Video: Hit the Red Carpet on Opening Night of SCHMIGADOON!
Schmigadoon! stars Sara Chase, Alex Brightman, Ana Gasteyer, Isabelle McCalla, Max Clayton and more.
Ready to cross that bridge into the land of Schmigadoon!? The new musical celebrated its opening night earlier this week at the Nederlander Theatre, and BroadwayWorld's guest correspondent, Gabriel Jaffe (Winner of the Roger Rees Awards Student Reporter Award) was on hand to chat with the company on the red carpet!
Director and choreographer Christopher Gattelli was excited to share what sets this show apart form others on Broadway right now. "[Schmigadoon!] is a true musical comedy," he explained. "We don't have a LED screen. We don't have lifts, don't have projection... I think this world demands that kind of care and attention the way the originals did. I'm happy that it feels like audiences are really embracing and appreciating that. When you have a great book, a great score, great talent, I think it's it's showing an audience that you don't need the bells and whistles. If it's good, it's good."
Schmigadoon! stars Alex Brightman and Sara Chase as Josh Skinner and Melissa Gimble, a couple who accidentally wanders into Schmigadoon – the magical town where every day is a musical. Everybody has a song for everything, the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye, and the only bridge out of town leads nowhere. Melissa and Josh soon discover the only way to escape is by finding true love—which may or may not be with each other.
The musical also stars Saturday Night Live alum Ana Gasteyer as Mildred Layton, Ann Harada reprising her role of Florence Menlove, Tony Award-nominee Brad Oscar as Mayor Menlove, Isabelle McCalla as Emma Tate, Ivan Hernandez as Doc, Maulik Pancholy as The Reverend, Max Clayton as Danny Bailey, McKenzie Kurtz as Betsy and Ayaan Diop as Carson.
"We use zero snark to make this show happen, and most importantly, zero references to the real world that we're living in right now," added Brightman. "This show could be so easily one of those shows that hooks onto people that are in our real world... and we don't. I think what's great about that is it makes it what a musical should be, which is pure escapism. You can literally leave this world for two and a half hours, be in ours and be happy about it and not to think about the one you already live in."
Watch in this video as the cast an creative team celebrate opening night!
