Before the Downbeat: A Musical Podcast

As Autumn and Mackenzie are preparing for Season 4 during this brief hiatus they've embarked on a large and exciting Remastering Project! Enjoy as they dive back into their earliest episodes and they reedit the episode and fix the sound quality too. This time it's Season 1-Episode 6: Parade ! Plus do our end of the season survey and you enter your chance to win a prize! https://www.surveymonkey.co...

As Autumn and Mackenzie are preparing for Season 4 during this brief hiatus they've embarked on a large and exciting Remastering Project! Enjoy as they dive back into their earliest episodes and they reedit the episode and fix the sound quality too. This time it's Season 1-Episode 2: West Side Story ! Plus do our end of the season survey and you enter your chance to win a prize! https://www.survey...

As Autumn and Mackenzie are preparing for Season 4 during this brief hiatus they've embarked on a large and exciting Remastering Project! Enjoy as the dive back into their earliest episodes and they reedit the episode and fix the sound quality too. First up is Season 1-Episode 1: Intro to Musicals where Mackenzie and Autumn introduced themselves and broken down the 14 types of songs commonly found...

It's the final episode of season 3 of Before the Downbeat: A Musical Podcast and this time Autumn and Mackenzie and their friend and fellow podcast Teni Brant of the "Speak Dicely" podcast are lighting their torches and grabbing their pitch forks as they head off to storm the castle and talk all about the classic Disney musical Beauty and the Beast ! Tune and find out why both Teni and Autumn are...

Next Friday it's the season finale episode of season 3 of Before the Downbeat ! So to conclude this season Autumn and Mackenzie are joined by friend and fellow theatre maker and podcaster Teni Brant of the "Speak Dicely" podcast. Together they head into the mouse house and discuss the tale as old a time musical Beauty and the Beast ! Hear them discuss how the messages of dangers of mob mentality a...

This week Mackenzie and Autumn are selling and sewing buttons on rags as they discuss the turn of the century immigrant musical Rags ! Hear them breakdown how and why assimilating like Nathan Hershkowitz while profitable may ultimately be detrimental. They debate whether it should be Rebecca or Bella who should sing the title song Rags. Plus hear both Mackenzie and Autumn sing the praises of the i...

Next Friday it's the penultimate episode of season 3 of Before the Downbeat and Autumn and Mackenzie are breaking out their sewing kits so they can join the fabric of America. As they sew they discuss the epic yet short lived musical Rags ! Hear them discuss why this musical didn't fair well during its Broadway run. Find out if they like the revisions that have been made to this piece since its br...

Here we are with the next instalment in our episode by episode review miniseries of the new hit musical comedy show 'Schmigadoon!'. In this episode 3 Mackenzie gives his thoughts on the character of Florence Menlove and he gives insights on how this episode not only covers a lot of plot points but also shows how it balances the genuine emotions of the characters and cheeky humour to pokes fun at t...

Here we are with the next instalment in our episode by episode review miniseries of the new hit musical comedy show 'Schmigadoon!'. In this episode 3 Mackenzie gives his thoughts on the character of Florence Menlove and he gives insights on how this episode not only covers a lot of plot points but also shows how it balances the genuine emotions of the characters and cheeky humour to pokes fun at t...

This week Mackenzie and Autumn are following their hearts and are discussing satirical musical Urinetown ! Hear them have several existential crisis about why we as humans we cannot break out of the systems that we work and live in. We explore why the concept of hope is a fallacy and how this musical perfectly displays this concept. Plus hear if Autumn agrees with Penelope Pennywise's hard busines...

Next Friday you can find Mackenzie and Autumn waiting in line outside Public Amenity #9 to use the washroom. While they wait you can listen in as they discuss the satirical comedy musical Urinetown ! Hear them debate whether what this musical has to say about the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and municipal politics still resonate...

This week Mackenzie, Autumn, and returning guest Jessica Maxwell are discussing the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next to Normal ! Hear them debate the moral dilemma behind power ballad song 'I Miss the Mountains'. Discover why Mackenzie proposing cutting out the character of Henry and find out if after Autumn's revelations in our last rock musical episode she's able to connect with another music...

The journey to Before the Downbeat's holiday movie musical review has begun. Last year Autumn and Mackenzie had planned to review the remake of West Side Story however COVID-19 had other plans. So instead now it's happening this holiday season. The marketing campaign for the film kicked off on Sunday night at the 93rd Academy Awards with the release of the teaser trailer for this film. So now join...

Next week Mackenzie and Autumn along with returning guest Jessica Maxwell are wading back into the rock musical genre to discuss the mental health musical Next to Normal ! Hear them dissect and debate the complex character of Diana and if her actions in this musical are justified. They examine the concept of the character Gabe and then discover if Autumn, who is a novice to this piece, thinks this...

This Autumn and Mackenzie set sail and explore the nautical musical Anything Goes along side Marlis Schweitzer. Together they talk all about the cultural impact of this musical. They break down the different versions of this musical.  Plus find out the wild history the causes the creative team to a massive rewrite of the script. All of this plus a game of strip poker with public enemy 13 on t...

Next week Autumn and Mackenzie are hitting the high seas along side Mackenzie's former professor and Autumn's college Marlis Schweitzer as they discuss the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes . Together they break down some of the most classic songs of the Broadway canon. They examine how this musical still has relevance today and listen to Marlis delve into a queer reading of the lyrics and book th...

This week Mackenzie and Autumn breaking opening the windows and a bottle of raspberry cordial as they discuss the Canadian musical Anne of Green Gables ! Hear them discuss why this red haired orphan has had such an impact on them but also the entire world . They break down the complex character of Marilla. Then discover how both Mackenzie and Autumn's are connected to the world of Avonlea. All of...

Next week Autumn and Mackenzie are letting their Canadian roots shine as they discuss the quintessential Canadian musical Anne of Green Gables . They do a compare and contrast between this musical and the other famous red haired orphan musical Annie . They explain why this musical is the perfect representation of Canada. Plus find out which CBC’s Over the Rainbow contestant recently played the tit...

This week Mackenzie, Autumn, and friend of the podcast Lynn Slotkin continue their exploration of the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon as they travel to Bali Ha'i to discuss the wartime musical South Pacific ! Hear this trio discuss why this character of Nellie Forbush far more complex and isn't simply a character battling her internalized racial prejudice . They praise and explore the most critiqued...

Next week Autumn and Mackenzie are heading south all the way to the islands of the south pacific with friend of the podcast and reviewer Lynn Slotkin as they discuss the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific . They discuss why this particular R&H musical has not been revived as often as others in the canon. They examine how this musical is the perfect case study into why these R&H...

This week Mackenzie and Autumn journey on in their Model T as they discuss the turn of the century musical Ragtime ! Hear them discuss why this musical should have won Best Musical over The Lion King . They sing the praises of the late great Marin Mazzie who originated the role of Mother . Find out why both Mackenzie and Autumn agree that this musical deserves a movie musical adaptation and who th...

Next week it's time to head back to the turn of the 20th century and discuss one of Autumn's favourite musicals Ragtime ! Join Autumn and Mackenzie as they discuss why this epic musical is better than similar 1990s musical Titanic . Plus they break down why this musical deserves more praise and recognition by the theatre community. Plus find out which original Broadway cast member Autumn worked wi...

This week Mackenzie and Autumn are tilting at windmills with their friend and actress Janet Martin. As they charge head on at these whirling devils they discuss the idealistic musical Man of La Mancha ! Hear this trio break down the iconic songs like Impossible Dream and Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote). Find out why Mackenzie thinks this musical is better than last seasons idealistic musical Cam...

For this special announcement listen and find out who won the prize for our season 2 feedback survey! Thank you to everyone who gave their feedback. We are always striving to give you the best possible podcast and the only way we can improve is by hearing from you. So please keep letting us know how we can make your listening experience better. 

Next week, it's time to head to La Mancha with Autumn, Mackenzie and their friend and actress Janet Martin as they discuss the musical about one chivalrous man, sore and covered with scars Man of La Mancha ! Tune in and hear the continuation of the debate about idealism vs realism that started last season in the Camelot episode. Janet also gives book review the novel that inspired the musical and...