Before the Downbeat: A Musical Podcast

Mackenzie Horner
  • 4.0 (7)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Welcome to Before the Downbeat, a podcast hosted by Mackenzie Horner alongside cohosts Scott Hurst and Maris Lyons! Together on a bimonthly basis they will be talking all a musical and its creative team and production history, the host's favourite songs and songs they'd either skip or remove entirely, the show's societal impact and where it stand in our current cultural landscape. Enjoy!

  1. JAN 16

    84. The Book of Mormon

    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. 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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 53m

  2. TRAILER

    The Book of Mormon Promo

    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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    3 min

  3. 12/12/2025

    83. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

    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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 23m

  4. 06/05/2025 · BONUS

    Bonus Episode-Wicked: For Good-Teaser Trailer Shot by Shot Break Down

    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

    41 min

  5. TRAILER

    Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Promo

    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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    2 min

  6. 05/19/2025

    82. Annie Get Your Gun

    This week, Maris and Mackenzie have the sun in the morning and the moon at night as they take aim at the sharpshooting musical classic Annie Get Your Gun. Maris shares memories of performing in the show during her youth—while trying to recall which elements were cut or changed from the original version, and which parts of their production didn’t make it into future revivals. The duo also dives into the musical’s problematic ending and how it influences their answer to this podcast’s usual final revival question. Plus, they explore which historical elements hit the mark and which ones wildly miss the target. All this and they say that falling in love is wonderful, it's wonderful, so they say 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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 30m

  7. TRAILER

    Annie Get Your Gun Promo

    Next week, there's no business like show business as Maris and Mackenzie dive into the classic musical Annie Get Your Gun! Maris reminisces about her time performing in the show, and together they explore how the ending has evolved over the years. They also unpack how the musical began as the passion project of Dorothy Fields—before creative control was ultimately taken from her. All this and doin' what comes natur'lly 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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    3 min

  8. 04/23/2025

    81. Pippin

    This week, Scott and Mackenzie have magic to do and miracle plays to play as they delve into Stephen Schwartz’s coming-of-age musical Pippin. They explore whether audiences are meant to like—or even identify with—the show’s title character, and unpack why Mackenzie ranks the piece in the lower-middle of the Schwartz canon. Plus, Scott shares how he's de-Fosse-ing his own production as he directs Pippin with a fresh perspective. All this and an ordinary kind of woman in this 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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    2h 17m
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About

Welcome to Before the Downbeat, a podcast hosted by Mackenzie Horner alongside cohosts Scott Hurst and Maris Lyons! Together on a bimonthly basis they will be talking all a musical and its creative team and production history, the host's favourite songs and songs they'd either skip or remove entirely, the show's societal impact and where it stand in our current cultural landscape. Enjoy!

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