If you’re looking for Cecily Strong on Saturday night, she won’t be at Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center, or even on your TV.

For every Saturday night in January, you can find the “Saturday Night Live” cast member and “Schmigadoon!” star, in a real, live, theater. She’s making her New York stage debut in the one-woman show “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” opening at the Shed.

“The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe” may have premiered on Broadway more than 30 years ago, but its themes still ring true in 2022.

It’s written by Jane Wagner and starred her partner Lily Tomlin, who is also featured in the film adaptation. But now actress Cecily Strong is taking her own spin on it, in a new production directed by Leigh Silverman at the Arts and Entertainment Complex, the Shed. 

“On Stage” host Frank DiLella sat down with the actress via Zoom out of an abundance of caution due to COVID. If she gets sick, there is no show.

FRANK DILELLA: How challenging was it putting this show up during this global pandemic? I mean we’re still in the midst of COVID-19, obviously this new variant is going around.

CECILY STRONG: I mean we have one thing going for us, it’s a one-woman show, so I’m on the only one not wearing a mask. I feel so honored and proud and excited and inspired to be doing theater in this moment because it feels very much like New York made the decision we’re not dead. I remember friends from out of town [saying,] ‘Oh this…,’ and it was sort of like no, don’t kill us before we’ve said we’re dead. This is important for us that we’re showing up and theater is important for us, it’s important to this city, and everybody that’s in that theater every night, is like, ‘I’m here. You’re here.’ We know how important this is and we’re doing this together. That’s been very much a real gift and very inspiring to me.

You can catch Strong in “The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in The Universe” at the Shed through February 6. And tune in to “On Stage” this weekend for more of her interview with our host Frank DiLella.