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Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

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#1

Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:24pm

Since all three were jointly nominated, I think it was completely unfair of the producers (or whoever else made the decision) to only include Trent in the Tony performance. Sure, all three were in the opening number, but so was basically every member of every Broadway show...
"Rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love." -Neil Patrick Harris

Updated On: 6/7/09 at 11:24 PM

#2

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:26pm

Well, who KNOWS how these decisions are made...maybe they did 'rock, paper, scissors' to choose.


If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#4

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:28pm

The other 2 performed in the opening.
"There's nothing good on. The media hates Christmas. The media loves vampires, though. Maybe they will show a Twilight Christmas."
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#5

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/7/09 at 11:29pm

Was not a fan of the Billy performance at all. I feel like "Angry Dance" only works in the context of the show. I wish they did something like the Australian production did on their award show (the name slips my mind). It was a medley of Stars Look Down, Shine, Electricity, and the Finale and was great. There's video of it on "that site"
#7

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:33am

I have no idea how the logistics work, but maybe Trent would have gone on for the show today, and the other Billy's stage time was used up. Who knows what could have happened.
#8

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:33am

I agree that the piece did not work out of context simply because I have not seen the show yet and just felt perplexed by the performance. It looked like a child's nightmare come to life with only an opening remark to contextualize it. Meh. I'll take everyones' word that it works better in the show, at least until I see it for myself.
2010

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#9

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:45am

Aside from Electricity, very few numbers work out of context. That said, I think the technical aspects of the show undercut the power of the performance - too much cutting from one camera to the next, not enough light, it was just too hard to focus. Billy was out of frame half the time!


"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
#10

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 1:52am

It was an odd choice of song (or dance I guess), but I also blame the camera work and the other technical blunders. What were they doing? But really, they should have done "Electricity" or "Solidarity" or at least a number with all three Billys.

~Steven
#11

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 2:50am

well, they did do the opening together. and maybe cause Trent opened the show, they thought he should perform at the Tonys too.
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#13

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 3:00am

Trent's "Angry Dance" (at least in context of the show) is fantastic. He's the best tapper of the three and is a terrific actor during that dance. So I'm not really sure what you mean by "Why did they pick the worse one?"

~Steven
#14

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 3:02am

I too was perplexed as to why they didn't do one where they could show off all three Billys...but I loved the Angry Dance performance nonetheless, definitely much better than most of the other performances I saw (Next to Normal and Hair did absolutely nothing for me, Rock of Ages was OK, Guys and Dolls seemed to be lacking a lot of energy (not to mention the mic problem)
#16

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:39am

I thought the performance was really weird. It was weird with like all the "grur" and "ughh". As someone who has no clue about what the show is about besides a ballet dancer, it really was not the greatest thing to show for a Best Musical winner. Also, this was the same problem I had with the West Side Story number where there was practically NO SINGING!
#17

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:39am

I thought the performance was really weird. It was weird with like all the "grur" and "ughh". As someone who has no clue about what the show is about besides a ballet dancer, it really was not the greatest thing to show for a Best Musical winner. Also, this was the same problem I had with the West Side Story number where there was practically NO SINGING!
#18

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:40am

Why did they pick the worse one? Trent should have been out of the running in order to represent the show in a better light.

Overall, Trent gives the best performance of the 3 boys. Kiril and David are better at the ballet, but Trent has the whole package. He taps better, he acts better, he sings better, and he has better stage presence. They definitely picked the right Billy to perform.
#19

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:43am

I was hoping for a medley as well but understand why they had to do something different. I knew Trent would be picked if they only used one and he was incrediable as always the piece itself does not work really well outside of the context of the show but he is an amazing dancer!
Genius lasts longer than beauty.
#21

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 9:31am

Apparently the original plan was to have the entire cast perform Solidarity (and alternate the 3 boys) but the Tonys changed it last minute. There were many tears shed (mostly by the Ballet Girls) according to people backstage.
#22

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 10:06am

I can understand why they picked this number to perform...because of its strong choreographic focus; however, I agree it was pretty random to perform and seemed a bit confusing out-of-context. There were definitely numbers they could have performed that worked better out-of-context and showcased the choreography just as well while having more singing.
"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611
#23

re: Only Trent in Billy Elliot Tony performance!

Posted: 6/8/09 at 10:15am

I liked the opening performance and how all 3 of them performed with the chair. But the camera focused on Trent mainly.
But it's sad that the show tends to focus mainly on Kiril (which I was shocked to have him perform the piece) and Trent but not David for publicity purposes. I saw a 4th Billy listed on their website.
I once heard someone describe her (Ruthie Henshall) singing as sounding as though she's trying to swallow a whole meatball slightly larger than her windpipe. (The same person compared Michael Ball's singing to sounding as though he's sitting on a washing machine on spin cycle and Colm Wilkinson's to a man with a paralyzed lip trying to eat cottage cheese.) --- Schmerg_The_Impaler

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