Christopher Gattelli Says Schmigadoon! Is the Broadway Musical We’ve Been Missing

Director and Tony-winning choreographer Christopher Gattelli has had quite a hectic couple of years on the job. With Death Becomes Her entering its second year on Broadway, Gattelli is feeling the pride. His next project, the Apple TV+ musical television show Schmigadoon! which he choreographed, is coming to Broadway; still with his choreography and now featuring his direction as well. Gattelli sat down with Broadway.com Managing Editor Beth Stevens for the latest installment of Building Broadway to chat about the upcoming production.

For those who need a refresher on the 2021 streaming comedy series, Gattelli has you covered with a summary: “Schmigadoon! is a contemporary love story where two people are having a little rut in their relationship and they're trying to get past a certain thing. So they go on a retreat in the woods, they cross a bridge and they end up in a Golden Age musical.”

Part of its appeal is the throwback to the warm light that Golden Age musicals radiate, while still being its own original concept. "If you love Golden Age musicals, if you love Broadway in general—this is a big, old-fashioned Broadway musical [with] big dance numbers, great songs," Gattelli emphasizes. "It feels like a classic musical that just hasn't been done yet. There's a character in it, Josh, who hates musicals. It feels like ages eight to 80 will love this show, because if you love musicals or you don't or you're on the fence, there's something for you."

Gattelli, who won a Tony Award in 2012 for choreographing Newsies, says it was the work of Golden Age choreographers that influenced him in the first place—making Schmigadoon! his “dream show.” He explains: “It's why I dance. All of those classics, all of my idols and all of these choreographers that have influenced me—Gene Kelly, Onna White, Jerome Robbins, Michael Kidd, Agnes de Mille—they changed the theater. To get this call and have Cinco [Paul, who wrote the book, music and lyrics] be like, 'We really want it to look authentic,' I was like, 'This is going to be the best job ever.'"

Not everyone shares Gattelli's love for the Golden Age, or even musicals in general. Despite “so many references and Easter eggs,” those who don't understand every single one shouldn’t feel discouraged. “We bring you along,” says Gattelli. “They're the Josh, like, 'What's happening?' But then you get it. That's why it's fun for all kinds of people to come see it, because you're just going to go on that ride and you're going to be one of them.”

With Golden Age musicals showing up less and less on Broadway nowadays, Gattelli felt it was Schmigadoon!’s time. "I love and appreciate all kinds of spins and takes on revivals and new concepts, but I think this really feels like we haven't had this kind of Broadway musical in... I can't remember, to be honest," he says. "I obviously love the series and I loved being a part of it, but it's almost like bringing it home. All of the musicals we're spoofing started on Broadway. This almost feels more at home on a Broadway stage. We're bringing it back. I'm really excited, again, for that connection with the audience to feel these numbers in real time, the way that they were originally.”

Schmigadoon! begins performances April 4 at the Nederlander Theatre, with opening night on April 20.

Watch the full interview below:

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