Before the Downbeat: A Musical Podcast

This week the arts community lost a true legend Angela Lansbury at the age of 96. Her incredible 8 decade career spanned multiple forums from film to television to animation to the stage. One of Ms. Lansbury's most iconic roles was that of Mrs. Lovett in the murderous Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and this show also happens to be one our most popular season 2 epis...

In case you missed our live stream, enjoy this edited audio only version of our Live Movie Musical Commentary of 'Mamma Mia: The Movie'. Listen to Mackenzie and special guest co-host Jessica Maxwell break down the music, direction, and performances in this very financially successful movie musical. Enjoy as these two long time friends reminisce about what they doing back in summer of 2008, which w...

As you may have guessed our upcoming 5th season has had it's release slightly delayed but fear not we have some wonderful counter programming for you! We are excited to be doing more LIVE MOVIE MUSICAL COMMENTARIES with some familiar guests. In order to get yourself ready for our upcoming LIVE MOVIE MUSICAL COMMENTARIES enjoy this remastered revisit our first LIVE MOVIE MUSICAL COMMENTARY which wa...

This Friday on  Before the Downbeat it's the finale episode of season 4. For this episode Autumn and Mackenzie are joined by theme music composer Brody Weld ( @Flowzus ). They reflect on those summer nights and magic changes as they discuss the musical Grease ! Hear them debate whether Sandy's transformation is problematic or for the better. They explore some of the lost raunchier lyrics from...

Autumn and Mackenzie are still hard at work getting the big season finale episode ready for release. In the meantime enjoy a revisit of our Remastering Project. For our latest instalment, we are welcomed back to the sixties as we revisit our season 2 episode all about the Baltimore based musical Hairspray ! Enjoy this reedited the episode with fixed the sound quality too! Don't forget to leave us...

As Autumn and Mackenzie work to get the big season finale episode ready for release enjoy another revisit of our Remastering Project. For our latest instalment, since we just discussed My Fair Lady  we decided to revisit our season 2 Lerner and Loewe episode all about the Arthurian musical Camelot ! Enjoy this reedited the episode with fixed the sound quality too! Don't forget to leave us a r...

This Friday on  Before the Downbeat Autumn is back and it's the penultimate episode of season 4. For this episode Autumn and Mackenzie return to the Lerner and Loewe canon as they discuss the rains in Spain and the musical My Fair Lady ! Hear them debate whether Higgins or Freddie are the better partner for Eliza. They compare the canons and characters of works of Lerner and Loewe to Rodgers...

Next Friday on Before the Downbeat it's the penultimate episode of Season 4 and Autumn is back from her directorial adventures! So join these two anglophiles as they head to Covent Garden and discuss the musical where the English learn to speak My Fair Lady ! Hear these two explore the potential troublesome character of Henry Higgins and if his misogynistic views prevent this piece from continuing...

With Autumn currently away managing her production of Rent  this week we are still on our brief hiatus and revisiting our Remastering Project. For our latest instalment, we decided to revisit the second episode from season 2 all about the musical where they both reached for the gun Chicago ! Enjoy this reedited the episode with fixed the sound quality too! Don't forget to leave us a review an...

As Autumn is away opening her production of  Rent  this week we are taking a brief hiatus and revisiting our Remastering Project. For our latest instalment we felt it was quite fitting to revisit our season 2 finale episode which is none other the bohemian musical Rent ! Enjoy this reedited the episode with fixed the sound quality too! Don't forget to leave us a review and share your tho...

This Friday on Before the Downbeat Jessica and Mackenzie are perfecting their bend and snap as they cross examine and discuss the pink and blonde musical Legally Blonde ! Hear them deep dive into court room proceedings and debate if certain trial songs are necessary. They converse about the role the Greek Chorus plays in the musical and if they are necessary. Plus find out which song Jessica has h...

Next Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn is away directing a production of Rent so Mackenzie and returning guest cohost Jessica Maxwell head to Harvard Law School and discuss the energetic and wholesome musical Legally Blonde ! Hear these two long time friends deep dive into the challenges of properly playing character of Elle Woods. They attempt to figure out why this musical was more successful...

This Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn and Mackenzie are in a puzzlement as they discuss the complicated musical The King and I ! Hear them deep dive into the complexities of the character of The King. They converse about how the issues coming together and finding common understanding are even more resonate today. Plus they debate about the iconic dance number 'Shall We Dance'. All of this whil...

Next Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn and Mackenzie are heading into the East and back into the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon to discuss musical The King and I ! Hear these two discuss the complexities of this piece from how it was adapted to the controversial casting ideas for the role of the King to how this musical depicts the Asian culture. They debate whether the social messages in this m...

This Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn and Mackenzie head to the Ed Sullivan Show as they discuss the 'Rosie' musical Bye Bye Birdie ! Hear them deep dive into the cyclical cycle of generational conflict this musical presents. They converse about Albert' mother issues. Plus they explore how and if this musical can be modernized. All of this and a teaching position in Pumpkin Falls in this all n...

Next Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn and Mackenzie the classic rock and roll musical Bye Bye Birdie ! Hear these two reminisce about their time performing in this Americana musical. They debate if this musical can be adapted for modern day or if this piece has to remain set in the past. Plus, Autumn gives her thoughts on if Conrad Birdie is guilty of the crime he's accused of at the end...

This Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn and Mackenzie head to couples therapy for a tumultuous session where they break down Jason Robert Brown musical The Last Five Years ! Hear Autumn make the case for why Jamie's cheating is not as bad as Mackenzie thinks it is. They converse about whether this musical is better than Brown's earlier musical 'Parade'. Plus they give their thoughts on the legal...

Next Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn and Mackenzie head back into the musical canon of Jason Robert Brown to discuss his two hander, relationship ending musical The Last Five Years ! Hear these two breakdown breakdown the relationship of Jamie and Cathy and they try to see who is to blame for the ultimate ending of this marriage (spoiler alert). They debate if this musical is simply a therapy...

This Friday on Before the Downbeat Autumn and Mackenzie grab their band instruments and put on their uniforms with a gold stripe as they discuss the classic small town musical  The Music Man ! Hear Mackenzie attempt to summarize the entire production history as it's  outlined in Meredith Wilson's own retelling in his book, "But He Doesn't Know the Territory". They converse about why this...

Next Friday on Before the Downbeat we tackle our first musical of the new year after doing two fantastic film reviews. The musicals in question is none other than the quintessential Americana musical with 76 Trombones, a troublesome pool table, an anvil salesman, and boy with a lisp The Music Man ! Hear Autumn and Mackenzie breakdown the character of Harold Hill and find out if they still feel thi...

Head to the West Side of 1950s New York City and enjoy the long awaited and highly requested special review episode of the Spielberg movie musical West Side Story! Autumn and Mackenzie discuss various topics from their thoughts on Tony Kushner's script and his adaptation of the source material, to how this film compares with its 1961 Best Picture predecessor, and discover which song surprisingly m...

This week on Before the Downbeat Mackenzie and returning guest cohost Jessica Maxwell head to the Moondance Diner and review hit Netflix movie musical to hit the big screen Tick, Tick... Boom! . Hear these two long time friends give their thoughts on Andrew Garfield's portrayal of Jonathan Larson and his award chances, they reveal their favourite Broadway performer cameo and they debate which movi...

This Friday on Before the Downbeat it is our 50th episode and to mark this special occasion and the return of Autumn Smith we are heading to the masquerade ball and dropping the chandelier as we discuss the romantic and gothic horror musical  The Phantom of the Opera ! Hear these two friends debate which gentleman suitor Christine should choose. They converse about who their favourite Phantom...

Next Friday on Before the Downbeat it is our 50th episode and wonderful Autumn Smith makes her grand return! To celebrate that we are tackling one of the biggest and most popular musicals of all time The Phantom of the Opera ! Hear these two friends deep dive into the 30+ year production history. They put the Phantom on trial for the murder of chief stagehand Joseph Buquet and they heavily debate...

This Friday on Before the Downbeat while Autumn is away Mackenzie and audio magician and returning guest Teni Brant break out their comic book collections and discuss the mishandled rock super hero musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark ! Hear these two debate the character of Arachne and if she is necessary. They breakdown down the creative choices of this musical and what characters from the comi...