‘Schmigadoon!’: Bess Wohl makes history at 2026 Tony Awards

An Apple TV adaptation series, Schmigadoon! , that gently mocks big, brassy Broadway shows, won the best new musical Tony Award on a night when actor John Lithgow and playwright Bess Wohl made history.

The musical parodies golden-age Broadway classics like “The Music Man” and “Oklahoma!” and centers on a modern-day couple who find themselves in a “Brigadoon”-like fantasyland where the wholesome townspeople keep breaking into song. The win is a redemption for creator Cinco Paul, whose TV series was canceled after two seasons. He won Tonys for the score and the book on Sunday.

The producer Lorne Michaels, creator of Saturday Night Live, noted after the win, “Sometimes singing, dancing, jokes, and a happy ending are all you need.”

The win for “Schmigadoon!” also completes what some unofficially call a “studio EGOT,” giving the producing company credits for winning awards at all four major ceremonies. Apple already has Emmys for comedies “Ted Lasso” and “The Studio,” the Oscar for best picture for “CODA,” and a Grammy via Chris Stapleton’s contribution to the “F1” soundtrack.

The prize for the best new play went to Wohl’s “Liberation,” about a consciousness-raising women’s group in 1970s Ohio, which earlier this year also won the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

Wohl’s memory play collects stories from second-wave feminists from all walks of life as they tackle misogyny, racism, and traditional gender roles. Wohl is only the fourth woman to win a best play Tony, joining Wendy Wasserstein, Yasmina Reza, and Frances Goodrich.

“This is the honor of a lifetime,” said Wohl, who thanked her mom, daughters, and female producers. “I want to honor women everywhere who dare to use their voice. And to all the girls out there: May you speak your truth, and may the world be wise enough to listen.” The win came after presenter Julia Louis-Dreyfus pretended to believe all the original plays this season were written by artificial intelligence.