" , Otakukart.com, August 9, 2021; and Clark, Jason. "Why 'Corn Puddin' Needed to Be the Tune to Represent Schmigadoon! at the Emmys" , TheWrap.com, August 15, 2022 According to Paul, the concept only fully came into focus for him when it changed to "a couple who are stuck there until they can find true love". Paul said that even though Schmigadoon!s season 1 musical style, characters, and satire are largely based on 1940s and 1950s musicals, the sets and costumes reflect 1910s America, like the setting in The Music Man.Schwartz, Ryan. "Schmigadoon! EP Reveals Season 1 Episode Order Was Trimmed – What Was Left on the Cutting Room Floor?" , TVLine, August 17, 2021
Premise In the first season, two New York doctors, Melissa and Josh, go on a backpacking trip in an attempt to patch up their failing relationship, only to find themselves still arguing. They get lost and soon discover a magical town called Schmigadoon, which is perpetually trapped in a Golden Age–style musical, and soon learn that they cannot leave the town until they find "true love". The title and concept parody the 1947 musical Brigadoon.Cleal, Sam. "19 Reasons Why I Recommend You Watch Schmigadoon! Immediately" , BuzzFeed, July 27, 2021
In the second season, Melissa and Josh, now married, find their lives monotonous as doctors in New York City; they search for the quaint village of Schmigadoon but instead arrive in Schmicago, a world that pays satirical homage to sexy, dark 1960s and 1970s musicals; to escape, they are told, they must reach a happy ending.Jackson, Dory. "Schmigadoon! Promises 'More Sex and Violence' and Award-Winning New Stars in Fosse-Infused Season 2 Trailer" , People, March 7, 2023 The name of the setting parodies the 1975 musical Chicago. As in the first season, the last episode reaches beyond the time period of the rest of season 2 to reference later musical styles.
Cast and characters Main Cast member Character and capacity per season Schmigadoon! Schmicago! Keegan-Michael Keycolspan=2 Cecily Strongcolspan=2 Fred Armisen colspan="1" Dove Cameron Jaime Camil Kristin Chenoweth Alan Cumming Ariana DeBose Ann Harada Jane Krakowski Martin Short Aaron Tveit Tituss Burgess colspan="1" Patrick Page colspan="1"
Keegan-Michael Key as Josh Skinner, an orthopedic surgeon from New York City and Melissa's boyfriend, later husband Cecily Strong as Melissa Gimble, an OBGYN doctor from New York and Josh's girlfriend, later wife Fred Armisen as Reverend Howard Layton, long-suffering husband of Mildred and leader of the Methodist church in SchmigadoonCleal, Sam. "The Cast of Schmigadoon! Is Positively Stacked – Here's Where You Know Them From" , Buzzfeed, July 20, 2021 (season 1) Dove Cameron as Betsy McDonough, a waitress, one of Farmer McDonough's seven daughters, inspired by Ado Annie from Oklahoma! (season 1) Jenny Banks, a cabaret performer inspired by Liza Minnelli's portrayal of Sally Bowles in the film adaptation of Cabaret, combined with elements of Johanna from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (season 2) Jaime Camil as Doc Jorge Lopez, a judgmental doctor, set in his ways, inspired by Captain von Trapp from The Sound of MusicSava, Oliver. "Schmigadoon! Recap: Sex Education" , Vulture, July 30, 2021 (season 1) Sergeant Rivera, Schmicago's chief of police, who is the nephew of Octavius Kratt and can be compared to Sweeney Todds Beadle Bamford; he later parodies Dr. Frank-N-Furter from The Rocky Horror Show (season 2) Kristin Chenoweth as Mildred Layton, preacher's wife and the town's self-appointed moral arbiter, whose great-great-grandfather founded Schmigadoon, based mainly on Mrs. Shinn from The Music Man (season 1) Miss Codwell, the owner of an orphanage, combining elements of Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetArmstrong, Vanessa. "Alan Cumming Might Bake You into a Pie in Next Season of Schmigadoon!" , Tor.com, March 7, 2023 and Miss Hannigan from AnnieMurphy, Chris. "Welcome to Schmicago: An Exclusive Look at Season 2 of Schmigadoon!" , Vanity Fair, March 21, 2023 (season 2) Alan Cumming as Mayor Aloysius Menlove, the closeted gay mayor of Schmigadoon (season 1) Dooley Blight, a butcher and Jenny Banks' father; based on the title character of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (season 2) Ariana DeBose as Emma Tate, Schmigadoon's schoolmarm, based on Marian Paroo from The Music Man (season 1) Emcee, Master of Ceremonies at the Kratt Klub, a send up of the same character from Cabaret (season 2) Ann Harada as Florence Menlove, the mayor's adoring but sexually frustrated wife (season 1) Madam Frau, who runs the Hotel Schmicago, a house of prostitution, and the Kratt Klubb; based partly on Fräulein Schneider from Cabaret (season 2) Jane Krakowski as Countess Gabriele Von Blerkom, Doc Lopez's fiancée, a rich, elegant woman, based on the Baroness from The Sound of Music (season 1) Bobby Flanagan, a lawyer, based on Billy Flynn from Chicago and a nod to the female "Bobbie" in the 2018 and 2021 revivals of Company (season 2) Martin Short as Leprechaun, a magical imp based on Og from Finian's Rainbow;Kenrick, John. "Musicals101.com's Aisle Say: Is Schmigadoon Worth Watching?" , Musicals101.com via YouTube, July 28, 2021 Short appears as The Leprechaun (Steve) in both seasons, as well as his brother (Oscar), in season 2. Aaron Tveit as Danny Bailey, the town's rapscallion, a carnival barker, based on Billy Bigelow from Carousel (season 1) Topher, leader of a tribe of hippies, combining elements of leading characters from Pippin, Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar and HairAxelrod, Joshua. "Moulin Rouge!, Schmigadoon! star Aaron Tveit excited to play the hits at Mercyhurst University", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 29, 2023 (season 2) Tituss Burgess as the Narrator, inspired by the Leading Player from Pippin (season 2) Patrick Page as Octavius Kratt, the sinister owner of the Kratt Klubb and Schmicago's electric station, reminiscent of Judge Turpin from Sweeney Todd, Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar and Page's previous villain roles, such as Hades in HadestownLaguerre-Lewis, Kayla. "13 Musicals Schmigadoon! Season 2 Parodies", Screen Rant, May 4, 2023 (season 2)
Co-starring Liam Quiring-Nkindi as Carson, a boy with a lisp, who announces scene changes; Emma says that Carson is her kid brother, but it turns out that he is her son.Dockery, Clay. "Schmigadoon! Episode 5 – 'Tribulation'" , 25YearsLater, August 6, 2021 He is based on Winthrop Paroo from The Music Man. (season 1)
Guest Multiple seasons Kevin McNulty as Farmer McDonough, Betsy's violent father (season 1) Father Flanagan (season 2) Darcey Johnson as Innkeeper Harvey (season 1) Reporter (season 2) Scott Patey as Larry the Fireman (season 1) Reporter (season 2) Amitai Marmorstein as Pete, the cheerful Milkman, who is often the subject of offscreen violence in a running gag (season 1); Skeet the jury foreman/hot dog man (season 2) Timothy Webber as Marv Bijou Brattston as Tootie McDonough, one of Farmer McDonough's seven daughters (season 1); An orphan (season 2)
Season 1 Peppermint as Madam Vina Kyra Leroux as Carrie, one of Farmer McDonough's seven daughters Pedro Salvin as Old Doc Lopez, Doc Lopez's father Michelle Rios as Mrs. Lopez, Doc Lopez's mother Garfield Wilson as Henry the Iceman Cassandra Consiglio as Nancy, Freddy's pregnant girlfriend; she is later revealed to be the Laytons' daughter. Alex Barima as Freddy, a sailor, Nancy's boyfriend
Season 2 Karin Konoval as Female Barfly, who emphasizes statements with "I'll drink to that!", in reference to Joanne from Company Alex Gullason, Marisa Gold and Michael Delleva, three of Topher's hippie friends (each credited under their own first names); Gullason previously appeared in the season one episode "Cross That Bridge" Isabel Birch, Kairo Ellis, and Milana Wan as the Orphans"Schmigadoon! – 'Bells and Whistles'", Starry Constellation Magazine, April 19, 2023 Jacqueline and Joyce Robbins as the Bernstein sisters, performers at the Kratt Klubb. The name may be a reference to Leonard Bernstein.Harms, Talaura and Logan Culwell-Block. "Jesus Christ Superstar Megamix! What Happened in Episode 5 of Schmigadoon! Season 2, Schmicago?",Playbill, April 26, 2023
Episodes
Season 1 (2021)
Season 2 (2023)
Production It was announced in January 2020 that Cecily Strong was set to star in and produce the series, with a series order at Apple TV+ close to finalizing. In October, Keegan-Michael Key, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada were added to the cast.
Barry Sonnenfeld directed the season and also executive produced. Besides starring, Cecily Strong served as producer, and Ken Daurio served as consulting producer and writer. Andrew Singer also executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video. The musical numbers were choreographed by Christopher Gattelli.Bianculli, David. "Schmigadoon! Is a Star-Studded Parody That's Worth Singing About" , NPR, July 16, 2021 In addition to Paul and Daurio, Allison Silverman, Julie Klausner, Kate Gersten and Bowen Yang were writers on the show. The first season was written in the summer of 2019. The season consisted of six episodes, although it was originally planned to be eight episodes. Bo Welch serves as the series' production designer. Filming for season 1 began in Vancouver on October 13, 2020, and concluded on December 10, taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic.