Schmigadoon! finally reaches Broadway with twelve Tony nominations, more than two decades in the making

Twenty-plus years to opening night

Schmigadoon! finally has a Broadway production, and its Tony nominations count tells the story well. According to Billboard, the show ties with The Lost Boys for the most nominations this year, twelve in total, including best musical, best book of a musical, and best original score for composer and book writer Cinco Paul. It is a long-deferred arrival: Paul first conceived the project, a musical that lovingly satirizes the Golden Age shows like Oklahoma!, Carousel, and The Sound of Music, more than two decades ago.

In between, Paul co-wrote the screenplays for films including Despicable Me, Horton Hears a Who, The Lorax, and The Secret Life of Pets, all alongside collaborator Ken Daurio. Broadway would have to wait.

Apple TV+ as an out-of-town tryout

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Broadway, Schmigadoon! found a different route to audiences: Apple TV+. The series followed two doctors, played by Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, who wander into a magical land where life is a non-stop musical. The cast included Broadway names such as Aaron Tveit, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, and Ariana DeBose. The show ran for two seasons before being cancelled in early 2024, even though a third season had already been fully written.

"I half-jokingly refer to Apple TV+ as our out-of-town tryout," Paul told Billboard.

Adapting scripts, not the TV show

For the stage version, Paul went back to his original scripts rather than simply transferring what viewers saw on screen. He cut excessive scene intercutting, merged story beats, and rethought the pacing to suit two acts instead of six episodic cliffhangers. He also took the opportunity to add songs he felt were missing from the television version.

The Broadway production covers the story of the first season. Paul made clear the decision was deliberate: with around 95 percent of the population never having seen the show, the stage version can function as a standalone musical for new audiences.

The cast is almost entirely new. Ann Harada is the one returning performer from the television series. Paul singled out McKenzie Kurtz, who plays Betsy, as a particular standout, describing her performance as "brilliantly and surprisingly comedic in a very unhinged, aggressively funny way," a clear departure from Dove Cameron's take on the same role in the series.

What comes next

Paul's immediate hope is a cast recording. "There's so much new music and so much that's changed," he said. For fans of Golden Age musical theater, Schmigadoon! on Broadway represents the version Paul always intended. Whether a second Broadway production covering the Schmicago storyline of season two follows will depend on how this one performs. The Tony nominations suggest the industry is paying attention.

For more on shows making their way to the stage, check out our concerts and live events hub.