Little Lark of London

“Our motto is: ‘We always strive for peace and happiness’”

How would you feel if you found yourself trapped in a musical? For some, they’d be living the dream, singing and dancing along with magic. For others, it would be an absolute nightmare, akin to being trapped in their own personal hell. Now, what happens if both a musical-lover and a musical-hater are stuck in a show together? Two hours and thirty minutes of chaos. 

Schmigadoon! is adapted from a television series of the same name, with co-creator Cinco Paul now taking on the role of writing the book, music, and lyrics for the stage production, joining forces with director and choreographer Christopher Gattelli. The show follows couple Melissa Gimble (Sara Chase) and Josh Skinner (Alex Brightman) as they get lost in the woods on a couple’s retreat and find themselves in the strange town of Schmigadoon, where the inhabitants have a habit of breaking out into song and dance. They are told by a leprechaun (in song, of course), that they will only be able to return to their world if they find true love, which makes both of them question their relationship, wondering just how deep their love is for one another.

As one might expect from the title of the show, Schmigadoon! is a loving parody of the whole genre of musicals, its name being inspired by Brigadoon, a 1947 show about a village that only appears for one day every century. Many songs and plot aspects are reminiscent of other popular musicals, especially when it comes to romantic prospects. Melissa’s potential suitors include Danny Bailey (Max Clayton), a Carousel-esque carnival barker who dances across the stage as he claims, “You Can’t Tame Me” and the arrogant Doc (Ivan Hernandez), a stand-in for Baron von Trapp from The Sound of Music – there’s even a hilarious parody of “Do Re Mi” that Chase sings to a pregnant woman about how babies are actually made.

Scenic Designer Scott Pask and Costume Designer Linda Cho combine their talents to transform the Nederlander’s stage into the magical world of Schmigadoon, with its bright and cheery colors and set pieces reminiscent of classic musicals of the 20th century. Gattelli’s choreography is absolutely lovely to watch, and the ensemble is truly a force to be reckoned with – it’s easy to see why former Newsies performers like Joshua Burrage and Becca Petersen were hired. A standout is Lyrica Woodruff, who has some beautiful ballet solos reminiscent of her time in Anastasia.

While there are many things to love about Schmigadoon!, there are a few aspects that keep it from being the perfect production. Both Isabelle McCalla (as schoolmarm Emma Tate) and Ana Gasteyer (the “villain” Mildred Layton) give brilliant performances, with each getting a standout number (McCalla wows with both vocals and dance abilities in “With All of Your Heart” and Gasteyer does a hilarious parody of The Music Man with “Tribulation”), but are woefully underutilized in the first act. Plot points from the television series, including Mayor Menlove (Brad Oscar) discovering his sexuality, are included, but tend to be quickly rushed through, as Paul is having to pack six episodes into 150 minutes. But fear not, iconic moments, like the hit song “Corn Puddin’,” are in this production, and are just as great!

Those expecting a Beetlejuice-like performance from Brightman might be a bit disappointed, but Schmigadoon! gives him the opportunity to show off more dialogue-based comedy, particularly in scenes with Betsy (the delightfully unhinged McKenzie Kurtz), the farmer’s daughter who might be Josh’s key out of Schmigadoon – though her indeterminate age might pose a few problems. He is allowed to show some of his more emotional chops in the second act, when Josh tries to copy Harold Hill from The Music Man to win over Emma Tate, giving her little brother, Carson (the adorable Ayaan Diop), a kazoo – who knew there weren’t any trumpets in Schmigadoon?

Ultimately, Schmigadoon! is a seriously silly send-up of shows, but its level of joy and heart may be exactly what Broadway (and the world) needs at this time. Brightman and Chase lead a fantastic cast of talented performers who seem to be having the time of their lives in the magical town of Schmigadoon. Fans of musicals will have some extra joy in finding all of the references throughout the show, but even those as sceptical as Josh will find themselves tapping their toes and humming along. 

Schmigadoon! runs until 6 September at the Nederlander Theatre. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.