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Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs' likes: musical numbers, costumes and skiing. Dislikes: abandoned gas stations, empty new buildings and tourists.

Did anyone else get that message from "Cabaret Bails the 'Boat" last weekend? I walked away enlightened after the show Saturday night, which I watched with the third of Steamboat Springs' population that didn't attend Thursday or Friday.

I missed "Cabaret" last year but made sure to go this year, mostly so I could spend the next 12 months talking to people who didn't go about how hilarious it was. If you are one of those people, here are the things I will be telling you about. I will do this mostly while choking with laughter and looking at you reproachfully, even if you did get caught up watching "The Wire" on DVD that night.

¤ Andy Matronix. This sketch knocked my socks off, because that's what happens when things are really funny. David Jolly played an animatronic greeter for Steamboat tourists. The theme: Locals hate you, and they want to/will/are trying to kill you.

¤ "Electric Raccoon." This song - to the tune of "Electric Avenue" - wouldn't have been as good without the gyrations of Kelly Anzalone in his puffy raccoon suit. The Yampa Valley Electric Association workers (Michael David and Kris Hammond, maybe?) were a nice touch.

¤ Steamboat, the Final Frontier. I'm all for throwaway sexual jokes, so this one was a double hit for me. You can't go wrong with a play on "Star Trek" that pokes fun at developers.

¤ James Brown Bridge. Hammond sings soul. Five stars.

¤ You're So Gay. Perhaps I'm showing my juvenile side here, but this sketch had me in stitches. Jolly, David, Andy Pratt and JT Thorup starred as four dudes watching football. A buzzer sounded whenever anyone did anything "kinda gay," like drinking a martini or offering the etymology of the word "cleavage." It ended with Jolly winning a game of "gay chicken." You had to be there (I will say this often while telling you about "Cabaret").

¤ You Betcha I'm Running. Thank God Sarah Palin's back in the news, making this sketch possible. Patty Zimmer starred as a Palin with plans to run for the Routt County Board of Commissioners. And she's not afraid of Commissioner Doug Monger - "no fear-Mongering." Awesome.

Well, those are just my highlights. Most of the sketches were good, some were great and I loved the songs. I'll be back next year, and don't worry - I'll tell you all about it.