Schmicago Schmiganalysis | Bells and Whistles (Ep 3)

[@kazza6078]

Dove's impression of Kristen is so spot on i thought she speaking, that was insane

[@DemiSemme]

I knew something was up when Josh and Melissa tried to book it after the trial, not just because we had 3 episodes left, but because it felt off that Melissa would be able to leave without letting Dooley know first after she JUST promised she would check in with him again.

[@jeffscotcarey]

Yea I think she didn't want to push their luck by sticking around, so she was ready to bail on Dooley. Luckily Titus showed up to stop them, plus they realized there were 3 more episodes left ;)

[@UndercoverBallerina]

As soon as you pointed out the callback to the first season with "pay tribute to the tribulation" I realized that I had completely missed another great callback in S2E1. In the opening number, Kristin Chenoweth's line is "and an end to all this strife". Beautiful.

[@jeffscotcarey]

Also in JCS the apostles sing, "look at all my trials and tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of wine. What's that in the bread that's gone to my head, til this evening is this morning life is fine." So there's not just a reference to tribulation, but later in the episode they nod to it with the magic bread as well.

[@blackbennybouvierdesmond1042]

I need a partner like Jeff: low-key, has musical theatre knowledge but will let me be crazy as I can be

[@StealingFocus]

He indulges me QUITE a lot! ;) But he also fills in some gaps in my knowledge thanks to his breadth of experience as a musical theatre performer. Like those 70's rock shows were his bread and butter for a while!

[@jeffscotcarey]

Thank you! Yea, Em and I met doing shows so it only makes sense. Coming into musical theatre during college I was late to the game, so I would really just learn each show as I would do them, even all thru my 20s. It was a bit like Josh and Mel as I'm thinking on it, as most of the people I worked with had been doing it their whole lives, and I was like, "oh this is cool." It was definitely a fun way to go about it, so much to learn, and it never stops.

[@musettamarie]

I love these recaps so much! I've introduced my Schmig-watching group (me, my wife, her sisters and my mother-in-law) to your videos and they're also huge fans. A couple little things we've also caught (which you may or may not have picked up on already and didn't feel needed inclusion or got edited out): - In the first episode Kratt talks about his monopoly on the electricity of Schmicago - "I conduct the electric city" - The palm fronds at the end of the tribe's song gave my wife Hosana vibes - Not my catch but I read a review that pointed out the Jane K/roller skates/Starlight Express connection - Octavius Kratt shortens to Otto Kratt (autocrat) My sister-in-law Meghan also has a great/bonkers theory that the "I'll drink to that!" lady will end up being Flint's wife, in a Beggar Woman scenario.

[@jeffscotcarey]

Great observations! Thanks. Cinco Paul told us that, when they were in pre-production (or it might have even been on set during season one) he asked Jane K if she had any special skills, and she said "I can roller skate," so they wrote that in. Then she said she always wanted to learn, or expand on her basics, in trapeze, so that's why Bells and Whistles had her doing all of that. She made it into much more than they had originally imagined. Similarly the Starlight Express connection you guys discovered in this case was Cinco wanting to take advantage of another one of her many skills. But we can add in the connection because why not!? :)

[@jeffscotcarey]

When I was a kid growing up in the UK I saw Starlight Express in London. My parents would often come back with Phantom and LesMis programs but I never usually went to shows with them, but I guess they figured they could take the kids to Starlight. It was pretty amazing, as the theatre was designed for it, they skated all around us and jumped off the ramps and all. I didn't realize at the time that musical theatre was an art form that people specialized in, performance, directing, writing etc... I thought of the show more like a sporting event or like the circus or something ;) Years later when it came up, I was like, "oh Yeeeea, Starlight" But it hardly ever came up to be honest. I remember there was a tour about 20 years ago. Have you guys seen it anywhere?

[@musettamarie]

@@jeffscotcarey Sadly, no. I don't know if there's any theater in the area where we live (Iowa) that'd be willing to revamp its space to a degree necessary to really do the thing justice. If such a thing ever were to happen though I'd happily make the trip to see it.

[@jeffscotcarey]

@@musettamarie Honestly I don't know of it going up anywhere in the last 20 years, other than that National Tour in 2004-ish and I think Papermill did it at some point in there. But yea you have to transform your space so it's never really worth it I'd think. It's not on Iowa, we love Des Moines! (and Caitlin Clark too, she's already a legend.) Conversely, Starlight Express is not. It's one of those shows that just doesn't really make sense to produce because of the expense, diminishing returns on the material, and the fact that it's not the 80s anymore ;)

[@corgilover2319]

Page also played Frollo in Hunchback of Notre Dame (which is a man obsessed with a woman who does not want him) so when they lit his face red for a second when he bent down reminded me of Hellfire. I was wondering if that was just a Patrick Page easter egg for a wink.

[@jeffscotcarey]

Nice! Yea Hunchback is fantastic, and Frollo is off his rocker man. That song is so intense! Right in Patrick Page's wheelhouse.

[@UranusHz420]

9:38. First the narrator said “schmigidy-doo” in the Welcome to Schmicago opener, then “schmigidy-death (penalty)” when Josh was in jail, and in this ep “scoobidy-doo” after Melissa found a clue. Like the scooby-doo gang.

[@jeffscotcarey]

haha, that's interesting. Scooby-Doo was pretty huge in the 70s! Yea I noticed that Titus said scoobidy this time too and it kind of bugged me, that he went away from the schmigidy thing. I thought there was somewhere funnier they could have taken it, but it's a nit-pick of course. Titus said he's used to showing up on sets and basically doing whatever he wants, so I imagine (even tho we've heard from everyone that there isn't really any improvising in this show) that he switches things up somewhat from take to take. So depending on which one they go with while editing, they shape the narrator a bit more. The Scooby-doo thing is pretty fascinating, I think it might just be a classic scatting reference, done a million times before. But maybe you're right, and it is a nod to Mel and Josh getting their Velma on ;)

[@ariellakahan-harth8831]

I noticed this refrain in the background of Octavius Kratt's song, this, "DUN-d-dun-d-dun-dun-dun" that I couldn't place at first, but I think it's an interpolation from "Pilate and Christ" in the middle of a song otherwise modeled on "This Jesus Must Die".

[@jeffscotcarey]

Good call. Yea thankfully they had no reason to reference the whole 39 lashes right? I like the Pilot scenes in JCS alright, but the 39 lashes gets pretty indulgent ;)

[@dfinston1893]

What a great review! love it

[@SM-BSW]

37:00 in the 2014 production of Sweeney Todd with Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson, they do the self flagellation scene.

[@SM-BSW]

Here's the clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZzGdICIq6uWgsU

[@jeffscotcarey]

@@SM-BSW wow thanks for sharing that. What a powerful scene for the Judge, I never even knew about that scene. I think it should definitely stay in the show, because it is a window into even more of his madness, and so telling as to where his overall world views come from. (It bizarrely was a thing that "devout" people did to cleanse themselves, which sounds pretty wild now, but they did have limited entertainment options ;) Maybe it mostly gets cut because there's just not time for it, or if it's a smaller production it can get out of hand if you don't have a Turpin as good as Phillip Quast.

[@ErinLilleySmith]

I saw it in the 2005 Broadway revival, and I'm 99% sure it was in the Patti LuPone/George Hearn concert (early 2000s/late 90's--something like that).

[@joeevans5770]

Jeff and Aaron Tevit is the only theatre reunion I care about tbh

[@StealingFocus]

It was so profoundly wholesome!

[@jeffscotcarey]

haha Thanks Joe! @stealingfocus... I'm offended. 🤘😎

[@robwilliamson5082]

I gotta say that the patter section in bells and whistles is also very War Is A Science in pippin.

[@JaniceinOR]

After listening back and forth to all 3, I agree that there is some similarity to "War is a Science", but there are so so so many more similarities to "Getting Married Today", including the repetitive strings in the background, changing to a higher key partway through, and how repetitive (rather than melodic) the pitches are.

[@harrymeepharry]

Great analysis!

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

Annie was also referenced.

[@j.r.cilliangreen4083]

Godspell is grand and wonderful. Klausner is so sadly wrong but did a great job writing it!

[@jeffscotcarey]

Nice! I tried to watch the Godspell film about 20 years ago before doing the show for the first time, and at the time at least, I agreed with Klausner. I didn't like it at all. I didn't get in very far, I just decided that I wanted to go into the rehearsal process fresh and just never got back to watching it. If you like it tho, that's enough for me, I'll give it another watch one of these days. Thanks for the push :) what are some things you like about it?

[@j.r.cilliangreen4083]

I will say that I like the show itself more…it does a better job on the stage…but the pure joyful nonsense of the whole experience is my favorite thing. Just the commitment to the whole idea of joyous recounting of the gospel of Matthew is delightful. Is it a great movie musical? No. Do I like it more than JCS? Yes but that’s a low bar to jump over…it isn’t for everyone and I did watch it in college so who the hell knows what I would think now but it does give the air of how o most like seeing the show which is beautifully silly and delightful until the death at the end…

[@jeffscotcarey]

@@j.r.cilliangreen4083 totally. Yea we just talked about it in the Ep 4 Schmiganalysis, that hasn't dropped yet, but the difference between the two Jesus' becomes apparent for Topher in Ep 4. In Superstar Jesus is pretty much always gloomy and despondent, overwhelmed and depressed, showing remorse for what he apparently started together with his father. There’s no shortage of these moments for him; Everything’s Alright, The Temple, Gethsemane, the last supper, and the HEAL YOURSELVES moment with the Lepers. He pretty much always seems melancholy and frustrated, which is understandable, and I think an interesting direction to take. But in Godspell this isn’t the case, Jesus doesn’t have much doubt, if any, and sort of takes the whole thing (even his death) as a magnanimous gesture to the apostles. In Superstar he always seems to need to be comforted, whereas in Godspell he does the comforting. I like them both for different reasons, but yea, as far as the films go, it is kind of a low bar isn't it? ;)

[@j.r.cilliangreen4083]

I mean I have to admit is have a huge dislike bordering on hatred of Webber…I mean…”no one does it like a steam train?!!” Also see Love Never Dies…the same song for 10000000 hours…

[@jeffscotcarey]

@@j.r.cilliangreen4083 you're not going to get an argument out of me, I'm not an ALW guy. I do appreciate some of his stuff, but overall I tend to stay away. Em and some friends went to see Love Never Dies here in LA a few years ago and had a blast because it's so hilarious. Maybe it's next-level brilliance, but most likely, it's just a bit uninspired, a smidge overly self-important, and all the non-self-awareness that one can handle. But also, he doesn't write the lyrics.

[@kazza6078]

In sweeney they do the song where the judge whips himself over his attraction to joanna in the original 82 proshot and in the Emma Thompson concert proshot, among others i think, so i was under the impression it was always in as standard. I know it's a bit scandalous but I would be bummed if they didnt have that song. Not only do i like the song musically, but it really shows exactly how sick the judge is about this girl he's raised as a daughter, and how he's only fooling himself with his 'honorable' intentions.

[@SM-BSW]

Didn't Aaron Tveit play Danny in that live TV Grease production?

[@StealingFocus]

He did!

[@jeffscotcarey]

Tveit playing Danny is a bit of a waste isn't it? He thrives with more thoughtful material.

[@kevinbailey8827]

I don't expect them to reference _Your_ _Own_ _Thing,_ but doesn't it qualify as a hippie musical? "We. ARE. The NOW generation!"

[@kazza6078]

Georgieeeee..... do you need to go poopyyy....

[@jasonascher7137]

season 3: Schmanadu?

[@ashfordwyrd7458]

Sweet Charity was more beatniks than hippies, but they're both boomer subcultures.

[@StealingFocus]

It was, but the Rhythm of Life sequence specifically features a group of hippies in a cult and they're perceived as "out there, maaaaan!" Just like Bye Bye Birdie featured some of the first rock parody on Broadway, Sweet Charity's Rhythm of Life sequence is Fosse's dig at the hippies (this new group coming up).

[@ashfordwyrd7458]

Yes, Rhythm of Life is a beatnik cult. It even tells the story of the way beatnik culture spread across the country before moving overseas. Hippies were heading TO San Francisco while beatniks were leaving there.

[@AnnHarada]

I told you so about episode 3!

[@jeffscotcarey]

@@AnnHarada absolutely! And then after that, everyone we talked to who is involved with the show, said "just wait for Ep 4!" Then it dropped and blew us away again. Schmicago is so many great ideas happening at once, sometimes it feels like the best museum exhibit you've ever seen, that somehow updates every week and takes the narrative somewhere that you didn't expect.