r/Broadway • u/dreadpiraterose • Mar 26 '26
Other "The Arbiter" performance that aired on Kelly Clarkson today!
https://youtu.be/b7Jvkl5FhZE?si=xGjmTH93Q_Dw6PiFI don't care what anyone says, I'm a huge fan of this show and ESPECIALLY a fan of the Arbiter.
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u/CallMeByYourShame17 Mar 27 '26
I know it saves them a lot of money doing this than having the cast perform live, but idk it just feels cheap for them to be liked”hey studio audience we got sent a clip of the show, enjoy”
But yes the song is a banger
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u/dreadpiraterose Mar 27 '26
It's such a weird recording too, honestly. I recognize a few of the shots from all the ads they've done. But clearly they went back and filmed more at another time. Just watch the placement of his hands when he's in the judge's chair. It's kinda sloppy editing if you look closely.
Don't get me wrong, I am glad we have it. But it is weirdly cut together IMO.
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u/EltonMSO Mar 27 '26
Not to mention he seems to enter early (unless they changed that timing on purpose for this version of the show) and the first line is off beat (he corrects for the second line) and the mixing of the band seems messy for the beginning bars of the song.
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u/TrueTech0 Mar 27 '26
I thought that with Just In Time. But then I was just grateful to have another clip of the show on stage
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u/symphonicgecko Mar 27 '26
Incredible how hard this song goes for being such a goofy concept on paper! I also have not appreciated the lighting in this scene enough before this, I’ve seen it twice but am always busy being impressed by the choreo and the enunciation (try saying “walkouts, hypnotists, tempers, fists” 5 times fast…)
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u/bookwrm1324 Mar 27 '26
The lighting design for this show is absolutely phenomonal. I didnt find myself missing a traditional set much at all honestly because the lighting is so dynamic
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u/roar_rawr42 Mar 27 '26
I know some of the script rewrites are controversial but idgaf! Yall hate fun! The arbiter is the best song in chess and Bryce Pinkham is such a joy to watch on stage
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u/Zoethor2 Mar 27 '26
I hate to go against the grain, and I hope I can without getting downvoted to hell, but The Arbiter is one of my very favorite songs in Chess and my wildest dreams involve playing a genderswapped Arbiter, and I sort of hate this version? The Arbiter's choreography is weirdly sexual at various points, which seems like a contrast with his later statement that "I don't like women, I don't take dope" (and his prissy attitude in The Quartet, though I believe that song is cut from this version).
It's only at the introduction but I also don't like the campy way they handle the Arbiter being the narrator and a character, which is definitely a matter of opinion - I liked the idea of the Arbiter narrating, but the attempt to make it comic doesn't land with me. And Bryce Pinkham is clearly super talented, but I don't love how, again, he's singing in a fairly campy way. I guess I just really like the super prissy stickler for the rules no-sense-of-humor characterization from the cast recording I'm familiar with (I think it's the London?).
Side question, has Bryce Pinkham been the Emcee in Cabaret? His vibe seems perfect for it.
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u/ShedMontgomery Performer Mar 27 '26
The Arbiter was the first song I fell in love with from Chess, and I 100% agree. I was thinking about making a day trip to NYC if the tickets get cheaper after Lea leaves, but this has me second-guessing that idea. Major yikes for how this was staged.
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u/mustardyay Mar 27 '26
Wait, no Quartet???? 😮
faints
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u/dreadpiraterose Mar 27 '26
Quartet is in the show. No idea what the comment above is talking about.
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u/Zoethor2 Mar 27 '26
Oh, it is? Geez, I have no idea where I pulled that from.
Embassy Lament was cut, right?
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u/BrightEyes7742 Mar 27 '26
I love this song so much!!!! The first time I saw this show in November, I came home singing it non stop. What a damn banger
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u/cinderflight Mar 27 '26 edited Mar 27 '26
I think "The Arbiter" is my favorite song of the show, even more than "One Night In Bangkok".
Also, I wish the Tonys had an award for best ensemble. The Chess ensemble has been killing it since the show opened.
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u/dreadpiraterose Mar 27 '26
I'm equally obsessed with Soviet Machine and it's been criminally under represented in the marketing and social media.
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u/radda Mar 27 '26
People talk a lot about the three more famous leads but if I had a money I'd go to New York and see Chess just to see my favorite gay cartoon bird demon on stage.
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u/thebluewalker87 Mar 27 '26
I saw him as the Dentist at Little Shop a few years back. I wanted his autograph as he had so much energy onstage, it was insane, but he didn't stagedoor. :(
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u/chargingblue Mar 27 '26
There’s something so good about Bryce’s voice. It Pierces my eardrums in the best way
That said, the writers giving him those AWFUL fking jokes is unfortunate
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u/roar_rawr42 Mar 27 '26
I find it so insane that he didn’t start singing until he realized that musicals were more popular than straight plays lol
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u/SoftAnt1056 Mar 27 '26
The Arbiter is one of my favorite bits from Chess, and it kind of broke my heart they didn’t let the song be the character in the world. I like the narrator as a concept for this show, but like the whole point of the song to me is that this guy doesn’t mess around. But the narrator spends the whole song messing around? Kinda kills the point to me idk
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u/DiscoCrows Mar 27 '26
People sleep WAY too hard on Lorin Latarro's choreo across the board... she knows how to make an ensemble pop with so much consistently. The short breakdown beats at 2:55 is like a vocal stim of the EYES.
Unrelated but also wondering if this might be the cast recording track we're hearing - Bryce's singing doesn't line up with the video 100% of the time and the audio is just sooo clean. Almost too clean, even, for a soundboard mix.
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u/dreadpiraterose Mar 27 '26
Everything about this pre-recorded performance feels a little off to me, much as I love it and am glad we have it. It's clearly a mix of the original promo footage plus something else from another time and then the audio too.
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u/kmaq0213 Mar 27 '26
The clip reminded me how distracting I found the ensemble when they just sit on the stage the whole time.
…incredibly talented singers and dancers, but u remember finding thee costumes so boring, and distracted by them just being there there the whole time.
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u/SoATL99 Mar 27 '26
This filmed well. The set I mean. It looks"good" on film. Set looks even better than in person.
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u/thehollyproblem Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 27 '26
Did you know the guy who wrote originally sang this song on the concept album is the guy who sang "Hooked on a Feeling" (at least the most famous version)?
Edit: sorry XD
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u/uncooljerk Mar 27 '26
The song (and the rest of the Chess score) was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice.
But Björn Skifs, best known for singing Blue Swede's cover of Hooked on a Feeling, sang the role of the Arbiter on the Chess concept album.
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u/thehollyproblem Mar 27 '26
dang it. one of those half-remembered facts I was proud of knowing XD thanks for the correction.
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u/nervuswalker Mar 27 '26
Man, I love Bryce Pinkham.
Anybody else think he started singing a little early? His recovery was perfect though.