About SCHMIGADOON!

 Last night, I watched a half-hour episode of a TV series that made me do the DTST (Danny Thomas Spit Take) laugh while I was sipping a beverage. The show aired months ago and got raves on Twitter from Broadway musical fans. But I wasn't able to see any episode until I got a link from a publicist a week ago. If you love classic Broadway musicals, if you loved listening the original Broadway cast albums of classic Broadway musicals and if you love watching movie versions of classic Broadway musical shows, you need to see -- SCHMIGADOON!

Lorne Michaels, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE boss is executive producer. Cicely Strong, SNL cast member, and Keegan-Michael Key star as an unmarried couple that's hit a bit of a lull in their 3-year relationship. So, they attend a couples' retreat one weekend in the woods. It rains. Pouring rain. They break off from the group and run for shelter. They come to a bridge hidden in mist on one end. They cross the bridge and wind up in an extremely clean, perfectly decorated town where people greet them with show tunes and dance numbers. They're like the grown-up versions of the little characters who constantly sang in Disneyland's "It's a Small World" ride.

Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) hates musicals. Melissa (Cicely Strong) loves them and feels what can it hurt to endure the show tunes and get a nice room at the inn instead of having to sleep in the woods in sleeping bags like they did on the retreat. But Schmigadoon is a friendly but conservative town. Two unmarried adult people are not allowed to share a room at the inn. Also, they can't seem to leave. Josh and Melissa run away and cross the bridge only to now find the same thing at the other end,

This half-hour spoofed BRIGADOON, OKLAHOMA!, THE MUSIC MAN, CAROUSEL and FINIAN'S RAINBOW. Months ago, I saw a clip of a future episode months ago that had a schoolteacher singing to her class. I wanted to know who that singer with the heavenly voice was. It was Ariana DeBose, future Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner for Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY.

I definitely want to see future episodes. SCHMIGADOON is one funny show -- and I base my opinion on its first episode. By the way, the numbers are terrifically sung and danced.

It was the "Corn Puddin'" number that caused me to do the DTST with my Diet Coke.