Cecily Strong center stage in Broadway musical parody ‘Schmigadoon!’
A woman of a thousand voices and faces, “SNL” veteran Cecily Strong is doing something comically different with the Broadway musical parody series “Schmigadoon!”
Known over the past nine “Saturday Night Live” seasons for her impressions (Melania Trump, Ariana Grande, Kate Middleton), Strong, 37, stars as Melissa opposite Keegan Michael Key’s Josh in “Schmigadoon!”
On a nature walk, the quarreling couple discover they have entered — but can’t leave — an enchanted land where townsfolk regularly break into song (and dance!). The only escape is to find their “true love,” which does not seem to be their partner.
“What I loved about the show,” Strong said via Zoom, “is that it was one of the few scripts where the female part of a romantic couple got to go on a journey and discover herself.
“It wasn’t just about waiting until the man realized they were in love. She knows that she has to change a few things about herself. You don’t see that as often.”
Broadway vets Alan Cumming as the melancholy mayor, Kristen Chenowith’s town scold and Jane Krakowski are part of the fun as classic Broadway shows like “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Music Man” are gently mocked, twisted and acknowledged.
Is this AppleTV+ show’s audience limited to Broadway insiders?
“I’m so excited about the Broadway babies watching this,” Strong answered. “But what’s really fun about ‘Schmigadoon!’ is having Keegan and I. Our names bring a different, at least, idea if not a different audience. It’s a genuinely very funny show, the comedy is super strong and then it’s really sweet. That’s a way into the show for a lot of people.
“Visually it’s stunning,” she added. “Even if you don’t like musicals, if you get through the first numbers,” you should be fine.
Funnily enough, Strong downplays her vocal abilities. “I think I’m certainly a serviceable singer. I’m proud of the singing I do in this show.
“On ‘SNL,’ they’ll give you people who have a lot of vocal nuance and they’re really amazing singers. I am not that.”
What she is, is funny. Since childhood.
“I would say from like 2K onwards.”
Strong has written “This Will All Be Over Soon,” an intensely personal memoir about her cousin Owen’s terminal battle with brain cancer, out this summer.
“That was absolutely different, totally new for me. It was a tough year and both (the book and series) got me through the year.
“I don’t know if I’ll write more books; I didn’t know I’d write this one.”
“Schmigadoon!” premieres Friday on Apple TV+.