He is the co-founder and former[1] Artistic Director of Signature Theatre.,[2] and is well known nationally for his re-invention of large American musicals for small black box venues.
He has produced many of the works of Stephen Sondheim, stating that the Signature production of Sweeney Todd in the 1990-1991 season "put us on the map".
He has directed on Broadway,[10] West End in London, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and served as the Artistic Director of The Sondheim Celebration at The Kennedy Center in 2002.
[12] On June 24, 2020, Schaeffer stepped down as Artistic Director of Signature Theatre amid accusations of sexual assault.
[15] Sunset Boulevard, Chess, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Glory Days, Merrily We Roll Along, The Witches of Eastwick, Saving Aimee, Into the Woods, My Fair Lady, Nevermore, Assassins, The Highest Yellow, One Red Flower, Allegro, Twentieth Century, 110 in the Shade, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Gospel According to Fishman, Grand Hotel, The Rhythm Club, Over & Over, The Fix, Working, The Rink, Cabaret, First Lady Suite, Wings, Poor Superman, Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love, Passion, Company, Sweeney Todd, Follies, Pacific Overtures, Ace, Les Misérables and Showboat.