The new Billy Elliot love thread- Page 17

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 7:58am

Me too!

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 8:30am

I'm there!

An especially HUGE congratulations to all the Billy Elliot winners of the Outer Circle Critics Awards. PARTICULARLY my fave guy, Greg Jbara. I am thrilled for all of you!

[TheatreGal423]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 8:35am

Special congrats to Haydn as well :) Hooray!

[sgv123]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 11:37am

Congrats BE!

Happy Birthday to David Alvarez as well!

[Billy Whiz]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 12:12pm

I'm at the Tony's as well.

[sgv123]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 4:37pm

Hoping I can be a seat filler. Updated On: 5/11/09 at 04:37 PM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 5/11/09 at 4:39pm

I go to the Tonys every year, so I will certainly be there.

[Salene]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 10:44am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129118-PLAYBILL.COM%27S+CUE+&+A:+Gregory+Jbara

[Geridith]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 9:07pm

Tues eve: Kiril/David B

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 9:19pm

I wonder when Tanner is going on...

[Geridith]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 9:53pm

Thats the biggest question right now, lol. I get the impression they're trying to keep it under wraps, sadly.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 10:22pm

I feel like they are kinda purposely keeping it just Kiril, David and Trent so that Tony voters see the ones that are nominated.

I hate to speculate, but...

[cglaid]

Posted: 5/12/09 at 11:07pm

Just got back from seeing Billy for the third time. Coincidentally enough, it was my third time seeing Kiril. I didn't think he'd be on, based on the Twitter posts, but was pleased regardless as I loved Kiril the first two times around. David B was on as Michael and this was my first time seeing him. He was just adorable. What I noticed most about Kiril was just how happy he was to be on stage. He laughed quite a few times during the show --- including during his scenes with Michael and as reactions for the people surrounding him, most notably, Dad. He has evolved so much since the third preview and my mom and I both loved watching him. He has really grown into the role of Billy and it will be sad when he has to go. He is awfully tall - towering over the ballet girls and especially David B. It was funny watching him jump into Greg's arms, as I feared he was going to knock him over all together. Regardless, fantastic evening and I hope to eventually catch another Billy, but mark me down as a huge Kiril supporter.

[Geridith]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 7:48pm

Wed mat: David A/David B
Wed eve: Trent/Frank

I agree, I think Kiril has improved immensely over the past few months. :)

[MyLife]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 9:13pm

I was purchasing tickets at the Box Office at around 10 after 2, and a firetruck pulled up and rushed into the house. An ambulance and a stretcher soon followed. I hope he or she is okay.

The show ended the same time A:OC ended.

[Geridith]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 11:48pm

Amendment to board, they switched it tonight, and Kiril went on instead of Trent.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 5/13/09 at 11:53pm

Was it last minute, or was Trent a mistake and they actually changed the board?

[Geridith]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 12:18am

The board at 7:06p read Trent/Frank. Sometime between then and curtain it was changed to Kiril/Frank. Trent was seen coming out of the stage door though, so I assume he was on standby. Not sure why they switched it.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 12:26am

Ok, thanks. Any word if the woman who had a heart attack right before the matinee is ok?

[cglaid]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 12:51am

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/05/fox-picks-up-so.html
Looks like BE will be losing Frank after all. Sons of Tucson was a great pilot script, so here's to a successful series! Congratulations, Frank. Guess this was the good news he needed after not receiving a Tony nomination.

[Liberavieve]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 1:52am

Sorry that this is a bit late, but I've been busy trying to get all my stuff situated for end-of-year move-out. I've just recently seen the show, and promised reflections, so here they are! I saw the Tuesday 5/12 performance, with Kiril on as Billy and David B. on as Michael and the rest of the cast the same as usual, as far as I could tell. I'd been meaning to get downtown to see the show for months, but Tuesday night was my first time in attendance-- and I was not disappointed.

I guess that I should start with Kiril. What a sweetheart! Having seen some of his "Electricity" performances with Trent and David, I expected him to be a bit more aggressive than he was with some of his decisions, but I found instead a very soft-spoken Billy who was, for the most part, not the wounded soul that different acting choices might have made him. He just seemed like a child, you know? Missing his mother and wanting to pursue his own interests; happy when he succeeded and frustrated when he felt he'd failed; aware of, but NOT spiritually broken by the unhappy political situation in his town. Not really a symbol that even the show might set him up to be-- just "a bairn who wants to dance."

Like many people have said, Kiril IS getting quite tall; he fairly towered over the Ballet Girls and David B., and he's creeping up on some of the adults, too. That said, though, his height wasn't at all distracting or unbelievable, and his voice seems to be holding up well, considering his age; he was perhaps a bit airy on the higher notes when singing alone in "The Letter," but "Electricity" sounded to me to be in a fairly high key, still, and he sounded wonderful in it-- much better, even, than I had hoped or expected.

Speaking of which. Surprises. I'll admit that, through the press videos, TV appearances, familiarity with the film, and the London recording, I'd seen or heard a great deal of the show going in on Tuesday. So I was well prepared for certain things that caught most of the audience completely by surprise-- Michael turning up in a dress, for instance, or Billy's flight at the end of the Dream Ballet. That said, though, I WAS surprised by the things that DID surprise me-- "Expressing Yourself" was even campier and more hammy-muggy than I'd expected (which was a good thing!), and even though I fully expected it and am not, as a general rule, really in-tune with or moved by most dance, even I welled up a bit to see Kiril lift off the ground when he and his older self took hands and spun. And, like I said, Kiril's delivery of "Electricity" surprised me in the very best of ways; he sounded clean, clear, and completely invested in what he was singing-- not anywhere NEAR the slightly pushy, aggressive delivery I'd seen in some videos of him.

Moving on! David B. as Michael was a pleasure to watch. He did the camp and the flash hilariously, of course, but his more subtle moments ("Just warming your hands," "I'll miss you, is all," etc.) were just as wonderful, and totally touching. Moreover, even with him twirling around in a dress, I didn't get as much the sense of "baby drag queen" as I got the sense of a little boy in a tough world letting his (admittedly colorful) imagination run absolutely wild. After "Expressing Yourself," I found myself wishing that he'd had more featured time. And what a voice on him!

What a powerful ensemble, too. The Miners' chorus, especially, moved me even more than I thought they would. They lent a very believable feeling to the historical background of the show, setting up the perfect picture of a strong, proud community-- and not a just-for-the-next-two-hours community, either, but one with real enthusiasms and prejudices. (And, oh boy. Seeing them backlight Billy during "Once We Were Kings?" Absolutely breathtaking.) The kids, too, all of them, were complete joys. Totally real, hilarious in their believability, and loads and loads of fun.

As some people on here have already said, I thought that the score DID have some relative clunkers. "Born to Boogie," "Deep Into the Ground," and "He Could Go and He Could Shine" didn't do particularly much for me, for instance. But apart from that, the music was very, very enjoyable. "Solidarity" might be my personal favorite, right up there with the rest of the ensemble numbers featuring the miners. ("The Stars Look Down" and "Once We Were Kings?" Awesome. The latter, almost lmost spine-tingling. "Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher?" Another fantastic surprise.) And, of course, I'll be singing "Electricity" and "Expressing Yourself" in the shower for months!

My only real complaint (apart from the two women sitting next to me, who chatted for the ENTIRE performance about "the little fella" [Kiril] and were quite vocally unhappy with the level of on-stage noise at quite a few parts ["Angry Dance" especially]) was the sight-line from the rear mezzanine. It might just be that I need a stronger scrip in my glasses, because it seems that the consensus is that there's not a bad seat in the house, but I felt that I was looking down on the crowns of the actors' heads much, MUCH more than I was seeing their faces. For instance, I don't think that I got a proper look at any of Kiril's expressions until the 'pop' at the end of "Expressing Yourself," and then not again until quite close to the finale. (But he had enough to SAY that I could follow his character by his voice.) But Haydn Gwynne, though I'm sure she was completely invested in her character (who's slightly cool and languid, anyway) was TOTALLY lost to me. I just couldn't follow her. Because of this, I couldn't help but feel just a bit cut off from the drama onstage, just a bit unable to connect with some of the characters. Does that make any sense?

That aside, though, I had a really fantastic night at "Billy." If I can get the money and time together, I'll be back in heartbeat to see it again and to bring friends or family along, maybe with a different cast and hopefully from a bit closer. I'll be watching the Tony's (from the comfort of my own basement, though!) with my fingers crossed for this remarkable cast and their wholly uplifting show.

Sorry for the novel. :]

[theatretech2]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 9:37am

I wonder if Trent hasn't been feeling well as he hasn't been on in almost a week. Or, based on the Times article, could it be that there are Tony reviewers asking to see Kiril? Anyway it goes to show that even buying a ticket based on the board that night doesn't guarantee who you will see. I'll take my chances tonight and I am sure I won't dissapointed either way.

[Geridith]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 12:39pm

TimesTalk event on Monday just got cancelled due to an "unforseeable talent scheduling change".

[mweitz2]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 12:55pm

No! i was so looking foward to the times talk =( i wonder if they will refund us? or just email us telling if it will be re-scheduled.

[lindatnyc2]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 2:30pm

Got this email around 12:30 p.m. this afternoon.


Dear Friend of The New York Times:

We regret to inform you that due to an unforeseeable talent scheduling change, the TimesTalk, ?Billy Elliot: Gotta Dance' on Monday, May 18, has been cancelled.

Our ticket services provider, TicketWeb, has already issued a credit to your credit card in the full amount of your ticket purchase, which should appear on your statement in the next few days. If you have any questions about your ticket refund, please call 1-888-NYT-1870, and dial 1 for the TicketWeb operators.

We hope to reschedule this event in the future and encourage you to sign up for our e-newsletter on TimesTalks.com to hear about new events first, or continue to check TimesTalks.com for updates.

We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused.


Best regards,

The New York Times Event Marketing Group