They get lost in the woods, cross over a bridge and suddenly find themselves on what looks like a backlot movie set of a small town in the early 20th century - a town called Schmigadoon. And I wound up never stopping. The women are wearing long, colorful prairie dresses with big petticoats. I'll do anything. JOST: (As himself) That's great. In "Schmigadoon!," a musical comedy about musical theater starting a six-episode run Friday on Apple TV+, Cecily Strong and Keegan Michael-Key play Melissa and Josh . I know from your new memoir that when "Saturday Night Live" did some episodes with everybody at home, that you were - you didn't want to participate at first, and you didn't do one or two of the shows because you just didn't feel ready to perform, I mean, because you really were in a serious state of depression and anxiety. Why couldn't we cross? In this scene, the couple keeps trying to cross the bridge and escape Schmigadoon while bickering about their relationship. And it would, like, end in some crazy, like, exclamation. STRONG: You know, we definitely loved the exclamations, you know, saving those for the - what. It was like, in order to do the show next week, I just need to step away this week. I was a new cast member. So that's when I joined SAG. These Cecily Strong "SNL" performances were more than strong. It just felt like, I've fallen through the cracks. And, you know, even, like, operas have, like, songs like that, where there's, you know, like, a festival or, you know, a picnic or something. Can we please go now? STRONG: I said no, actually, at first to going to Vancouver and shooting because I was - I really was afraid, you know? And they embraced me. You know, my grandmother would buy me musicals on VHS. PAUL: Yeah. And then I think a real key moment was - I think I was 14 and was asked to play piano for my high school's musical. But of course, like, everything's bad timing over the past couple of years or whatever. I sure would like a taste. STRONG: (As Jeanine Pirro) That's right. UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) We want corn puddin'. It was my first year talking with Colin. You have to do people that everybody knows. Strong has been a cast member of "Saturday Night Live" since 2012. And so - but everything that is evidence that he's gay, she sees as a really positive quality. And I always wanted to be an actor since I was little. She doesn't know what that actually means, but she really wishes the best for him and loves him. Thea Chaloner directed today's show. (SOUNDBITE OF GWENDOLYN DEASE'S "PORKCHOP'S BLUES"), GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. GROSS: Oh, yeah. Cecily Strong attends the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards at L.A. LIVE on September 19, 2021 in Los . NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble, singing) Never had corn puddin'. It's - so I just don't know for sure yet. And it wasn't easy to do this job this year. Is that an idea that you originated? And then it was just such a gift. But I certainly - I remember getting to go backstage after "Secret Garden." HARADA: (As Florence, singing) Some men stumble home at dark, want dinner and dessert. GROSS: All right. And you know, everybody that was there was supposed to be there. STRONG: Well, it was sort of a mix of, like, I'm making fun of myself, and then I'm thinking about people I'd seen on Facebook. during the pandemic. overall No. So I don't know what you do with that. Courtesy: Apple TV+. That's outrighteous (ph). 'Cause "Kevin Can Wait," but Syrian referees can't, OK? It's brought me such pleasure at a time when I think we all need some pleasure. GROSS: And he's not just a Broadway producer. STRONG: No. And we failed. GROSS: Had you been vaccinated when you shot the series? Is that an idea that you originated? I'm not going to do the show. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) Seriously, please? UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, chanting) Corn puddin', corn puddin', corn puddin', corn puddin'. GROSS: Like, among the shows he did was terrific revivals of "Music Man," which is, of course, referenced (laughter) in "Schmigadoon!" See if you can recognize what inspired this song. STRONG: Yeah. And the contrast between that and the depression and anxiety you describe in your memoir, which - a lot of your memoir is about living through the pandemic, like, the first almost year of the pandemic. GROSS: I love the way mansplaining becomes, like, don't man-terrupt me. And I can't - she's so far away. I love the show so much. And there's a bunch of kids who weren't as lucky as I was. She has over 500k followers on her Instagram. And this is from the February 20, 2017, edition of "Saturday Night Live." You know, it's hard. We'll first hear the voice of Michael Che on "Weekend Update.". She's a cast member of "Saturday Night Live" and stars in the series "Schmigadoon!," a satire of classic musicals from the '40s and '50s that's streaming on Apple TV+. ", which is now streaming on Apple TV+. - about a couple who find themselves trapped in a small town from the early 1900s where life is a musical. - in late September usually. And then my uncle is also a Broadway producer. In case you are wondering about his identity, Jack is an international traveler. Was this all through movies? And suddenly, I used it just to make movies with all the neighborhood kids. UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) First, she said something bad to get his gander. He also co-wrote the animated films "Despicable Me," "The Secret Life Of Pets," and "Horton Hears A Who.". Cecily Strong has 29 acting credits on her IMDb profile, along with her first producer credit for Schmigadoon!, a musical comedy television show that premiered on Apple TV+ in 2021. . He's a hard man to know, it seems - different. We started with the opening song from "Schmigadoon!" You know, I really wanted them - like, oh, that could genuinely have been a song sung in an undiscovered Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Our interview was recorded in August. GROSS: You love movies, and you and your writing partner, Ken Daurio, have a podcast. And she used the playbill and a lot of those pictures. . GROSS: Yeah, yeah. But they both soon realize they're trapped in Schmigadoon, where life is a musical. JOST: (As himself) You don't have to shout, you know. Please do a Season 2. I loved that movie so much, and the songs in that are so good. STRONG: (As The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party) Wow. Thirty-seven cents - it must not be very good, something that - and then I made a face like, huh? I mean, to me, there is a trope in these musicals often. If you're just joining us, my guest is Cinco Paul, and he co-created, co-wrote and then wrote all the songs for the satirical musical series "Schmigadoon! My brother actually did try to kill himself in eighth grade. We'll be right back after we take a short break. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As character) Did somebody say corn puddin'? GROSS: Yeah, yeah. And so it was like, I was going to be a fifth-year senior, which just felt bonkers. Thanks for finally letting a woman on late night TV. STRONG: No. ", which is a loving satire of classic musicals from the '40s and '50s. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) Oh, I think they want us to take a verse. He's become a little more of a fan. We live in Brooklyn. Or I'll go to my garage. I saw "Guys And Dolls." I wonder if - is square dancing still taught in some schools? UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) Corn puddin'. If you're looking for things to listen to over the holiday weekend, check out our podcast. So you have a few really funny references to, like, closeted gay people in musicals. You know, really, we talk about escapism, and I had real life escapism, where I flew into this beautiful, magical land of Vancouver, where there's, like, water and mountains and big trees - it was gorgeous - and then to be on those sets that were also gorgeous, and then to be with this amazing group of people. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of it. God, this whole musical is so much fun. And "Corn Puddin'" suddenly came to me as just a - it's kind of the perfect representation of these sort of songs like the - it's "A Real Nice Clambake." So that's really where it began when I was a kid. Oh, he'll have to marry me. He's a queer one, that man o' mine. You put the bowl in your belly 'cause it's good for the soul. And my mom made a little poster for me for my room growing up that said Cecily on Broadway. What did you do to try to capture her voice? During a recent . I - you know, it's hard. Strong joined "SNL" as a featured player in 2012. USA. And she recommends the corn puddin'. Strong was hired for SNL while doing improv at The Second City in Chicago, where she moved . You know, there were a lot of tears on-set - happy tears - just so much love and so much joy and such - we were all just so honored to be there, and it felt like we got to share this magical thing. I'm sorry. This is FRESH AIR. And he was showing me clips of her, like, doing man-on-the-street interviews. And it's just, oh, a song just about food. And it was "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying." And you know, there is still an element of, like, you're playing with your friends. UNIDENTIFIED CHORUS: (As characters, singing) And then he gives her a smack. And that's what I'd always rent whenever we'd go to the movie store. GROSS: And Hal Willner, who you mentioned - he died of COVID. That's all. I want you to talk about writing this because this is an example of a song that I don't think closely adheres to another song. We'll start with Cecily Strong. And I think that the worst example is "Shipoopi" from "Music Man," which is - it brings everything to a grinding halt, and then this Marcellus character is just singing this nonsense song that has nothing to do with anything. STRONG: (As The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation with at a Party) Please do not man-terrupt (ph) me when I'm wo-making (ph) a point, Michael. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character, singing) Every steak's bound to have some fat. September 29, 2022 5:22pm. - 'cause everyone in it seems to be enjoying being in it so much and I was enjoying watching it so much - and the contrast between that and the depression and anxiety you describe in your memoir. And we both enjoy malapropisms, I think, as much as each other, so it's a lot of that. And, like, I'll never understand why they took joy in that because it was such a huge and awful moment in my life. No. And I think a lot of that, you can feel it when you watch the show. (As characters, singing) Then she complains that he don't understand her. STRONG: (As The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party) Here's a thought, Michael - maybe try being woke for a change, OK? STRONG: (As The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party) Hello, Michael Che. STRONG: Yeah, absolutely I do. The Apple TV+ satire series Schmigadoon! PAUL: You know, when we were early on conceiving of the show and the journeys that our characters would take, I really wanted Cecily's character Melissa to be involved in what I think are the two big tropes in these old musicals. PAUL: Yeah. It was gorgeous. I am eating ice cream, and the voiceover says, like, well, McDonald's now has ice - soft-serve for 37 cents or whatever it was. . GROSS: So when does a decision have to be made? It's on or near the Hudson River. Cecily Strong's New Book. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character, singing) You can't plow a field without hitting some stone. What did you do to try to capture her voice? GROSS: A turning point in your young life (laughter) was in 1999 when you were a sophomore in high school. So you're back on Fox? And it was hard - you know, I had theater, thank God, and really was comfortable in that world. My guest, Cecily Strong, is nominated for an Emmy for the second year in a row for her work on "Saturday Night Live." STRONG: And it would, like, end in some crazy, like, exclamation. This Mueller report completely exonerated the president, and therefore everybody on the Trump train, woo, woo (ph). I think my favorite character that you've been doing lately is Judge Jeanine Pirro, the Fox News host. I mean, when I was growing up in Brooklyn, I thought people in movies and on Broadway were, like, from another planet. She's now starring in the new series "Schmigadoon! But also, I remember singing "Singin' In The Rain" for the first time as a kid and Donald O'Connor doing "Make 'Em Laugh," and I thought that was the greatest thing I'd ever seen in my life. The women are wearing long, colorful prairie dresses with big petticoats. Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong will provide an exclusive preview of her new memoir, "This Will All Be Over . Several familiar faces were gone, and many fans were left asking where was Cecily Strong. That's just so funny. Thank you so much for creating this series. Strong said, admitting she immediately said yes to starring in the show, even though she thought the idea was "insane." Leigh Silverman is the director of the off-Broadway revival of The Search . centers on a couple who gets trapped in a town where people burst into song. She has had numerous popular celebrity impressions in SNL. Talking about her love interest, Cecily Strong's Partner is Jack. GROSS: Well, I hope your mom, like, recovers really soon. GROSS: We're listening to my interview with Cecily Strong, who stars in "Schmigadoon!," the Apple TV+ series which is a loving satire of classic musicals from the '40s and '50s. Cecily Strong is good at women. KEY: (As Josh Skinner) Oh, no - no, no, no, no, no, no. And I think my uncle probably didn't want me to be an actor as much as I did, just knowing that it was a tough life. And I think she's doing well. Lorne Michaels, SNL's creator, is one of the play's producers. MICHAEL CHE: (As himself) With the election only two weeks away, both candidates are trying to get a final message out there to their supporters. But what really cracked it for me was, oh, instead of two friends, it should be a couple. But I remember, you know, "Camelot" and "South Pacific" and "Guys And Dolls" and hearing those a lot. GROSS: That was another scene from "Schmigadoon!," which stars my guest, Cecily Strong, and Keegan-Michael Key. HARADA: (As Florence, singing) Show me any other man more tender or expressive. GROSS: (Laughter) I like that idea, the square dancing lobby. And so that's what "Corn Puddin'" is. It was a McDonald's commercial that never aired. GROSS: And who did you think of as being the girl? GROSS: And I wish her the best. I'm sure that's why I ended up writing movies. And you kind of have a song parodying that called "Corn Puddin'.". So I've gotten to see a lot of his shows in New York. Could be fun. So here's another scene from "Schmigadoon!". Do you remember it? I feel like my bubble just burst recently. My mom is in Mexico. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble, singing) And it may be a waste. And whatever you decide to do about "Saturday Night Live," I wish you well. Was it your idea to do her, or did someone say, oh, you should do her? Cecily Strong "Still Thinking" About Return to 'SNL' as Lorne Michaels Shares Hopes "She'll Come Back" The 'Saturday Night Live' veteran, who has a new memoir out on Aug. 10, says . Strong also has a new memoir called "This Will All Be Over Soon." Let's get back to my interview with Cecily Strong. How does it feel? ", "Carousel," "The Music Man," "The Sound Of Music," "South Pacific" and "Brigadoon." I think, you know, we were told - we went on our hiatus that was supposed to be our three-week or two-week hiatus in March and then just didn't come back until May. And then I thought, what if these two modern guys, instead of stumbling on a town that has a werewolf, stumbled on a town that was in a musical? And actually, I flew out of the chair the first time because, you know, I hadn't done much physical comedy on the show at all. Cecily Strong. PAUL: Yeah, I mean, that was the intention. But I was just always performing around the house. Andrew Singer executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video. She's created some great characters for the show. You know, I wasn't a super popular kid. That was my parents' question. And so it makes me want to, like, poke harder. Cinco Paul, who also wrote all the songs, after we take a short break. Like, who cares? And we wrote a sketch, actually, that didn't make it onto the show. UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #7: (As character, singing) Who wants corn puddin'? So I really was like, come on, everybody. It was sort of like in that robotic tone that you get kind of when you're depressed, when it's like, this is just the reality of - this is what I want. And then it was just such a gift. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) But not together. I'll do anything. We were in his office, and he was like, have you seen this lady? Strong is most notable for being a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2012 to 2022. The Keegan-Michael Key character hates musicals. I rented every musical on VHS they . Cecily Legler Strong (born February 8, 1984) is an American actress, comedian, producer, author, and singer. Cecily Strong is an American actress and comedian. I'm like, well, live with my brother for a week and tell me you don't think psych meds are good. He's . So how much do you love musicals? Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Let's get back to my interview with Cecily Strong. And then my uncle is also a Broadway producer. And so I think they thought that might be a good outlet for me. MICHAEL CHE: (As himself) With the election only two weeks away, both candidates are trying to get a final message out there to their supporters. - which is now streaming on Apple TV+. STRONG: (As Jeanine Pirro) That's right. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. And, you know, everybody that was there was supposed to be there. STRONG: (As Melissa Gimble) But not together. And in many ways, that was Ken. We'll talk more after a break. Cecily Legler Strong (born February 8, 1984) is an American actress and comedian who has been a cast member of Saturday Night Live since 2012, making her the longest-tenured female cast member in the show's history. PAUL: Yeah, that was part of the curriculum somehow. But she kept going, what? I got the recipe. GROSS: And he's not just a Broadway producer. So here you are on "Weekend Update" as Judge Jeanine Pirro. You have to do people that everybody knows. It was Gardner's first time, and her eyes widened as a pile of men in short shorts burst into a number . So - but I definitely feel more anxious again. I should really just drink olive juice; it'd be safer. It was like as soon as I started singing, I knew what to say. She's nominated for an Emmy for her work on "Saturday Night Live." And for her, it's all these really positive qualities. 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