Before the Downbeat: A Musical Podcast

This week, Mackenzie is joined by his two amazing co-hosts, Scott Hurst and Maris Lyons, for the first time ever as the trio tackles one of the most divisive musical comedies of the 21st century: The Book of Mormon.
In this penultimate episode of Season 6, they dig into why the show still brings audiences to their feet while sparking serious discomfort. From satire and shock comedy to religion, race, and “white savior” narratives, the conversation asks who gets to laugh—and why. They also examine how the show lands in a post-2020 world and whether its hopeful ending actually earns its payoff.
All this, and a bold conversation about laughter, unease, and responsibility in musical theatre—because tomorrow is a latter day.
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Next week, it’s the penultimate episode of the season, and Scott, Maris, and Mackenzie come together for the first time as they head out on their mission trip to Uganda to take on the satirical juggernaut The Book of Mormon. The trio dives into generational humour—examining how the show plays with different audiences today—and unpacks the portrayal of Uganda and its people within the musical. Plus, they reveal where each host stands on organized religion and reflect on how this piece challenged, complicated, or reshaped their own views.

All this and a spooky Mormon hell dream on next Friday's all new episode!

Don't forget to leave us a review and share your thoughts on this episode on our social media pages. Follow the links below to reach our pages.
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This week, Scott and Mackenzie con their way to the French Riviera as they take on David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. They unpack Scott’s personal history with the show and what it taught him about staging farce. Along the way, they debate whether the show’s characters truly get enough comeuppance for modern audiences and wrestle with how contemporary productions can—and should—address the piece’s more troubling elements, particularly its use of ableism, without losing the engine of the comedy.
All this and nothing is too wonderful to be true in this all-new episode!
Don't forget to leave us a review and share your thoughts on this episode on our social media pages. Follow the links below to reach our pages.
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After the overwhelmingly positive response to our Wicked: Part I coverage, we’re back with the first instalment in our deep dive into the highly anticipated sequel, Wicked: For Good. Join host and producer Mackenzie as he breaks down the first teaser trailer shot by shot, highlighting what’s new for the screen and what’s been adapted from the stage. Plus, Mackenzie pieces together a surprisingly complete outline of the film’s narrative based on the trailer’s footage.

Head over to our YouTube page to watch this shot by shot break down.
Here's the link: https://youtu.be/KiZYLYeLgWQ

Next week, it's all about Ruprecht as Scott and Mackenzie dive into the musical comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels! Together they explore the twist ending of the show. They also unpack how much impact the casting of John Lithgow had on the production. Plus Scott and Mackenzie discuss the upcoming production being mounted at the Stratford Festival

All this and a chimp in a suit on next Friday's all new episode!

Don't forget to leave us a review and share your thoughts on this episode on our social media pages. Follow the links below to reach our pages.
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