Episodios
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2026 Tonys: Ragtime & Schmigadoon - Brett and Josh discuss the two big winners from the Tonys for Best Musical (Schmigadoon) and Best Revival of a Musical (Ragtime). Ragtime is Brett’s all-time favorite musical and he saw this production multiple times. Join us as we dive into what makes these shows so unique!
Join for free or as a paid member to enjoy bonus content on: Patreon.com/showtuned
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
3:31 I Want Songs for the Week
5:17 2026 Tonys Recap
8:24 Ragtime
23:30 Schmigadoon
29:55 What We’re Listening To
Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.
Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/
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Lists are one of the most powerful brainstorming and creativity inducing processes of songwriting. Why are lists so helpful? What type of lists do we make when songwriting? Why did Sondheim love making lists? In this episode Brett and Josh dive into the importance of writing lists and the transformative effect it has on the songwriting process.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Showtuned02:50 I Want Songs for the Week06:45 Main Topic: Writing Lists12:42 The Power of Metaphors17:11 Character and Scene Setting22:40 Think Like an Actor26:00 Rhymes32:46 What We’re Listening To36:46 OutroSongs referenced available for free on Patreon.com/showtuned
Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.
Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/ -
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In Part 2 of the Top 10 Types of Songs in Musical Theater, Brett and Josh discuss: The Charm Song, Conflict/Confrontation Song, Reprises, Act Finales, 11 O’Clock Numbers
Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtunedpod
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:34 Charm Songs
6:09 Conflict and Confrontation Songs
11:00 Reprise and Its Impact
15:45 Act Finale and Ensemble Numbers
20:52 The 11 O'Clock Number
27:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Links to songs referenced on https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.
Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/
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In Part 1 of the Top 10 Types of Songs in Musical Theater, Brett and Josh discuss: Opening Numbers, Character Establishment Songs, Ballads, Conditional Love Songs and Comedy Songs.
Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtunedpodChapters
00:00 Introduction 02:55 What is Your "I Want Song" for the Week?06:05 Every Song Has a Job08:45 List of 10 Types of Songs in Musicals09:45 Opening Numbers22:45 I Want Song / Character Establishment30:10 Ballads37:37 Conditional Love Songs43:31 Comedy SongsLink to songs referenced on Patreon!
Hosted by Brett Boles (The M Tea) and Josh Shelton (Counterpoint Musicals). Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.
Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/ -
In this episode of "Showtuned," Brett & Josh explore the fundamental differences between stage and film musicals, including storytelling techniques, audience engagement, technical considerations, and structural differences. Perfect for musical theater enthusiasts, songwriters, and filmmakers.
Key Topics
Differences in storytelling between stage and film musicalsTechnical tools unique to each medium (lighting, sound, camera)Structural differences: two-act vs three-act formatsAudience engagement and the live experienceAdapting stage shows into movies: challenges and strategiesThe role of the director and the camera in storytellingSong length and pacing considerations in film and theaterVisual spectacle and scale in film adaptationsThe importance of suspension of disbelief in different mediumsThe evolution and innovation in musical film genreChapters
00:00 Introduction to Showtuned03:11 What is Your "I Want Song" for the Week?05:45 Stage Musicals vs. Movie Musicals14:55 Crafting for Different Mediums22:22 The Role of Audience and Performance26:41 Understanding Musical Structures: Two Acts vs. Three Acts30:33 Song Structure and Length Differences31:23 The Importance of Pacing in Film and Stage Musicals33:26 Song Development: From Film to Stage Adaptations36:08 The Differences in Production: Film vs. Stage38:44 What We're Listening to This WeekLinks to What We're Listening To:
Bridges of Madison CountryGypsy Demos -
In this episode of Showtuned, Brett Boles (The M Tea) and Josh Shelton (Counterpoint Musicals) delve into the exploration of song structure and form, emphasizing the significance of verse-chorus and AABA forms in musical storytelling. They discuss the role of song structure in character development and story momentum, providing examples from classic and contemporary musical theater. It explores the importance of expectation, repetition and variation in engaging the audience. The concept of through-composed songs in musical theater is also discussed, emphasizing their rarity and the challenges they present.
Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/showtunedpod
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
03:25 - My "I Want Song" for the Week
06:15 - Verse-Chorus Song Form
18:08 - AABA Song Form
33:00 - Through Composed Song Form
Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.
Produced by https://www.counterpointmusicals.com/ -
Today we dive into the art and science of song spotting, exploring the 4 types of "pressure" in a scene that can trigger good moments for songs, and the pacing of songs in musical storytelling. We also do a fun exercise of Song Spotting the movie Toy Story as if we were adapting it into a musical.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
2:15 - I Want Songs for the Week
6:00 - Song Spotting Discussion
23:00 - Song Spotting Exercise: Toy Story 1
Takeaways
* Songspotting is the art and science of finding moments in a show that sing, identifying when dialogue is no longer sufficient and when a song must take over.
* Musical theater songs move a character forward or move the story forward in some way, unlike songs written for other genres that exist in a moment. Movie musicals vs. stage musicals
Join us on Patreon (free & paid): https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: @showtunedpod
Hosted by Brett Boles and Josh Shelton. Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.Produced by Counterpoint Musicals
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The first episode of Showtuned: A podcast about musicals and storytelling through songs, introduces the concept of Song Mapping and its importance in the songwriting process. Brett and Josh ask each other to share their "I Want Song for the Week," they explore the structure and form of songs, providing examples and insights into the song mapping process.
Join us on Patreon (free & paid) - https://www.patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: @showtunedpod - https://www.instagram.com/showtunedpodTakeaways
Song mapping is a pre-writing technique that can save time, help find clarity, and provide a storytelling foundation when writing songs.Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Showtuned05:35 My "I Want Song" for the Week10:39 Song Mapping Overview18:33 Song Mapping Example: Stand StillHosted by Brett Boles (The M Tea) and Josh Shelton (Counterpoint Musicals). Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.
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Welcome to Showtuned! A podcast about musicals and the craft of storytelling through songs. Hosted by Brett Boles (The M Tea) and Josh Shelton (Counterpoint Musicals).
Join the community and experience bonus content on Patreon: patreon.com/showtuned
Follow on IG: @showtunedpod
Each week we explore the layers of ways songs tell stories - from melodies to harmonies, lyrics to dialogue, characters to scenes - and how it all comes together in this unique medium where songs are the engine of the story! This podcast is an exploration for anyone who loves musicals - if you’re a songwriter, playwright, performer, storyteller, theater kid, Disney adult, accompanist, or just a super fan — our goal is you’ll find something interesting here.
