“The Arbiter” is a showstopping number. When you step into it, what’s going through your mind?
Bryce: The first time I did the song “The Arbiter” at the Kennedy Center, I was feeling like, “Oh, God, what am I about to do? Am I going to be able to do this?”
I think it was [choreographer] Lorin Latarro who said, “You just have to go for it.” That’s when I came up with that ad-lib where The Arbiter says, “Yes, I’m gonna sing, and yes, I’m going to crush it.” That was me talking myself into doing it.
At the top of the song, I’m allowing this character of The Arbiter to suddenly realize that he enjoys this. He gets swept up by the music of Chess, and can’t help himself. So, I’m thinking about that guy who’s not sure he can do it, falling into the arms of Abba’s music, letting that music carry him, and loving it.
Beyond that, I’m focused on articulating the words so you can hear them clearly. Lines like, “Chanting gurus, walkie-talkies, walkouts, hypnotists, tempers, fists” aren’t easy!