David Bologna gets nominated for BILLY ELLIOT!?!! Doesn't he share a role?- Page 2

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 10:38am

For real though, Dolce's people should have been on top of this. When they knew that he wouldn't be performing on opening night, they should have made sure that he, along with Bologna, were eligible for a nomination, even if it's the slightest chance that they would be nominated. Now Bologna's got the sole nomination. Someone definitely screwed up there.

I'm sure this isn't a case of the Tony committee denying a request from the producers, right?

~Steven

[Dre2387]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 10:52am

I have to say that I saw BE twice, with different Michaels, and David did the best. I'm sorry for Frank, but really, I think they made the right decision when it came to nominating only one.

[Chris3]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 10:57am

I also saw both Michael's and liked David more. He just oozes talent.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 10:58am

It's so weird that the producers would make such a big deal about campaigning the Billy trio together but not so much with the two Michaels.

If indeed that's what happened...

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 11:54am

I think whomever said it probably never crossed the producers' minds that they would want to nominated someone for this role is right.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 11:55am

Perhaps that is the reason why they didn't do anything regarding eligibility, because David is the better performer. I only saw David and thought he was great. But maybe they knew David would be the better shot, so they put him on for opening night and just kept it hush-hush.

Did anyone see Greg Jbara's video on Broadway.com when he spoke to David Bologna before the Gypsy Robe ceremony? And how he's waited his whole life (or something to that effect) to experience such a ceremony? Dunno, I was just reminded of that. He seems like a nice kid. (And his autograph is adorable!)

~Steven

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 11:58am

Does he play Billy's older brother or the possibly gay best friend of Billy? If it is the best friend, is it also played by a kid?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:00pm

He plays Michael, Billy's friend, and he is played by a boy.

~Steven

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:00pm

He plays Michael, Billy's gay best friend.

Bologna plays the role four shows a week, and Frank Dolce plays the role four shows a week.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:06pm

How do the "Billy's" alternate performances? I think they each do one show and rest two, right?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:09pm

There are four Billys. They each do two shows a week. But only three of them are nominated. And the voters will see MAYBE one of them. But that's all. They may even end up seeing the Billy who isn't even nominated. But they'll still vote!

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:12pm

Four Billy's?

In all of the interview and stuff I have only seen three? Is the fourth an understudy or something? If he is on the exact same level as the other three, then this is unfair.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:12pm

but doesn't it technically not matter which of the three nominated Billys they see?
(still feels like rewarding a role and not the actor, but...)

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:21pm

Or else they are rewarding the actor they saw and the other two get to share in the reward.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:27pm

That's how I see it MTVMANN, not like they're rewarding the role but the one great performance they saw perhaps.

~Steven

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:29pm

Four Billy's?

In all of the interview and stuff I have only seen three? Is the fourth an understudy or something? If he is on the exact same level as the other three, then this is unfair.

The fourth Billy was originally an understudy (or standby?). They opened with three Billys.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 12:37pm

Speaking of the last name Bologna...this is how I thought you spelled "Baloney" for a long time because when I was little and actually ate that lunch meat, it always said "Bologna" on the package :)

[srg129]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 1:11pm

Yep it's definitely nominating the role and not the actor. I saw David Alvarez and while he was an absolutely amazing dancer for a boy his age, he was very mediocre and strained with his acting and had even more trouble vocally (cracking voice and unstable pitch throughout the show).

Perhaps the other two boys are a lot better in the acting and singing disciplines, but I'm certainly not going to labor through the show again to find out. Even if they are leagues better, it's not fair that Alvarez should ride their coattails to the award.

I feel all three boys should have been given a special award vs. nominated in the best actor category. That would certainly be more appropriate. But when you look at the history of the Tony awards nearly every child actor with a sizable role in a musical has garnered a nomination (case in point--go back to 1998 and look at Anna Kendrick's nomination for High Society).

[logan0215]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 1:17pm

Probably pronounced ba-lone-ya, like the region in Italy.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 1:20pm

I hope Frank Dolce doesn't have a bitchy stage mother. Otherwise, all hell is probably currently breaking loose on his agent.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 2:17pm

It's a very strange situation.

And I've seen both, and honestly, I couldn't tell the difference. They were both hysterical but one did not stand out for me.

[sgv123]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 2:24pm

I know Frank has missed alot of time from the show (Doubt and the tv show) so maybe his attendance record has something to do with only David B. being nominated.

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 2:25pm

I've seen each of them multiple times. They're both fantastic and very enjoyable BUT - I always got the impression that David was playing 'Michael' in Billy Elliot, while Frank was playing FRANK, at the Palace. He just went WAY over the top - at least to me.

[lindatnyc2]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 2:55pm

CONGRATS to DAVID B.

Hope the following stats help identify attendance concerns:

"For those who are interested in this sort of thing, some statistics from up through May 3rd, 2009:
There have been a total of 237 performances of Billy Elliot, The Musical since previews began, of those 79 have been matinees (including Sundays) and 158 have been evening shows.
For the role of Billy we have information on 230 performances (76 Matinees, 154 Evening) and of those Kiril has performed 71 times (23M, 48 E), Trent has performed 70 times (23M, 47E), David has performed 67 times (23M, 44E) and Tommy has performed 22 times (7M, 15E).
For the role of Michael we have information on 207 performances (69M, 138E), and of those David B. has performed 107 times (43M, 64E), Frank has performed 93 times (21M, 72E) and Keean has 7 performances (5M, 2E)."

Note that the missing performances were from when both were performing from march 09 on -FOB has 100% of the shows.


Source: www.friendsofbilly.com


Updated On: 5/5/09 at 02:55 PM

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 3:21pm

I feel horrible for Frank, I have seen him three times and he is just brilliant.