This is the last episode to take place before Hey Arnold! The Movie. It was in production at the same time as the movie and was originally meant to be the last "regular" episode, hence it being written as a big musical.
Michelle Lamoreaux and Craig Bartlett were credited for the lyrics next to Jim Lang who was credited for the music.
Unlike other quarter-hour episodes, this one lasts 12 minutes and 30 seconds, which makes this the longest quarter-hour episode of all.
In another gag not revealing Arnold's last name, Leichliter cannot read his last name because of his own handwriting.
The people who made up the chorus are credited at the end of the episode:
Although "Timberly Loves Arnold" and this episode aired on January 28, 2003, they were actually produced in 2000 according to the credits. They are also the final episodes to be made in 2000.
Cultural References[]
When auditioning, Sid does a scene from A Streetcar Named Desire, while Rhonda does the final scene from the film Gone with the Wind. Leichliter replies with, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a hoot," a reference to Rhett's line from the latter.
Arnold's character says after losing the girl, "Curses! Foiled again!", a clichéd villain line often attributed to cartoon villain Snidely Whiplash (although he rarely said it in the series) and also said by Dick Dastardly.
Continuity[]
Mr. Leichliter from the episode "School Play" reappears, only now he's a musical director instead of a critic.
In this episode, Arnold doesn't care that he was playing in a part alongside Lila, confirming that he got over his crush on her in the previous episode.
This is the second time that Arnold is in a play as a lead character. The first time was in "School Play" when he played Romeo Montague in Romeo and Juliet.