Star-studded musical comedy Schmigadoon! coming to Apple TV+ this summer is a glorious parody of the iconic Golden Age of musicals, starring Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key. The six-part toe-tapping romp, which gently sends up the premise of the 1947 Broadway show Brigadoon, follows on/off couple Melissa and Josh who stumble across a magical town that seems to be set in a 1940s musical.
So here’s everything we know so far about Schmigadoon!
Schmigadoon! release date...
The six-part series Schmigadoon! will begin on Apple TV+ worldwide on Friday July 16 2021. The first two episodes will be available at the launch as a double bill, followed by one episode weekly every Friday until the series finale on August 13.
Schmigadoon! cast and plot...
Schmigadoon! sees Saturday Night Live stalwart Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key (Fargo, Parks and Recreation) play Melissa and Josh, a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reignite their failing relationship, who stumble across a magical town living in a 1940s musical. It’s all fun, nostalgia and big musical hits, but then there’s a catch — they can’t leave the town until they find "true love".
Schmigadoon! — who else is starring?
The first season of the six-episode Schmigadoon! series will also star The Good Wife’s Alan Cumming as Mayor Menlove and Jane Krakowski (30 Rock and Ally McBeal) as The Countess.
Other cast include many stalwarts of stage musicals including Kristin Chenoweth as Mildred Layton, Fred Armisen as Reverend Layton, Aaron Tveit as Danny Bailey, Dove Cameron as Betsy, Ariana DeBose as Emma Tate, Jaime Camil as Doc Lopez, and Ann Harada as Florence Menlove. Meanwhile, veteran comedian Martin Short is set to guest star.
Is there a trailer for Schmigadoon!?
Yes the full trailer for Schmigadoon! has just been released by Apple TV+, and it's a lively one. Very Hollywood musical of days gone by! Take a look below and enjoy...
How Cecily Strong describes Schmigadoon!
Cecily Strong says: "The series is a love letter to Broadway. My uncle is a Broadway producer, and I grew up as a musical theatre nerd, so getting to do this show feels like I’m a little kid who got to step into a childhood fantasy!"
Cecily Strong on the residents of Schmigadoon!
Cecily says: "They’re all the musical stock characters. There’s Danny Bailey, who’s the bad boy played by [Gossip Girl star Aaron Tveit], and Mildred Layton [Broadway legend Kristin Chenoweth], the uptight reverend’s wife, who is our villain.
"There’s the schoolmarm Emma [Hamilton star Ariana DeBose], who is another love interest; Doc Lopez, the handsome single doctor in town [Jane the Virgin star Jaime Camil]; and Betsy, the sweet and sexy waitress [Descendants star Dove Cameron]. Plus our Mayor, played by Alan Cumming, and, of course, there’s a leprechaun, played by Martin Short! "
Cecily Strong on living in a Schmigadoon! world
Cecily says: "Well, I do spontaneously burst into song and dance probably every day! The toughest thing about living in Schmigadoon! would be that, anytime you said where you were from, you’d have to explain the name!"
Cecily Strong on the first musical she ever saw
Cecily says: "Mine was The Secret Garden, which I saw when I was about eight. And Oliver!, because I sing Where Is Love? from that show to my dog when she looks at me really earnestly because she wants food!"
Schmigadoon! — what else do we know...
Schmigadoon! comes from top American executive producer Lorne Michaels, who’s best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live. It’s been created by screenwriters Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, from Despicable Me fame, while Men in Black and The Adams Family star Barry Sonnenfeld directs. In addition to starring, Cecily Strong also serves as a producer on the show. Most of Schmigadoon! was filmed in Vancouver, Canada.
Schmigadoon! episode guide and review...
Here's all we know about the six episodes of Schmigadoon! so far. All are directed by Barry Sonnefield, plus a review of the series...
'Schmigadoon!' Review: An out-of-the-box musical delight
Episode 1: 'Schmigadoon!' is on July 16 2021
Episode 2:' Lovers' Spat' is on July 16 2021
Episode 3: 'Cross That Bridge' is on July 23 2021
Episode 4: 'Suddenly' is on July 30 2021
Episode 5: 'Tribulation' is on August 6 2021
Episode 6: 'How we Change' is on August 13 2021
Schmigadoon! spoof — all about the musical Brigadoon...
The original production of Brigadoon began on Broadway in 1947 and ran for 581 performances before transferring to the West End in 1949. The show, written by Lerner and Loewe, originally starred David Brooks, Marion Bell, Pamela Britton and Lee Sullivan.
It told the story of two American tourists, Tommy and Jeff, who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years, with Tommy falling in love with a villager called Fiona.
A 1954 colour film version of Brigadoon starred Gene Kelly as Tommy, alongside Van Johnson as Jeff and Cyd Charisse as Fiona, with Gene going on to have a hit with the musical’s classic number Almost Like Being in Love. There was also a 1966 TV spin-off of Brigadoon starring Robert Goulet, Peter Falk and Sally Ann Howes.
To watch Schmigadoon! from Friday July 16 you'll need to subscribe to Apple TV+ which costs $4.99 a month in the US after a 7 day free trial and is available on most major streaming services, including Apple products, Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and on the web. You can get one year free if you buy an eligible Apple device.
Apple TV+ is currently £4.99 a month in the UK after a free 7-day trial. You can get one year free if you buy an eligible Apple device. The app is already pre-loaded if you have an iPhone, iPad or Mac. You can also download the app onto your television. To see if your television is supported by the service go to the apps section on your television and find the Apple TV app.
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