angelenroute wrote:I’m not sure what there is to say now about the close of the Broadway production of Billy Elliot.
Sean, your post about Transitions reminds me of how Billy starts off Electricity with "I can't really explain it" and then finds the means to provide an absolutely incredible explanation! A wonderful perspective and retrospective on the event and especially since it's been 2.5 weeks elapsed time. But the timing works out great; it is a fine time to refresh those memories.
Although you mentioned a few times already how the transitions were not simply at easy points in the show, I'll underscore that as well with a thought that struck me during the performance. It would have been understandable if changing of Billys coincided with costume changes, but it reflected the commitment to highest quality that they did not do that. Even to the point where a Billy would enter in one costume for a mere 15 seconds of stage time before going off for a change. This was most notable in Joseph's entrance for the Oi Baryshnikov chaines(?), Class Dismissed, Solidarity sequence and also when Tade was first on stage wearing the sleep robe only to be replaced seconds later by Joseph. Perhaps these costume changes are a minor item in the grand scheme of things, but still worth a shout out to those who made it happen.
angelenroute wrote:People started applauding too early—or so I thought. A surprise! I didn’t even know why they were clapping, the transition was so quick and surprising.
This is where I have to chuckle since I can talk about having the exact opposite thought at exactly the same time, having been lucky enough to see Joseph appear:
Why aren't people clapping for the entrance of Joseph when they've applauded the entrances of other Billys?
angelenroute wrote:Now in an awful bit of bad luck, he has to get punched in the face by Billy!
He didn't get punched by Billy. Just pushed over.
angelenroute wrote:Billy WILL return to Broadway one day, and I plan to be there for First Preview once he’s back. This is not a Swan Song. It’s only Intermission!
Thinking about the effort that would be involved makes me shudder, but if that day were to happen, I would welcome it with open arms (and wallet
). In the meantime, it was such a privilege to see the greatest show that Broadway has known.