Schmigadoon!
Musical based on the Emmy-winning Apple TV series.
Those who saw the series, seemed to have the best time at Schmigadoon! While I never saw the series, it was still a fun night at the theater. I enjoyed the second act more than the first, which left me with a good feeling.
The book, music, and lyrics are by the very talented Cinco Paul. It is cleverly directed by Christopher Gattelli. It stars Alex Brightman as Josh Skinner, who is great in the role; and Sara Chase as Melissa Gimble, who is clearly a very talented actor. They are both doctors in New York who go backpacking in a last-ditch attempt to save their failing relationship. What happens on their hike is they get lost in the woods, and end up trapped in Schmigadoon, a magical town, that is a classic Golden Age musical come to life. They are stuck in Schmigadoon, a town where it is not legal to share a room in the Inn unless you are married, and cannot leave unless they do so with someone they are truly in love with. The music, and many scenes, are meant to remind you of many of the old musicals, from Oklahoma, to The Music Man.
All the residents of Schmigadoon are played by a wonderfully talented cast, all really fun to watch. The singing and dancing are superb. They all get involved in Josh and Melinda’s life, because as we learn, they all get involved in each other’s lives in Schmigadoon. The cast includes Kevin Del Aguila as the Reverend Layton, and Emily Skinner as his wife, Mildred Layton. Ann Harada as Florence Menlove, wife of the Mayor, who is played by Brad Oscar. Then there are McKenzie Kurtz as Betsy McDonough, Isabelle McCalla as Emma Tate, Javier Muñoz as Doc Lopez, Ryan Vasquez as Danny Bailey, and Ayaan Diop, who plays the only child we see in Schmigadoon, Carson Tate. The rest of the cast, and it is a large one, are just as uniformly good.
The musical features hits from the Grammy-nominated score—including the Emmy winning “Corn Puddin’”—plus a host of new songs. This production relies on a talented creative team which includes; musical direction by Steven Malone, orchestrations by Doug Besterman and Mike Morris, scenic design by Scott Pask, lighting design by Jen Schriever, costume design by Linda Cho, wig design by Tom Watson, and sound design by Haley Parcher.
The reason I say it may not be a good idea to bring children to this show, is because there is sexual inuendo in every song, and nearly all the dances. It is funny, and you have to listen, and watch carefully, so you don’t miss any of it. The dancing is superb including a wonderful tap-dancing routine, which showcases the talents of much of the cast.
Schmigadoon! will only be at the Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater, through February 9, 2025. If you can, it’s definitely worth trying to get a ticket.
