Ultimate MT Brackets

Cammy finally makes a podcast debut. Mariah is there. It's a great time had by all. Oh yeah, and one performance takes the crown.https://www.alexschneidman.com

Anna and Sarah return to the pod. By the end, there's 2 songs left.https://www.alexschneidman.com

Mariah and Sam, a vet and a rookie, steward 8 songs to 4.https://www.alexschneidman.com

Maggie and Eddie turn 16 to 8. Poof!https://www.alexschneidman.com

Seasoned vet Rosie Jo and rookie Eli complete our final 16.https://www.alexschneidman.com

After a couple years, literal Tony nominee Andrew Restieri returns to judge. He's joined by rookie, and literal Master of writing for musical theatre, Carrie Caffrey. The two of them take us to 8 songs on the left side of the bracket.https://www.alexschneidman.com

Returning judge Robert Cunningham and rookie Felicia Oduh take the right side to the next 16 songs. https://www.alexschneidman.com

I'm joined by Maddie Burton and Ruchir Khazanchi to take the 32 songs on the left side to just 16. https://www.alexschneidman.com

Mariah and I introduce this year's bracket.https://www.alexschneidman.com

Many judges return to crown the Ultimate Musical Theatre Opening Number.

Many judges return to crown the Ultimate Musical Theatre Opening Number.

Alex, Mariah, Anna, Sarah, and Phoebe make the hard decisions to get us to two songs.

Alex, Mariah, Anna, Sarah, and Phoebe make the hard decisions to get us to two songs.

Alex, Mariah, Allie, Robert knock us down to four songs.

Alex, Mariah, Allie, Robert knock us down to four songs.

Alex, Mariah, and three roommates from New York get us down to 8 songs.

Alex, Mariah, and three roommates from New York get us down to 8 songs.

Alex, Mariah, new judge Dan, and Rosie Jo work through Round Two.

Alex, Mariah, new judge Dan, and Rosie Jo work through Round 2.

Alex, Mariah, Marielle, and Michael work through Round One.

Alex, Mariah, Marielle, and Michael work through Round 1.

Alex and Mariah debut this year's bracket.

Alex and Mariah debut this year's bracket.

All the judges return to decide the Ultimate I Want Song

All the judges return to decide the Ultimate I Want Song

Mariah, Rosie Jo, Michael, and Marielle return to carry us to the finals.

Mariah, Rosie Jo, Michael, and Marielle return to carry us to the finals.Left side - 00:01:54Right side - 00:22:00

Mariah, Phoebe, and Jon bring the bracket to its Final 4 songs.

Mariah, Phoebe, and Jon bring the bracket to its Final 4 songs.Left side - 00:04:20Right side - 00:28:00

Mariah, Allie, and Robert lead us through the Sweet Sixteen.

Mariah, Allie, and Robert lead us through the Sweet Sixteen.Left side: 00:03:30Right side: 00:29:24Follow along and vote at alexschneidman.com/umtb.

Alex, Mariah, Michael, and Marielle take on the second round of the bracket.

Alex, Mariah, Michael, and Marielle take on the second round of the bracket.This episode was recorded over Zoom and edited for brevity.Left Side - 00:02:53Right Side - 00:34:09Follow along and vote at alexschneidman.com/umtb

Alex, Mariah, Michael, and Rosie Jo work through the first round of the bracket.

Alex, Mariah, Michael, and Rosie Jo work through the first round of the bracket.This episode was recorded over Zoom and edited for brevity.Top Left - 00:04:55Bottom Left - 00:24:47Top Right - 00:44:00Bottom Right - 00:58:23Follow along and vote at alexschneidman.com/umtb

Alex and Mariah introduce this year's bracket.

Alex and Mariah introduce this year's bracket!Follow along and vote at alexschneidman.com/umtb

This is an unedited, complete recording of the live Zoom that took place on May 11. Find video on Facebook.

Follow along at www.alexschneidman.com/umt-brackets4:56 Quarterfinal 1: What I Did For Love - A Chorus Line v. If I Loved You - Carousel13:20 Quarterfinal 2: Maria - West Side Story v. We Do Not Belong Together - Sunday in the Park with George20:38 Quarterfinal 3: Losing My Mind - Follies v. I’ll Cover You - Rent26:30 Quarterfinal 4: Sarah Brown Eyes - Ragtime v. Somewhere - West Side Story

To follow along go to alexschneidman.com/umt-brackets

Follow along at alexschneidman.com/umt-brackets

Follow along at alexschneidman.com/umt-brackets01:13 Matchup 2.9: People Will Say We’re In Love - Oklahoma; Losing My Mind - Follies05:30 Matchup 2.10: Some Enchanted Evening - South Pacific; Do You Love Me? - Fiddler on the Roof08:43 Matchup 2.11: Written in the Stars - Aida; I’ll Cover You - Rent12:33 Matchup 2.12: It Takes Two - Into the Woods; Hey #3/Perfect for You - Next to Normal17:59 Matchup 2.13: It Only Takes a Moment - Hello, Dolly!; Sarah Brown Eyes - Ragtime21:27 Matchup 2.14: Rosemary - How to Succeed; I Have Dreamed - The King and I23:36 Matchup 2.15: One Second and Million Miles - The Bridges of Madison County; Somewhere - West Side Story26:23 Matchup 2.16: Not a Day Goes By - Merrily We Roll Along; Satisfied - Hamilton

Follow along at alexschneidman.com/umt-brackets05:46 Matchup 2.1: Falling Slowly - Once; If Ever I Would Leave You - Camelot08:50 Matchup 2.2: Accustomed to Her Face - My Fair Lady; What I Did For Love - A Chorus Line13:22 Matchup 2.3: Suddenly Seymour - Little Shop of Horrors; If I Loved You - Carousel17:48 Matchup 2.4: You Matter to Me - Waitress; There Once Was A Man - The Pajama Game20:05 Matchup 2.5: Til There Was You - The Music Man; All The Wasted Time - Parade25:26 Matchup 2.6: Chaveleh - Fiddler on the Roof; Maria - West Side Story27:08 Matchup 2.7: Too Many Mornings - Follies; For Good - Wicked29:35 Matchup 2.8: The Next Ten Minutes - The Last Five Years; We Do Not Belong Together - Sunday in the Park with George

In which we discuss the round one right side of the bracket. To follow along, go to alexschneidman.com/umt-bracketsMatchup 17: People Will Say We're In Love - Oklahoma; So In Love - Kiss Me, Kate 00:34Matchup 18: Losing My Mind - Follies; When The Sun Goes Down - In The Heights 01:58Matchup 19: Some Enchanted Evening - South Pacific; I Won't Send Roses - Mack and Mabel 03:08Matchup 20: Forever Yours - Once On This Island; Do You Love Me? - Fiddler on the Roof 04:38Matchup 21: On My Own - Les Miserables; Written in the Stars - Aida 05:37Matchup 22: I'll Cover You - Rent; Can You Feel the Love Tonight? - The Lion King 07:11Matchup 23: It Takes Two - Into the Woods; All I Ask of You - The Phantom of the Opera 08:37Matchup 24: As Long As You're Mine - Wicked; Hey #3/Perfect For You - Next to Normal 12:04Matchup 25: Changing My Major - Fun Home; It Only Takes a Moment - Hello, Dolly! 12:59Matchup 26: Ten Minutes Ago - Cinderella; Sarah Brown Eyes - Ragtime 15:54Matchup 27: So Many People - Saturday Night; Rosemary - How to Succeed 16:45Matchup 28: Song on the Sand - La Cage aux Folles; I Have Dreamed - The King and I 18:22Matchup 29: Loving You - Passion; One Second and a Million Miles - The Bridges of Madison County 20:12Matchup 30: Johanna - Sweeney Todd; Somewhere - West Side Story 22:00Matchup 31: Not A Day Goes By - Merrily We Roll Along; As Long as He Needs Me - Oliver 24:12Matchup 32: What More Can I Say - Falsettos; Satisfied - Hamilton 25:38

In which we discuss the round one left side of the bracket. To follow along, go to alexschneidman.com/umt-bracketsMatchup 1: I Could Write a Book - Pal Joey; Falling Slowly - Once 01:27Matchup 2: If Ever I Would Leave You - Camelot; I Get Lost In His Arms - Annie Get Your Gun 03:55Matchup 3: Unusual Way - Nine; Accustomed to Her Face - My Fair Lady 05:26Matchup 4: What I Did For Love - A Chorus Line; Love Song - Pippin 08:45Matchup 5: Cecily Smith - Fly By Night; Suddenly Seymour - Little Shop of Horrors 09:12Matchup 6: Love to Me - The Light in the PiazzaIf I Loved You - Carousel 11:02Matchup 7: The I Love You Song - Spelling Bee; You Matter to Me - Waitress 11:35Matchup 8: There Once Was A Man - The Pajama Game; Seventeen - Heathers 13:28Matchup 9: Til There Was You - The Music Man; Sue Me - Guys and Dolls 14:48Matchup 10: No One Else - Great Comet; All the Wasted Time - Parade 16:10Matchup 11: Chaveleh - Fiddler on the Roof; Sorry-Grateful - Company 17:05Matchup 12: Maria - West Side Story; Dear Theodosia - Hamilton 19:43Matchup 13: All I've Ever Known - Hadestown; Too Many Mornings - Follies 21:32Matchup 14: Soon It's Gonna Rain - The Fantasticks; For Good - Wicked 23:04Matchup 15: How Could I Ever Know - The Secret Garden; The Next Ten Minutes - The Last 5 Years 24:28Matchup 16: We Do Not Belong Together - Sunday In The Park With George; Beautiful - Octet 26:24

Hello everybody, and welcome to the 2020 version of the musical theatre bracket. This year, it’s all about love and love songs.Over the end of February and through March, my roommates, a few excellent guest judges, and you the listener will interrogate some key questions: What makes an excellent love song? What characteristics of musical theatre make it especially suited for love? Is the feeling of love universal? If so, do we all recognize it the same way? If not, what does that mean for the love song? After voting and discussing and voting and discussing a few times, maybe we’ll have some answers to these questions.Vote here: https://www.alexschneidman.com/umt-brackets/2/14/2020/love-song-bracket-introTo me, this is the purpose of any kind of bracket: to pose complicated questions to which there are frequently only approximate answers. Nothing is perfect, not even love. I am so excited to see where this exploration takes us.