Schmigadoon! Broadway Review: A Faithful Yet Forgettable Stage Adaptation of the Apple TV Hit

Cinco Paul’s love for his own work shines through in the Broadway adaptation of Schmigadoon!, the Apple TV series produced by Lorne Michaels of SNL fame. Paul, credited with the book, lyrics, and music, has essentially transported his creation from television to the stage, where it opened Monday at the Nederlander Theatre.

The transition from screen to stage introduces key changes: Christopher Gattelli replaces Barry Sonnenfeld as director, though Sonnenfeld remains as choreographer. Gattelli previously revamped Death Becomes Her for the stage in 2024, a production that involved Marco Pennette (book), Julia Mattison, and Noel Carey (songwriters)—none of whom worked on the 1992 film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan.

From Screen to Stage: A Direct Copy of Season One

Schmigadoon! on Broadway is a near-identical replica of the TV show’s first season. The plot follows two New York doctors on a camping trip in the Catskills who stumble into a musical world inspired by 1940s and ’50s classics like Carousel, The Music Man, and Brigadoon. The running gag involves Dr. Josh Skinner’s disdain for musicals, as he rolls his eyes and makes snide remarks whenever characters break into song—a joke that wears thin quickly.

Paul doesn’t parody the works of Meredith Willson, Lerner & Loewe, or Rodgers & Hammerstein; he copies them outright. The humor hinges on audiences recognizing the similarities, such as the resemblance between Schmigadoon!’s “Tribulation” and The Music Man’s “Trouble.” The joke, however, loses its charm when theatergoers are asked to pay premium ticket prices to watch characters comment on the absurdity of singing in real life.

Performances: A Mixed Bag of Charm and Repetition

The cast fares better than their TV counterparts, with Alex Brightman and Sara Chase bringing a relaxed energy to roles that otherwise feel hyperactive without being engaging. A few standout performances provide brief relief: Maulik Pancholy charms as Reverend Layton, while Afra Hines steals the show late in the production as Countess Gabriele Von Blerkom. Hines’ portrayal is a clever homage to Carrie Coon’s performance in The Gilded Age, rather than a mimicry of Eleanor Parker’s Baroness from the 1965 The Sound of Music film.

"The Broadway adaptation of Schmigadoon! is a photo-copy replica of the TV show’s first season, with humor that quickly evaporates under the weight of its own repetition."

Verdict: A Missed Opportunity for Innovation

While the show’s faithfulness to its source material may please fans of the Apple TV series, it offers little freshness or innovation. The reliance on nostalgia and recycled jokes makes for a forgettable experience, despite the efforts of a talented cast. Theatergoers expecting a transformative stage experience may find themselves longing for the original’s charm—or simply wishing they’d stayed home.