When you hear the people sing, don't "Miz" this ancient structure
“One Day More” unfurls a subtle literary "chiasm" in Les Misérables
They welcomed the world. Now let’s explore their story. On 9/11, 38 planes were grounded in a small Canadian town—and what happened next became one of Broadway’s most uplifting musicals. In this FREE, one-hour Zoom class, Broadway Maven David Benkof unpacks the extraordinary true stories, emotional depth, and musical brilliance of Come From Away. The class meets twice: Monday, July 7 at Noon and 7 pm ET.
Shalom, Broadway lovers!
In today’s issue of MARQUEE: The Broadway Maven’s Weekly Blast: A) an essay explaining the ways Les Misérables follows the pattern of an ancient literary structure; B) a Broadway Blast about West Side Story; C) a quiz about shows with one-word names; and D) a Last Blast about Fiddler on the Roof.
ESSAY: You may not realize it, but the world's most popular musical, at the end of the day, follows the world's oldest structure for High Literature.
Since the Bible, the Greeks, and even ancient Egypt, people have told stories that reverse themselves around a central fulcrum—a midpoint that reflects and reorients everything that came before. These elegant patterns are called “chiasms,” named after the Greek letter chi—shaped like an X—because the story arcs cross and reflect like mirrored halves. A simple chiasm might be the plot of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum:
A: "Comedy Tonight"
B: Pseudolus wants his freedom
C: Hero and Philia unite (fulcrum)
B': Pseudolus gets his freedom
A': "Comedy Tonight" reprise
Many ancient and modern works (The Odyssey, Beowulf, Macbeth, even the film Robocop) have a chiastic structure, which aids in interpretation because the fulcrum is typically the most important part of the show.
In Les Misérables, the fulcrum is (of course) the overlapping masterpiece of "One Day More." It’s where every major character reasserts their motives, setting up Act Two’s reversals. To fully appreciate how this ancient structure shapes the story, let’s break down the chiastic framework of Les Misérables:
A: A Promise Made. Valjean promises Fantine on her deathbed to care for Cosette.
B: “Master of the House.” The Thenardiers are thriving in their sleazy inn, exploiting Cosette and everyone else in a comic number.
C: “Stars.” Javert lays out his unwavering belief in divine justice, order, and the law.
D: "My Name's Gavroche." The scrappy, street-smart Gavroche represents the voice of the people.
E: “A Heart Full of Love." A moment of romantic connection: Marius and Cosette fall instantly for each other.
F: “Do You Hear the People Sing?" The students rally, full of revolutionary hope. This is Act One’s growing storm, as politics and passion converge.
G: “One Day More.” Here, in the show's fulcrum, all voices unite. Every major character declares their intention, creating a seven-part fugue of expectation and momentum. Every character from the chiasm (except Gavroche) has a voice in the song that ends the first act. It’s one of the most structurally perfect act closers in Broadway history.
F′: The Battle of the Barricades. What was once hopeful becomes bloody. The students die. The revolution fails.
E′: “On My Own." Expressing romantic solitude, Éponine sings of her unrequited love.
D′: Gavroche Dies. The street boy dies for the cause he believed in.
C′: Javert’s Suicide. Shown mercy by Valjean, Javert cannot reconcile grace with justice.
B′: “Beggars at the Feast.” Now petty wedding crashers, the Thenardiers are diminished but still conniving.
A′: A Promise Kept. Valjean, having saved Marius and kept Cosette safe, dies at peace. Fantine and Éponine welcome him. His promise is fulfilled, and the redemption is complete.
We may not consciously detect these mirrored structures as we watch, but we feel their symmetry. The emotional weight of “One Day More” and the satisfaction of Valjean’s final peace aren’t accidental—they’re the result of architecture as much as melody. The chiasm works invisibly to give the story its moral and emotional resonance.
It’s easy to admire Les Misérables for its music, performances, or themes. But its chiastic skeleton may be the most underrated piece of its brilliance. Like the best architecture, it holds everything up while staying mostly unseen—until you know what to look for.
Les Misérables endures not just because of its score or spectacle, but because it speaks in a language older than theater itself. Its chiasm gives the story its shape, its inevitability, and its emotional rhythm. Whether drawn from scripture, saga, or symphony, this ancient structure helps us understand why the musical moves us so deeply—and why it always will.
BROADWAY BLAST: In West Side Story, the Jets shout “Leapin’ lizards!” and “Glorioski!” during “Gee, Officer Krupke.” These aren’t simple interjections—they’re the catchphrases of two mid-century comic-strip orphans: Little Orphan Annie (yeah, the one with the musical) and the now-forgotten Little Annie Rooney (a popular strip that ran from 1927 to 1966). They don’t land as jokes—they’re the language of kids who see themselves as orphans. Alienated from their parents (“Our mothers all are junkies, / Our fathers all are drunks”), neglected, shuttled between cops and courts, they grab language from cheerful, imaginary orphans because that’s who they are: abandoned kids trapped in a system that leaves them rebels, rejects, and criminals. The tragedy? For some of the Jets, the sun won't come out tomorrow.
QUIZ: What show with a single word in the title contains these songs?
1. “Acid Queen” (1993)
2. “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” (1979)
3. “Disco Inferno” (2018)
4. “Easy as Life” (2000)
5. “I Don’t Need Anything But You” (1977)
6. “It’s Quiet Uptown” (2015)
7. “Morning Glow” (1972)
8. “Private Dancer” (2019)
9. “Reviewing the Situation” (1963)
10. “When I Grow Up” (2013)
PITCH DAYS: Our list of celebrity panelists for “Pitch Days” continues to grow. Every Sunday in September, several brave and ambitious pre-screened MARQUEE subscribers who have a Broadway project they’re working on will have a chance to summarize plot, play a song, perhaps share a lyric, and hear what true pros have to say.
The newest panelists:
• Ted Chapin, world’s foremost expert at Rodgers & Hammerstein
• Wendy Federman, producer with more than a dozen Tonys (The Band’s Visit, Dear Evan Hansen, and many more)
They join previously announced Tony winner Robert L. Freedman, author of the Best Musical winner A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and hopefully several others of comparable talent and judgment.
If you’d like to be included, please contact David at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.
(Oh, and we also have room for more celebrity panelists! You know who you are.)
PETITION: In opposition to the looming Times Square casino, The Broadway Maven is circulating the following petition. Read more here:
We, the undersigned, oppose the construction of a casino in Times Square. It would threaten the fragile ecosystem that sustains Broadway’s theaters, artists, and surrounding community. While we respect the many perspectives within the theater industry, we encourage Actor’s Equity, allied unions, and other Broadway stakeholders to end their support and let individuals weigh the issue on its merits. Times Square is not the right place for a casino—and it’s not too late to stop it.
Great news! First-time Members who join The Broadway Maven can get 30 days FREE at the link below. Normally $18, a one-month Membership comes with invitations to 5-15 classes and other expert-led Broadway experiences. In the case of the next 30 days, that means a class on Les Misérables; two Broadway Institute classes (on social issues in Broadway, and Broadway’s future); Avenue Q; Come From Away; and SIX. Cancel at any time, or continue exploring Broadway with this vibrant educational community. It’s your home for Broadway appreciation.
Note: A full calendar of upcoming classes is always available at TheBroadwayMaven.com.
• Monday, June 23 Noon and 7 pm ET The Broadway Institute (Broadway and Society) (Members only)
• Tuesday, June 24 Noon and 7 pm ET Les Misérables part three (Members only)
• Monday, June 30 Noon and 7 pm ET The Broadway Institute (Broadway’s future) (Members only)
• Tuesday, July 1 Noon and 7 pm ET Avenue Q (Members only)
• Monday, July 7 Noon and 7 pm ET Come From Away (FREE, Register HERE)
• Tuesday, July 15 Noon ET SIX with YouTuber extraordinaire Howard Ho (Members only)
LAST BLAST: An early lyric in Fiddler on the Roof signals everything that’s to come—if you know what to listen for. In “Sabbath Prayer,” Tevye’s family blesses the daughters with a line not found in the traditional Friday night ritual: “May you be like Ruth and like Esther.” Normally, daughters are blessed in the names of Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. But these two choices go straight to theme— Ruth gave up her people for love, and Esther intermarried to save hers. It’s a quiet clue that Fiddler won’t just be about tradition—it’ll be about transgression. And sure enough, by the end of Act II, Chava has married outside the faith. The line in the prayer wasn’t just poetic—it was prophetic. This is a story where bloodlines bend.
SOLUTION TO QUIZ: Tommy, Evita, Summer, Aida, Annie, Hamilton, Pippin, Tina, Oliver!, Matilda
The Broadway Maven is a vibrant educational community that helps its members think more deeply about musical theater. Every month, members may attend 5-15 expert-led classes and innovative Broadway experiences, all for just $18. We also foster enthusiasm for Broadway through the FREE weekly Substack newsletter MARQUEE and host an expansive YouTube channel. It's your home for Broadway appreciation. Contact The Broadway Maven at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.
Fascinating article. Thank you. A finale to the penultimate act that shows each character's dilemma and intentions is not new. It goes back to 19th century opera, where it's quite common. And incidentally, One Day More is not a fugue. Yes, it has multiple lines occurring simultaneously, like a fugue. But the structure of a fugue is much more specific than that. Google is your friend.