June 2011 Reviews - NYC

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ERinVA
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June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

Time for a new thread for June reviews.
Ellen



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-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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angelenroute
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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by angelenroute »

ERinVA wrote:Time for a new thread for June reviews.
My review(s) of the performances on Sunday, June 5th (Tade's matinee and Jacob's evening show) will be posted ASAP this week or next, hopefully this week. I took some notes that day and I've been writing a review or reviews longhand, so I hope to make the time to type it/them up soon.

In the mean time, let me just say:

1) Tade is fantastic!!! He is perhaps the most comfortable-in-the-role Billy I've ever seen, and after performing the role only a handful of times, he's already got an incredibly confident grasp on the character and the show!

2) Jacob is still awesome!!! Seeing him perform again after so long is like going back in time: You feel as if you've been gifted with the chance to see a great Billy who once was and find he's still there!

3) These were free tickets from wonderfully kind people in our Billy fan community, and I will expound on that in my review(s) as well.

4) These were my 29th and 30th times seeing the show. I know there are several echelons above me, but rather than compare upward, I fully appreciate the possibilities and blessings that have brought me this far!!!

Sean/angelenroute

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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

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Looking forward to your review Sean. I'm sure it will be up to your usual fantastic standard :D
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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by CinderellaGal12 »

Thursday June 9
Billy: Tade
Michael: Neil
Small Boy: Alex

Hello All! This is my first review that I have ever posted on this forum! I hope you will excuse me for not be as poetic as some of the other more seasoned posters. Like all of you, I am an avid fan of BETM, and I live just outside of NYC. However, being a high school student constantly involved in my own dramatic productions hinders me from seeing the show as much as I would like to( a fact I hope to change in the next year). I saw the show last night for my birthday, and what a treat it was!
I was thrilled when I saw that Tade would be playing Billy. Though every single Billy is phenomenal no matter how old or tall they may be, seeing a young boy play the role always makes the story so much more convincing for me. I was shocked by how confident Tade seemed in the role; this being only his seventh show as Billy. Tade has a strong, clear soprano that is full of potential to become a real instrument. As a musical theatre person, I always go into this show mindful that many of these boys have never sung before, and Tade completely blew me away. Tade is also a wonderful actor, beaming and brassy at some parts and then solemn and reflective at others. He has strong comic chops and hilarious facial expressions that were adequately displayed in his scenes with Debbie and Michael. He is truly skilled at displaying the balance of anger, profound grief, and still childlike qualities of Billy, making his performance so enjoyable to witness. And of course, he is an absolutely gorgeous dancer. With clean lines and impressive flexibility, Tade possesses a grace that surpasses that of some of the older and more experienced Billy's I have seen. His ending of Solidarity was beautiful, causing many audience members to leap to their feet at the always-breathtaking conclusion. Though his foot got tangled in the jump rope during "Boogie", he continued with a veteran's ease and ended the number with a perfect aerial( not done off the piano). His Angry Dance was impassioned and tense with emotion, with his tap sounds being executed perfectly. His pas de deux with older Billy was also beautiful, though it was not completly synchronized. Finally, Tade's "Electricity" was a tour de force, a performance that I care not to attempt to describe, knowing that it will fail to capture the true power and beautey behind his solo number last night.
I'm not sure what else to say! Tade makes his portrayal of Billy so original, from his satisfied smile after he kisses Michael to his adorable little grins and giggles throughout the show. If you are lucky enough to get to see Tade perform as Billy, cherish the experience. He is an 11-year old force to be reckoned with, and his performance is sure to become a favorite among the many fans of this show. I wish the best of luck to Tade in his many future performances, and I hope that Billy Elliot the Musical has a long life on Broadway, continuing to transform and inspire the lives of many.
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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

Thanks for an excellent review, CinderellaGal12. I think I need to get myself to NY to see Tade. 8-)
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by porschesrule »

I second ERinVA's opinion, CinderellaGal12. A wonderful first review. You write well and you've highlighted the parts of the show that struck you most -- and in a very descriptive manner.

I hope you'll post more often.
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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by Billy Whiz »

Wow!

What a great debut CinderellaGal12.

Thank you for taking the time to write it. It was most enjoyable.

Like ERinVA I must get myself to NY to see Tade. In fact I'm coming in 2 weeks :D :D :D
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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by CinderellaGal12 »

Thank you so much! I forgot to mention- Tade bares many striking similarities to a young Tommy Batchelor. Though Tade plays the role a bit more angered than Tommy did, they both put lots of smiles into their performances and do the "Vulcan" hand gesture, not to mention, they look quite a bit alike!
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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by ERinVA »

Billy Whiz wrote:Wow!

What a great debut CinderellaGal12.

Thank you for taking the time to write it. It was most enjoyable.

Like ERinVA I must get myself to NY to see Tade. In fact I'm coming in 2 weeks :D :D :D

I, however, am not. :(
Ellen



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-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: June 2011 Reviews - NYC

Post by angelenroute »

Special Note: Because this is a long review, and I write a lot of fluff, I’ve separated this review into sections for those looking to read only bits and pieces. You’re welcome. ;-) There are glowing reviews of TADE and JACOB below, so do get to that part at least! :D

PRE-SHOW FLUFF + TICKET ANGEL STORIES
The D.o.A. (Day of Awesome) began early with a lunch before the matinee. I was on my way to meet my first benefactor of the day at the place where all magic begins—the lobby of The Imperial Theatre. A couple blocks away, walking between Penn Station and 45th, my brain told me that in a split second I had just seen the face of Ben Cook, so I stopped in my tracks, turned back and saw Neil McCaffrey following another boy, so I realized I was correct. A hug hello to Cindy and a “thank you so much again” and we were off to lunch. Before getting more than 100 feet away, we ran into another fan friend just down the block from the theatre. Now for those not in the know, once you become part of the Billy fan community, these types of run-ins become more expected than surprises, but they’re always nice!

Cindy had won the tickets by a huge stroke of luck from some John she knew on Facebook. I forget his name, Reginald or Elton, something like that. And even though the tickets were free for her too, she found herself with the task of deciding who would get the other ticket. Begging, kissing up and all manner of congratulatory flatteries ensued. For my part, I offered to write an essay explaining why I wanted the ticket, but without having to do so, she chose me. And I promise all of the other also-rans that I am as baffled as you are about why I was chosen. I decided though that I would honor the day and the gift with a nice long review in my benefactor’s honor. She had a choice and she chose me, and I was and still am very, very grateful. It was a wonderfully sweet gift from one of the finest individuals I know!

As the date of the show approached, it was revealed that Jacob’s last show (later changed to July 3rd) was going to be the evening performance on the same day. Seeing as I was already going to be in town, I figured I’d buy a cheap-seat $41.50 ticket for the evening performance and Jacob’s supposed last. But just as I was going to, I figured, let me just ask around and see if anyone knows of any deals to be found or tickets that fan friends are selling close to the $41.50 range. A $79 Orchestra ticket was presented as an option, but as I’ve been jobless and very tight on funds, I felt that was an extravagance I shouldn’t do. I was thinking more on the lines of a Front Mezzanine ticket that someone wouldn’t mind ridding themselves of for $50. Before I knew it, another ticket angel stepped up and offered to give it to me. And though she’s anonymous even to some extent me, her hugs are great, even since y2k!

MEALS
My first ticket angel and I went to Junior’s for lunch. I had a Reuben sandwich, which was delicious but big, and a very tasty potato salad side. My second benefactor + the always fun to be with Amy went to Dallas BBQ for dinner. Cheap food + dependable and tasty = always a good choice. Located on 42nd between 8th and Broadway on the north side.

FULL CIRCLE
In early May, I attended the Finding Billy documentary screening which included a panel discussion afterward with Casting Director Nora Brennan, “George” Joel Hatch, “Older Billy/Scottish Dancer” Stephen Hanna, current “Billy” Jacob Clemente and not-yet-premiered “Billy” Tade Biesinger. On Sunday, June 5, I saw Tade at the matinee and Jacob at the evening show. It made for an awesome bookend to hearing them discuss the show and their backgrounds a month earlier!

PART 1:

TADE BIESINGER, JUNE 5 MATINEE

I was so happy to see Tade’s name on the board for the matinee. Not only because I saw some of his fun personality a month earlier at the Finding Billy event, but also because it had been over 5 months since I’d seen a new Billy (2 of the boys on Tour in Charlotte in January).

Tade’s Acting & Comfort Level:
When you see a new Billy, if you’ve seen the show enough times before, you could easily find yourself, by choice or by accident, in the role of critic. Being jaded, being judgmental, being over-sensitive to small, meaningless things are all symptoms of chronic Billy Burnout. So I should make one thing perfectly clear: Tade Biesinger will impress you, wow you, and make you take notice instantly!

I’ve told people many times that for me, acting is very important. With my own YouTube channel, I’ve practiced and honed my acting skills and even when I fail, I just love the art and craft of pretending for the entertainment of others. So when I go to see Billy Elliot The Musical, I don’t care that much about how well a Billy sings as long as his voice honors whatever it is he’s singing with the appropriate emotion and inflection. And as I have painfully exhibited to my peers in our fan community, my own skills as a dancer leave MUCH to be desired. At two Thommie Retter dance classes, he taught me that when you aren’t good with a move or can’t remember it, it’s best to go small and not big. Of course if I did that as often as I should, people might think I was dead. Long story short (too late) is that when I make notes about dancing by professionals ten thousand times better than I am, please just ignore any of my criticisms! But acting I know very, very well, and I know a good actor when I see one. Trent Kowalik and Jacob Clemente are awesome actors who I have loved watching perform.

So when a new Billy starts, as Tade did only a few weeks ago, only a handful of performances under his belt prior to my seeing him, you expect his acting and general comfort level to be a little less than you’re used to seeing. And that’s fine. But this is where I have to tell you: Tade is the most comfortable Billy I’ve ever seen in the role! He literally had us looking at each other in amazement throughout the show! And let me elaborate on what I mean by “comfortable”. Tade could start making up dialogue just to throw off his fellow actors if he wanted to (don’t do it, Tade!). He just has this confidence level I’ve rarely seen before and definitely not from a brand new Billy.

The forums for fans of this (or any) show are filled with people who know the show very, very well, and who could pick out the silliest little faults in a performance. “Oh, she lost a small piece of thread when she took her sweater off,” or “Oh would you look at that, the tape on that miner’s forehead microphone is a bit messy.” And yet I am confident that even the hardest or harshest of critics will instantly warm to this boy. He OWNS the stage, he IS Billy Elliot, he’s actually 11 years old, and he’s a great, GREAT actor!

Tade’s Express Yourself:

His “Fooooookin’ hell!” was done to perfection and got a huge laugh. Cameron beat him in getting his shoes on, something it seems only happens with new stars who haven’t yet gotten used to the incredible speed needed for this routine. And of course it’s not a criticism at all, just a funny point. His singing and acting in this number in general were really great. Sometimes with all of the quick choreography it’s easy to slip into a lazier singing mode, but he and Cameron were both spot on!

Height Mention:

Tade, Lilla (Crawford, newest Debbie), and Cameron (Michael) are all around the same height.

Born To Boogie (Tade and Thommie):
Thommie’s moon dance got lots of cheers and applause, and deservedly so. All of his dancing in this number deserves special recognition from the audience every time, whether they give him his due or not! Tade ended it with a very cool aerial, which I’ve never seen in that number before. If they can’t flip off the piano, it’s the next best thing. :)

Tade’s Angry Dance:
This is one of those numbers that I have given much thought to, especially after many conversations with those who know the London version. I think it would work a lot better if there was more tap dancing involved from the Billy. Just split the outhouse time in half, have Billy stage center, tapping, maybe with his hands on his ears shaking his head a la Jamie Bell in the movie. It’s an incredibly complicated piece of choreography, and most doesn’t have to change as long as there’s room allowed for Billy to have more of a spotlight. Orrrrrrr, if they want to keep him in the outhouse box, have each Billy do ANYTHING THEY WANT to express anger and not necessarily in beat with the music. Just seeing him flail and pound away in anger would be better in my opinion. Anyway, Tade is great and his final scream and the first cheers of the audience happened at exactly the same time, which made for a very cool, unique sound.

Between Deep Into The Ground & Dream Ballet:
As Michael is putting the microphone away, Tade (and Jacob did the same thing too) pushes Barbie’s head into the top of the beer can. It doesn’t go in of course, but it’s a cute little move that got laughs at both shows. And once Michael says to Billy, “You won’t tell anyone, will ya?”, Tade slowly, purposely backed away suspiciously. I sorta prefer when Billy just looks at Michael with an unsure, trying-to-decide-what-to-think look (not angry or scared) but Tade got laughter here too.

Dream Ballet:

At the Finding Billy event (and as a reminder, you can find the video of the panel discussion online), Stephen Hanna was talking about Dream Ballet and he looked over at Tade and said that the first time he and Tade rehearsed the number, he had to ask Tade to just stand on his tiptoes so the flying cable could attach to him (it only drops so far down), but when they rehearsed it in late April, Tade was just at the perfect height. Tade spoke into his microphone in response something like, “I ate my vegetables.” It was so cute, and when this part of Dream Ballet came, I was reminded of that funny moment in the talkback. Although he is still very small framed, so there’s a noticeable pull on his pants for this number (nothing distracting though!).

Electricity:
Tade is an accomplished and multi-award-winning dancer on both the state and national level, and his form and talent really show! If any gentle criticism can be lobbed his way (and again, I’m an AWFUL dancer so don’t mind me!), it’s that he’s a little stiff at times and too purposeful in his movements. But I really think that the choreography of this number is so exact, and you have to rush around dancing and singing, and it’s hard to just let loose if you’re still getting used to the number. But it is a song about letting loose and showing the world how much dance makes you come alive, and I’m sure once Tade is more comfortable, his movements will be more fluid. And that isn’t to say it wasn’t awesome, because it was, just one of those things we crazy people notice, that’s all! =) His Electricity got a huge ovation at both the first pause and the finish!

Stage Door:
I don’t really collect autographs, but I do like to get one from a new Billy (or first time I see him) to tell them I thought they were great, et cetera. Tade was very happy and enthusiastic, very sincere and grateful for the compliments. I noticed his mom soon after, who I recognized from the Finding Billy event. I introduced myself and heaped a bunch more praise on Tade. She was likewise very sweet and kind and grateful.

Overall:

Tade Biesinger is an awesome Billy! Of the unofficially referred to third round of Billys, I’ve seen Peter and Tade and both are SO GREAT! Someone asked me this past weekend if the current cast is anywhere near as talented as the original cast. I didn’t even have to think about it—they’re fantastic! If any of you out there reading this haven’t seen the show yet or not since the original Tony-winning Billys left, I promise you from the bottom of my heart, you will love, love LOVE this current crop! And Tade will totally blow you away!

(.....part 2 (Jacob's show) coming soon.....)

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