Jane Krakowski is best known for her performances on TV programmes such as Ally McBeal, 30 Rock, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, but she began her career on Broadway.
She first featured in a production of Starlight Express in 1987, and she has since performed in Funny Girl, Nine, and Guys and Dolls.
So, when the opportunity to star in the musical spoof series Schmigadoon! arose, she jumped at it.
The first season of the show followed New York doctors Josh (Keegan Michael-Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong), who went on a backpacking trip to reconnect, but got lost and ended up in Schmigadoon, a magical town that was perpetually trapped in a Golden Age-style musical.
Stuck there until they discovered “true love,” the pair finally made it out, but this time, in season 2, they resolve to return.
They wind up in Schmicago, a metropolis that pays satirical tribute to sexy, dark plays from the 1960s and 1970s.
This season’s characters are based on those from musicals such as the title’s influence, Chicago, as well as Cabaret, Annie, Sweeney Todd, and Pippin.
Jane returns this season as barrister Bobbie Flanagan, a parody of Billy Flynn from Chicago, after first appearing as Countess Gabriele Von Blerkom, modelled on the Baroness from The Sound of Music.
‘I’ve always wanted to be part of a reparatory group of characters – or merry musical players – so the fact that Cinco (Paul, the series creator) gave us the opportunity to return as entirely different characters and entirely new musicals and a decade was fantastic and so fun,’ she told Metro.co.uk.
‘I can only imagine how far we could take that device and get to play as many characters we want throughout history moving back and forward.’
However, Jane acknowledged at the outset that she had reservations.
‘I have to say it was one of those things that when I read the script, I couldn’t have seen all of these characters in one room together, but oddly once we were there in our fictionalised city of Schmicago it kind of made sense,’ she explained.
‘I never saw the coupling of Miss Hannigan from Annie and Sweeney Todd together, but now I can’t undo that, and I don’t want to.
‘Or that Sally Bowles could meet Sweeney Todd and they could have a heartfelt relationship…it doesn’t make sense to my musical theatre loving soul, and yet I now cherish I got to see that.’
The ensemble did a number that greets Josh and Melissa when they happen to wander into town on the first day of shooting, a memory that Jane cherishes.
‘Someone captured a beautiful photo of us all in a line and it was the craziest chorus line I’d ever seen…we had fish nets and garter belts to bloody aprons,’ she laughed.
Tituss Burgess has joined as Narrator this season, which is partially a spoof of The Leading Player from Pippin.
Taking on this position also allowed Tituss, best known for his part in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, to connect directly with the audience by breaking the fourth wall.
‘That is always fun because I get to have a personal relationship with the audience in a way the other characters aren’t able to do,’ he explained.
‘It felt exhilarating.’
Playing a character that tormented Josh and Melissa was also something he relished.
‘I got to exercise some of my own demons and unleash them on some unfortunate souls if you will and I would do it all again,’ he laughed.
Tituss, who has appeared on Broadway several times, including Good Vibrations, Jersey Boys, The Little Mermaid, and Guys and Dolls, couldn’t wait to go back in time and pay tribute to some of the most renowned shows.
He stated that the time era included iconic acts and shows from Cabaret and Jesus Christ Superstar, with many of them serving to “create musical constructs and how we tell stories to this very day.”
‘Finding out that was the era we were focusing on, I knew we had to be part of it and being on set was satiating,’ he explained.
Working alongside Jane again too, Tituss joked they had ‘never left’ each other’s side.
‘It wasn’t so much a reuniting as much as a “oh you again”,’ he added.
Despite the fact that the series contains a plethora of characters and references to musicals from throughout the decades, both actors said viewers can check in even if they don’t know their Sondheim from their Hammerstein.
‘You can enter into this story without needing to know [about musicals],’ Tituss reassured people who are looking to jump in.
‘The story is so clear and there is this unique device that Cinco uses where he allows for Josh’s ignorance of certain constructs of musical theatre to be on full display and Melissa guides him through.
‘It sets the audience up for success and to know what to expect for the rest of the season.’
He added: ‘You don’t need to know anything- just watch it.’
His sentiments were echoed by Jane.
‘I also love that Melissa knows a lot about musical theatre so not only does she fill in Josh, but she also fills in some of our non-musical loving audience at home. She can not only prepare our audience, but also give a wink and a nod [to those who understand the references].’
This season of Schmigadoon also stars Martin Short, Alan Cumming, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Ariana DeBose and Fred Armisen.
Schmigadoon! season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV Plus.