Musicals are having a moment, and they have been for the last few years. Hamilton helped reinvigorate the genre on stage, while Les Miserables and La La Land reached critical acclaim on the big screen. While Lin Manuel Miranda’s The Heights hasn’t soared as high as some have hoped, the Cats movie wasn’t enough to kill people’s tastes for musicals and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is hitting theaters later this year. Now, Apple TV+ is entering the foray with a full musical TV comedy series called Schmigadoon!
The new series, which takes its name as a play on the classic musical, Brigadoon, is a parody of the genre with a hell of a cast behind it. Cecily Strong and Keegan Michael-Key star as a couple going through a rough patch when they accidentally hike into the musical land of Schmigadoon. Now, they can’t leave until they do so with their one true love by their side. Joining the pair is a monster ensemble that includes Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, and Aaron Tveit, as well as Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski, and Ann Harada. Between this and the return of Ted Lasso for season 2, Apple TV+ could have a very watchable summer.
The first episode of Schmigadoon drops on the streaming network July 16th.
Love leads to the strangest places. Schmigadoon! premieres July 16, only on Apple TV+. This new musical comedy series is executive produced by Lorne Michaels and stars Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski, and Aaron Tveit. Hailing from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, Schmigadoon! is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Paul serves as showrunner, and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Barry Sonnenfeld directs and executive produces. In addition to starring, Strong serves as producer, and Daurio serves as consulting producer and writer. Andrew Singer executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video.