'Schmigadoon!': Cecily Strong's new show (lovingly) pokes fun at 'problematic' Golden Age musicals - USA TODAY

Joe Cable in 'South Pacific,' like all little kids do," Strong, 37, says with a laugh.

The half-hour, six-episode first season follows doctor couple Melissa (Strong) and Josh (Keegan Michael-Key) at a wilderness retreat, where they hope to put the spark back in their relationship.

The opening of this is a lot like 'Brigadoon,' " a 1954 movie musical based on the Broadway show.

"I adore musicals, so the biggest challenge was any scene we were shooting where the ensemble starts performing this fantastic song and dance right in front of your eyes," says Michael-Key, 50. "I'm sitting here bopping along and the director's like, 'Cut.

For Paul, it was also "really important that the ensemble not look like those all-white ensembles of those old movie musicals," he says

"If you hate musicals and you close your heart off, then you may not respond to the show," Paul says

And while a second season hasn't yet been announced, Michael-Key says Paul already has an idea for how to move the story forward, despite the closure for Melissa and Josh at the end of Season 1.