Chat about BETM UK/Ireland Tour

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porschesrule
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Chat about BETM UK/Ireland Tour

Post by porschesrule »

According to this article in Broadway World, the show is "eyeing a UK tour over the 2016-17 season."

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BI ... r-20150507
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jtsw1
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Re: BETM UK Tour??

Post by jtsw1 »

Good news, I guess! But does anyone know when "2016-17 season" will begin? Summer? I was hoping to visit the birthday-week next year in May - can't make it this time.
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Re: BETM UK Tour??

Post by Todd »

Good news for the tour, but I imagine that would mean bad news for the show in London. That's probably when they're planning to begin the refurbishment of the Victoria Palace Theater, since that's been mentioned for awhile now as being in the works. I wouldn't think they would continue to have a standing production in London while also having a U.K. tour going on at the same time, but hopefully I'm wrong.
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Re: BETM UK Tour??

Post by FanBilly »

It is possible; Wicked has a UK Tour as well as London production, but I guess we'll find out.
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porschesrule
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Re: BETM UK Tour??

Post by porschesrule »

In my opinion, it's unlikely they'll do both a tour and continue a regular presence in the West End. I believe the tour is way BETM management will keep the show alive in the UK after evacuating the VPT for the planned renovation there. Whether the show is later resurrected in a somewhat permanent form in the West End remains to be seen.
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Re: BETM UK Tour??

Post by kport »

This is pure speculation, but because geographical distances in the UK are relatively short, rather than hitting the road for weeks or months at a time, they could continue to maintain the London Billy House (this is based upon the show reopening on the West End) and rotate Billys, Michaels and other young cast so that training and school work can be maintained, as well as the ongoing training of future young cast. To close the London 'base' in order to restart it six months or a year or eighteen months later might be quite a challenge.

Meanwhile, the kids on tour will need to be educated, trained and supervised under regulations that, I think, are somewhat more rigid than was the case when the last international tour took place in North America. What I am proposing would be a tour based from London, travelling to other cities in the UK and possibly Eire from that base, with minor cast rotating in and out on a regular basis.
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Re: BETM UK Tour??

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CJ-Rochester
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Re: BETM UK Tour

Post by CJ-Rochester »

Here is what little information there is about the tour. It opens at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in February 2016 and tours across the UK and Ireland.

http://billyelliotthemusical.com/news/b ... r-uk-tour/
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Re: BETM UK Tour

Post by kport »

According to this article, BETM @ the VPT has announced that ticket sales will extend to 17 December 2016.

http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/ ... d-extends/

And according to this article, the Tour will launch in Plymouth (quite appropriate - a nation was 'launched from Plymouth ;) at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in February 2016.

http://billyelliotthemusical.com/news/b ... r-uk-tour/

It looks as though the Tour and the Mother Ship may be running BWTM concurrently, at least for ten months!
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Re: BETM UK Tour

Post by NateMerch »

And I could be wrong, but I believe they'll be using the tour 2.5 sets from the US.
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