Schmigadoon! Creator Cinco Paul Addresses the Challenges of Creating Season 2 (Exclusive)
Schmigadoon! returns for its second season on Apple TV+ this week and when the popular series returns, it will see a major shift from what fans experienced in Season 1. While Season 1 of the hit series parodied musicals from the 1940s and 1950s, Season 2 will take a darker turn as the series takes on shows from the 1960s, 1970s, and beyond. But while Season 2's arrival in "Schmicago" will be markedly different, series co-creator Cinco Paul says that the shift wasn't that much of a challenge. Instead, Paul describes it as a "joy" to create.
"I would. not consider it a challenge at all," Paul told ComicBook.com. "It was just a joy, and it was so clear to me who everybody would be that while we were shooting Season 1, I would pull people aside and say, 'How would you like to be the MC?' to Ariana [DeBose]. Or I told Dove [Cameron], 'How'd you like to be Sally Bowles next season?' And to see their eyes light up and get excited was great every time and I thought, 'Oh, Alan and Kristen should be Sweeney and Lovett.' And it's really fun. It's kind of getting to dream cast your favorite musicals."
And when it comes to favorite musicals, Paul revealed that his favorite musical of all time has an influence on Season 2 — though another favorite also plays a major role.
"My favorite musical of all time is Sweeney Todd," Paul said. "I love it so much. I think it's the best musical ever made. But I think people feel passionately about this era of musicals because I think a lot of us discovered them in our teens and I was a teenager when I discovered Pippin and I so identified with Pippin and thought that's who I am and this musical really spoke to me. So, that one's also really near and dear to my heart. So, I knew that Sweeney and Pippin would play big roles in this season."
What is Season 2 of Schmigadoon! about?
According to Apple TV+, "Having found true love in the town of Schmigadoon, season two of "Schmigadoon!" will find Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong) in Schmicago, the reimagined world of '60s and '70s musicals. The second season of Apple's broadly acclaimed comedy will include new original musical numbers from co-creator and executive producer Cinco Paul, as well as returning stars Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Ariana DeBose, Martin Short, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski, and Aaron Tveit are set to return, with Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page joining the cast for season two."
"Schmigadoon!" is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, and produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and Broadway Video. Paul serves as showrunner and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Lorne Michaels is executive producer. Andrew Singer executive produces on behalf of Broadway Video with Micah Frank as co-executive producer.
Schmigadoon! Season 2 debuts April 5th on Apple TV+.