I Go To Rio (from The Boy From Oz) (arr. Mark Brymer): SATB Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement captures the infectious joy and rhythmic snap of this number while keeping the voicing clean enough for choirs still building their Broadway chops. The song's built-in humor and momentum make it a genuine crowd pleaser at concert encores and spring pops shows, and the 11-page length means you're not committing months of rehearsal time to a showstopper.

Bright, buoyant, and irresistibly fun. The song radiates optimism and playfulness, with a rhythmic bounce that makes singers want to move. There's a real sense of escape and celebration woven through every phrase.

Choirs looking for contemporary musical theater that works for high school through adult community levels. This arrangement suits groups confident enough to handle rhythmic precision and projection but not necessarily steeped in jazz or pop idioms.

• Keep the rhythmic drive consistent throughout; this arrangement thrives on energy and forward motion rather than pulled-back phrasing.
• Balance the solo lines (whether given to a section or featured singer) so lyrics stay intelligible without the rest of the choir fading into accompaniment.
• Lean into the character of the text. Allen's lyrical wit lands only when singers commit to diction and attack consonants with intention.
• Let the recorded accompaniment establish the groove early in rehearsals so your singers internalize the rhythmic feel before polishing blend.

Save this for concert moments where you need a tonal shift from more classical repertoire. It works beautifully on a spring concert, a cabaret-style program, or as the closer to a pops set where the audience expects to leave smiling.

• Rhythmic precision in syncopated figures and jazz-inflected phrasing
• Clear diction and text communication in contemporary musical idiom
• Stylistic contrast between legit singing and rhythmic articulation
• Sectional independence while maintaining unified groove and pulse