BE Tonight

Just back from the show.. David (my fave) was on as Billy.

The crowd, though enthusiastic, was pretty subdued for a show that followed the Tony wins.

Speaking with a number of people around me, seemed like most of them didnt even know the show won ANY awards.

Hardly any entrance applause... smatterings here and there.

I think Haydn got the most applause. Jbara got some.

I did wonder the entire show how much longer David can stay with the cast. His voice has definitely changed since the opening (unless he was a little under the weather tonight)

Thought some more about using "Angry Dance" as the Tony number, and it was even more obvious why it didnt work. Even people at the show had weird looks on their faces !!!

As far as box office... PACKED prior to the show (as was "God Of Carnage)-

Overall, very good show, but nothing like the energy at "ITH" last year after the Tony win.

Updated On: 6/10/09 at 11:42 PM

Overall, very good show, but nothing like the energy at "ITH" last year after the Tony win.

It's a totally different situation. Billy Elliot wasn't a case of the little show that could, or something that the theater community had nurtured and watched develop for a long period of time. It wasn't the Cinderella story. It's a huge show, a transfer, and a commercial dream. It's certainly well-crafted, but in large part a tourist trap, and pedigreed by star power. Of course the post-awards reception isn't going to be the same. And chances are a lot of the people there, even if they knew about the wins, didn't really care; they were there to see the show, which they had probably planned to see well in advance of the Tonys -- not to show their support. It's a completely different dynamic.

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<< It's a totally different situation. Billy Elliot wasn't a case of the little show that could, or something that the theater community had nurtured and watched develop for a long period of time. It wasn't the Cinderella story. It's a huge show, a transfer, and a commercial dream. It's certainly well-crafted, but in large part a tourist trap, and pedigreed by star power. Of course the post-awards reception isn't going to be the same. And chances are a lot of the people there, even if they knew about the wins, didn't really care; they were there to see the show, which they had probably planned to see well in advance of the Tonys -- not to show their support. It's a completely different dynamic.>

Cant disagree with anything that you wrote--- was just stating that the show didnt have the same energy-- for a number of reasons.

<< True. It's a different case anyways. Both shows draw two different crowds. "In The Heights" has the whole hipster/urban teen vibe, and they tend to be more vocal then the average crowd at Billy Elliot, which I'm guessing is more of the older/white persuasion.
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Not entirely true--- "ITH" has one of the most diverse crowds that I have ever seen on a everyday basis. Definitely younger than the "BE" crowd (stating the obvious), but very diverse.

Really? I always got the impression it was a pretty built-in hit. It had been doing really well overseas for a pretty long time, and had a huge amount of buzz before it came here. I didn't mean it in any offensive sort of way, it's just a very different kind of show with a very different story of arrival than something like ITH.

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Another element to consider is that audience was probably filled with many tourists who booked their tickets months ago, and not the rabid fans who present themselves to show props to the winner. Karen Olivo may have encountered the same reaction, as most people have had those tickets for months. There were no last minute tickets to grab. Those crowds are very different than the rabid N2N fans that had some wiggle room to get tickets at the last minute.

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I dunno. Where I was sitting there was enormous enthusiasm for David, who I predict will be a major international ballet star when he leaves Billy Elliot, for Haydn Gwynne, who was giving a Tony-caliber performance, for Greg Jbara, who made me laugh and cry, and for David Bologna, who was delightfully way over the top.

Maybe you were expecting a different reaction but for those of us who weren't expecting your reaction and maybe don't share your ennui, it was a thrilling evening.

And Carole Shelley gets a PalJoey Lifetime Achievement Award for being a total joy every time she walks onstage.

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Updated On: 6/10/09 at 12:36 AM

Although I would buy a ticket to a carnival of applause!

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Well, also, I mean, the way BE is staged, there aren't exactly many big entrances to get applause. They all sort of just blend in and then become known, the only "big" entrance is Mrs. Wilkinson.

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...precisely, bythesword!

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Updated On: 6/10/09 at 12:53 AM

I agree PJ, which made me offended by the term "machine." I mean, this show wasn't a ploy to make a ton of money. It had some thought put into it. It wasn't brought to Elton John, he thought about the idea himself.

and Emcee, I didn't really mean "offended" in the sense that I was really, truly, honestly pissed. I just meant it as a joke/sarcasm. I'm not really sitting here pissed off at you because of your remark.

I remember the buzz before it opened was that the regional accents would be off-putting to American audiences, even lightened as they were, and that ballet-dancing and crossdressing teenage boys wouldn't be as popular here as it was in London.

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I was at the show tonight again and loved it. Will write more late, but so tired right now.

Billy-David A
Michael-David B
Debbie-Maria Connelly