Beyond the Score: The Rise of Opt-Ups in Musical Theatre

Excerpt

Explore the rising trend of "opting up" in musical theatre, where performers elevate their vocal performances by singing higher notes and adding embellishments. This article examines its historical roots, impact on modern productions, and the balance between artistry and storytelling, all while considering the influence of social media in amplifying these vocal feats.

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Jun 8, 2025

What Does “Opting Up” Mean?

In the context of musical theatre, opting up refers to a singer making a deliberate vocal change to the score – typically by taking a written note and singing it higher than written, often with added embellishments like riffs or melismas. It’s essentially choosing a higher option than what the composer originally set on the page. The core melody and rhythm stay intact, but the performer adds their own flair on top. For example, if a song’s climax is written as a sustained middle note, a performer might opt-up by hitting a soaring high note instead, or by riffing through an ascending run. These choices are usually not in the printed score – they are additions. In practice, an opt-up can be as simple as belting the final chorus an octave above the written melody, or adding an impressive run at the end of a phrase. The goal is to elicit excitement: it shows off the singer’s range or skill and often earns spontaneous applause. Every musical theatre fan has experienced that electrifying moment when a singer holds a note longer or higher than expected – that’s the opt-up in action.

From Broadway Tradition(?) to Modern Trend

While it might feel like we’re hearing more opt-ups lately, the truth is they’re not entirely new. Performers have been deviating from the score in tasteful ways for decades. In certain styles of musicals – especially those influenced by pop, rock, or gospel – riffing and optioning up are stylistically accepted parts of the genre. Classic rock-opera shows like Jesus Christ Superstar and soulful musicals like The Colour Purple or Memphis have long featured singers altering melodies with bigger notes or improvised runs that fit the show’s style. Even in older shows, over time, performers have sometimes created traditional “alternate notes” that become part of the show’s lore. For instance, veteran performers in long-running productions often develop signature moments – a high note here, a slight melodic twist there – that new cast members might emulate. There’s a track record of professionals singing notes not found in the original score, in ways that still honour the song’s intent. In other words, musicals have always allowed a bit of flexibility for exceptional vocals, especially when it energises the performance without breaking the storytelling. What’s changing now is the frequency and visibility of these choices, making opt-ups feel more like a defining feature of modern musical theatre. Does that break tradition and make it tacky?

Showstoppers in the Spotlight – Recent Examples

Over the last few seasons, certain opt-ups have become anticipated moments – miniature “Olympic events” where an audience hushes, cameras slyly (and illegally) rise, and social feeds fill within minutes. Let’s explore…

Wicked – “No One Mourns The Wicked”

From the very first Broadway company, Glinda’s finale in “No One Mourns the Wicked” has carried an optional sky-high note that isn’t on the page yet is now practically canon. Performers (Kristin Chenoweth, Megan Hilty, Alexandra Socha, and many others) routinely decide whether to fire it off, and even industry forums list it as a “nice-to-have, not required” embellishment.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical – “El Tango de Roxanne”

In the jukebox juggernaut Moulin Rouge!, the tenor playing Christian is already scored up to a full-throttle C5. Aaron Tveit’s Tony-winning performance, preserved in the pro-shot video of “El Tango de Roxanne”, thrills fans by extending that climactic pitch and sustaining it far longer than written – a clip that circulates widely every time he returns to the role. Jamie Muscato has also performed similar opt-ups, especially at the notable West End Live performance back in 2023. The result is a textbook example of an opt-up that fits the character’s desperation yet doubles as viral bait.

Les Misérables – Lucie Jones’s “I Dreamed a Dream”

Fantine’s ballad is etched in musical-theatre stone, yet Lucie Jones has recently made headlines (and endless reaction duets) for her version of the lyrics “but there are dreams that cannot be” (taking the “cannot” up). TikTok clips of the moment regularly rack up six-figure views within days.

It’s impossible to talk about the rise of opt-ups without talking about social media. In the age of Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, a performer’s impressive vocal stunt can reach far beyond the theatre walls within hours. A decade or two ago, only those in the building on the night would witness an extraordinary riff or sky-high note. Now, that moment could be filmed (sneakily and illegally, since officially one shouldn’t record live theatre) or recreated in a challenge, and suddenly millions have heard about it. Theatre kids and vocalists on TikTok are obsessed with these vocal feats – there are countless compilation videos of “best riffs on Broadway” or “craziest opt-up challenges.” In fact, there’s a whole TikTok trend labeled “adding unnecessary riffs to musical theatre songs,” which has millions of posts associated with it. That trend is half-joking (poking fun at how singers sometimes add runs everywhere), but it underscores how prevalent the idea of riffing and opting up has become in popular culture. There are also specific challenges like the #ElphabaRiffChallenge, where singers try to outdo each other singing Wicked’s famous riffs, or fans attempting that Mean Girls high note at home. Social media amplifies the flashier side of vocal performance – a clip of a jaw-dropping high note is more likely to go viral than a subtle acting choice or a quietly emotional moment. This virality incentivises performers (especially younger ones building a following) to incorporate more “wow” moments, knowing it could boost their online profile. It’s a fascinating feedback loop - but do stage performances influence online trends, with online trends in turn influencing what audiences expect on stage? Or, is it that online trends are the catalyst for what ultimately ends up in the theatre?

Are Opt-Ups Serving the Story – or Just Showing Off?

With all this hype around opt-ups, an important question arises: do these vocal fireworks serve the character and story, or are they purely for show? As a vocal coach and musical theatre lover, I believe the answer lies in how and when the opt-up is used. At its best, an opt-up can magnify a character’s emotional state – the intensity of a higher note or a soaring riff can underline desperation, joy, triumph, or heartbreak in a song’s climax. For example, when Elphaba in Wicked lets loose in “No Good Deed” it can be an incredibly powerful emotional outburst that can defy what’s written on the score. However, if a performer opts up in a way that clashes with the character’s intent or the scene’s tone, it can pull the audience out of the moment. West End star Carrie Hope Fletcher weighed in on this debate, and her take is thought-provoking. She acknowledged that “opting up and riffing absolutely have their place in musical theatre,” but if a flashy vocal choice ever comes at the expense of storytelling, “we might as well just do a play”. In other words, if the singing isn’t serving the story, why sing at all? That might sound harsh, but it speaks to a core truth in musicals: songs aren’t just there for vocal display; they’re there to convey what dialogue alone can’t. An impressive high C is thrilling, but it needs to make sense for the character at that moment. Otherwise, it’s just vocal frosting with no cake underneath.

Opt-Ups in Concerts & Gig Nights: Where Story Takes a Back Seat

Let’s step outside the book-scene-song structure and into a concert setting - be it a one-night-only cabaret, a West End Live slot, or a Broadway benefit… Without a narrative arc to ground every moment, the evening’s energy rests squarely on vocal fireworks and the performer–audience rapport. Fans come primed for surprises: a Les Mis concert version where Lucie Jones shoots “I Dreamed a Dream” a tone higher; a Wicked 20th-anniversary gala where Elphabas trade ever-longer high-F sustains; or an MT Fest late-night gig where the band vamps while a singer riffs off into the stratosphere. In these contexts the opt-up isn’t competing with character logic - it is the logic, a shared wink that says, “Let’s see how far we can push this for sheer joy.”

Because the stakes are musical, not narrative, the added altitude feels less like self-indulgence and more like audience service: giving ticket-holders the one-of-a-kind moment they’ll brag about on social media the next morning. It’s an arena where technical skill, playful risk-taking, and adrenaline mingle freely - and where the only real plot is how epic can this note get?

I think in these environments, vocal acrobatics absolutely have their place, and a well deserved one at that. It allows performers to let go, have fun, and indeed show off. And it’s the perfect opportunity for it. Often these nights can be special just because we want to see a performer blow us away with their skill - without the deep focus on the story or character (because we’re not inherently performing a musical, we’re performing songs in isolation). So I fully advocate for more Cabaret nights, Galas, and Concerts where it’s all about fun. But if we are going to continue opting-up in mainstream shows, then I think the key is to opt-up thoughtfully, not to show off. It should be improvised, in the moment to enhance a raw emotion, not planned in advance. And, importantly, not repeated every night.