Schmigadoon! – Doorway to Where

By: Gladys Luna

The Narrator (Tituss Burgess) sings about Josh’s (Keegan-Michael Key) current situation in jail saying that he might get the death sentence for killing Elsie Vale (Justina Louise Gera). However, Josh appears to be somewhat incredulous about such a thing as he does not believe they are accustomed to using the electric chair that often. Unfortunately to him, it seems like they actually do. All of a sudden Sergeant Rivera (Jaime Camil) enters the room taking with him a hippie man named Topher (Aaron Tveit) who only manages to piss off the Sergeant with his preaching. He introduces Josh and asks him why he is there. Josh confesses the reason and Topher immediately says that he believes in him – something that Josh seems to have truly needed to hear. Although, he soon finds out that Topher is the kind of person that says that to practically everyone in there. Next, the newly arrived man decides to sing a little bit about life and his purpose in it as Josh impatiently listens on. When the song is finished Josh assures the other man that he will be alright and that he was nothing to worry about. Topher appreciates that and says that he’ll help him to get on the “happiness bus.” For a moment, Josh believes that this might be a clue to get them out of town but he is not completely sure. what he is certain about is that he will need a lawyer to get him out of this one.

In the meantime, Melissa (Cecily Strong) pays a visit to lawyer Bobbie Flanagan (Jane Krakowski) who at first, she mistakes by a man but is pleasantly surprised that she has to team up with a lady lawyer in order to take her husband out of jail. It seems that in Schmicago news fly fast and by now, Bobbie is all up to date about Josh’s case. In order to introduce herself, the lawyer puts up a whole number for Melissa and then confesses that is she really wants to help her husband she must go undercover and find herself a job as a dancer at the Kratt’s Klub for which the auditions happen to be that same day at noon. She gives her a costume and encourages to leave. The woman does not feel confident about being a good dancer but she knows her husband’s life depend now completely on her.

Later that day at the Kratt Klub the auditions have already started and we see Madame Frau (Anne Harada) as she is giving orders to the dancers and practically screaming at them that they should make a sacrifice if they even want to be as close as good as Elsie had been. The group of dancers perform in front of the Sergeant and Octavius (Patrick Page). Melissa joins them a few minutes later showing from the very beginning that she has some troubles coordinating her movements, which obviously don’t go unnoticed by the rest of the team as they immediately point at her and her questionable dancing skills. Madame Frau asks them to provide their reason why they want to be dancers and we hear stories that go from using music and dancing as a safe place to escape from a horrible past to wanting to be a dancer just because. Then, it is Melissa’s turn to speak who feels a bit out of place. She believes that she does not have a good enough story to meet the other ones, but then she sings about how she is an obstetrician and that every time she delivers a baby to the world she expects the next time is her turn. She also confesses that she is trying to prove her husband’s innocence. After that they go back to dancing and Melissa starts to move in a way that she ends up beating everyone around to the floor and just standing herself in the middle of the stage.  Madame Frau requests a minute to discuss about who will be the one to get the job, so she goes to Mr. Kratt to hear his decision. It is there when we find out that The Sergeant Rivera happens to be his nephew and Melissa has gotten the job.

Back in jail Josh is having a hard time putting up with Topher who is now wearing a puppet sock with fake hair on his hand. Suddenly, the hallway lights up and everybody there sings as Bobbie walks in looking glamorous all dressed in white and greeting everyone in her way.  She finally reaches Josh and gives him her card explaining that his mistress just hired her to help him out and that he will be having his first press conference in just an hour. Meanwhile, Madame Frau takes Melissa to the rest of the dancers and asks her to get ready for the show. As soon as she gets there, she meets with Jenny (Dove Cameron) who first at expresses her concern about what is happening with Josh and says that she believes in his innocence. Then, she immediately takes her under her wing and seems to be so excited about teaching her everything she knows. She even proposes her to go live with her and becoming her new roommate since Elsie is no longer around. Melissa sees the opportunity to take a closer look to Elsie’s life that might help her with her husband’s case. Back to Josh and Bobbie, they are now at the press conference and the man does not feel sure he can move along with it. She hands him a paper requesting him to read what’s on it. It appears that her whole plan is for him to confess the murder and blame it on the jazz. He starts to read his confession but the more he does, the more he realizes that what he is saying is just nonsense so he ends up saying that jazz had nothing to do with it and that he was not responsible for Elsie’s death. Unfortunately, his words are distorted and now he looks more guilty than ever so he is taken back to jail.

Later Melissa goes to visit Josh and gives him the good news that she has gotten a job as a dancer at the club making everyone else in prison to cheer at her. Her husband does not seem to be so excited about it to since he believes there are more important things to attend to like preventing him from getting the chair. However, his wife explains that her working in the club is just a strategy to see if she can find more clues to help him get out of there. In that moment Topher joins them and congratulates them for the love they seem to have for each other and thenprepares to sing but is abruptly stopped by Josh. He gets Melissa up to speed about what happened at the press conference and how bad the scenario looks for him now. After her visit to her husband Melissa is taken by Jenny to the apartment where they will be living together and the woman is surprised to see all the flowers in the room thinking that her roommate must have a lot of fans. Jenny quickly lets her know that all of those are just gifts from Mr. Kratt who, after Elsie’s death, has now taken her as his favorite. It seems he has also promised her to take her to stardom. Sergeant Rivera arrives and gives Jenny a bouquet of flowers and a dress, asking her to wear it to a dinner with his uncle. She goes to the dressing room, leaving Melissa and Sergeant Rivera alone. Melissa tries to know more about his connection with Elsie but he asks her not to be nosy or else she would wind up just as her husband. Jenny comes out and leaves with him. She tells Melissa that even though it seems she does not know what she is doing by dating Mr. Kratt, she is actually just trying to survive. Melissa is left alone at the apartment and starts looking for clues all over.

That night Melissa has her very first performance where she has to wear a striped jail costume, being a complete success. Meanwhile, Topher’s friends destroy the prison wall and help him escape but not without taking Josh with them. It appears that the Happiness Bus was not exactly a lie. The women are celebrating after their performance at the club when Madame Frau enters the room and calls for Melissa. She takes her to Elsie’s old dressing room that she has just earned given her fabulous performance from earlier. Apparently, all of the evidence is still there except for the woman’s body so,Melissa starts to sniff around. She finds the chocolate box that Mr. Kratt had given Elsie and takes a chocolate out of it. Then, she finds a small notebook that contains an appointment written on it. Jenny then enters and asks her to join them back. The police sirens begin to sound but Melissa seems happy to know that Josh is “safe.” Sadly, we then see him actually in the van happily singing next to Topher and his friends.