Los Angeles Reviews

[alexandre]

Past one am in the morning and a cool young thing with a hot accent (me) should really be out clubbing on the Blvd yet here I am in the hotel, watching people wearing gorilla suits reading the news in Spanish on the aptly named K-WHY channel. What a country.
Again sleep won't come so I'll just throw together a few thoughts on the show for the benefit of all you other sad sacks out there.

Much like the time I blagged my way into the Qantas club at the airport, seeing Kylend perform is a quality experience. His show was seriously so close to faultless and I do love finding fault. The interminably long apprenticeship has served him well as he is surely at the peak of perfection in all disciplines. And you get a piano flip! And an exceedingly energetic, funny finale! And unlike the QP, there is a small chance I could see Kylend's show again as he truly deserves to have the role coveted for so long for as long as he wants.

There is indeed something indefinable that I really, really liked about Zach's show, and I do love finding things I dislike. Maybe it's the sense of happiness and fun in his performance that comes from performing not just with cast mates but friends. Maybe it's the way he connects so well with the role. Maybe it's the excellent dance technique, the way he attacks his turns and always points his toes when airborne. Whatever it is, I left Saturday night truly far happier than when I walked in

The playbill really needs photos in it but I could identify ensemble member Thad who was a top notch understudy Mr. B and very good in the minor roles. Could a larger part be in the future?

It was always a party in the front row at the Pantages. What with people with dogs in their laps!, a couple who clapped nowt and were conspicuously the only ones in the entire house who weren't standing at the end and a bunch of fidgety children, no one would guess these tickets cost almost $150 each. ffs

Good luck and happy trails to the cast members leaving. Leah Hocking has been a superlative Mrs. W, perhaps they don't have to look far for a replacement (psst... pick Sasha Ely-Judkins). Jeremy is wonderful, loved when he piped up with a loud "Loserrr!" when George mucked up the hat trick... and the festive socks in that scene!
We had a professional writer in the audience for JP's finale so I shall leave it to them to write the account

I plan to claim this trip as an educational expense, so for the benefit of the tax office what have we learnt?
That even though costs have been cut and some things trimmed, you can still have a great BETM show with all the heart and emotion of the original if the cast is as gifted and the creatives are as focussed as they are in this production. If they can make money in the wilds of USA then why not other English speaking countries (cough, Australia, cough, New Zealand)
Hmmm, "alexandre productions, llc" specialising in theatre and tax avoidance.

Well thanks to the fans met this trip, goodtimes. And thanks USA, may your dollar remain weak well into next financial year.

[angelenroute]

Thanks for that entertaining review. Went very well with my morning coffee. =)

Sean

[mxmx]

After 2+ years, J.P. Viernes threw everything he had at his final performance, making the most of every line and committing to the B.E. legacy an "Angry Dance" and "Electricity" dance among the most superlative I've seen. With Leah Hocking also leaving the production, the final Billy/Mrs. W. goodbye scene was particularly touching. The show ended with the Michael/Billy "see ya" lines using the performers' real names. Although all four Billys were present, sadly they didn't bring them all up for the final bow as they did in San Francisco. But a lot of mingling & celebrating went on outside the stage door. Keean Johnson attended & surprised his longtime co-star from Chicago. Within 30 minutes of the curtain coming down the Billy Elliot 18-wheelers started lining up on a coned-off Argyle Street for the overnight dismantling of the show.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this successful L.A. engagement. Enjoy your break!

[porschesrule]

Keean Johnson attended & surprised his longtime co-star from Chicago.

I hadn't heard Keean was at the show. That was really nice of Keean. I'm sure JP very much appreciated him being there.

[CJ-Rochester]

Thank you alexandre and mxmx for the reviews. JP, Leah, and Jeremy were all excellent in their roles. One can only imagine the emotions these performers were going through. It sounds like it was quite an evening.

[ActingDude17]

Thanks for the reviews, everybody (and please keep them coming if anyone is still holding out). Even though I never had the chance to see JP, I'm sure he was an excellent Billy. 174 performances in the role is truly something to be proud of. The show was lucky to have him for so long.

I have, however, seen Leah and Jeremy in their roles and enjoyed them both immensely. Leah's Mrs. Wilkinson was a great pleasure to watch (my goodness, the layers), and I look forward to seeing what she does in the future. The same to Jeremy. What a young talent!

[skkmercury]

Thanks alexandre and mxmx for your reviews. Always enjoyable to see these posts. I’m especially looking forward to seeing more posts about JP’s final performance, as well as Leah’s and Jeremy’s last show. I so, so wish I could have been there last night.

I was there Sunday, however, for the matinee show – with Ty/Jacob/Cameron.

What a special Mother’s Day treat. I don’t know if it was the holiday or the packed house or the fact that this would be my last Billy experience (at least for quite some time) or a combination of all three of these things. It was truly a special day.

Ty gave a phenomenal performance. I’ll just mention a few of the highlights. While jump-roping in Born To Boogie, he did a couple of impressive cross-overs which I don’t recall him doing any in the three previous shows I’d seen him in. His Electricity was breath-taking, both in dance and in song. Well, in acting too. Just awe inspiring. Ty’s performances of Mum’s Letter and Billy’s Reply were the most emotional, tear-jerking scenes I think I’ve experienced anywhere. Really incredible.

During L.A.’s five-week run, I was lucky enough to see 14 shows. I’ve really been blown away by the level of talent throughout. The consistently wonderful performances given by Cameron Clifford, Jacob Zelonky, Samantha Cutler, Jeremy Zorek, Leah Hocking, Rich Hebert, Cullen Titmas, Patti Perkins, Joel Blum, Job Christenson (and the understudies who have gone on for him over the last couple weeks), Mitch Poulos, Max Baud, Kat Hennessey, Tim Funnell, and the list goes on and on, have been tremendous. I can’t say enough about them. Here’s to each and every one of them!

Here’s to Ty Forhan!
Here’s to Kylend Hetherington!
Here’s to Zach Manske!
Here’s to JP Viernes!

You each put this show on your back and carry it so incredibly well!

Lastly, here’s to the L.A. fans! They’ve been so supportive and enthusiastic. We can hardly wait to have the show back!

Best of luck and good wishes to JP, Leah, Jeremy and anyone else we might be missing from the list of actors who are moving on. I’m sure you all will be greatly missed by your BETM family members and fans.

[tomtorfan]

Sunday evening was beautiful in Los Angeles. The famous Southern California sun was dropping low in the sky. The weather was warm. It was Mother’s Day. And at the glorious Pantages theater, a bit of magic was about to unfold.

It all began when a young man popped out from behind the curtain to announce that tonight was a “bittersweet” occasion for the company. Not only was this the last performance of Billy Elliot in Los Angeles, he told the nearly packed theater, but it was the final performance for three cast members, “Jeremy Zorek, who plays the part of Small Boy, Leah Hocking , who plays Mrs. Wilkinson, and J.P. Viernes, who has played the title role of Billy for 2-and-a-half years.” Big applause.

At this point, the woman sitting beside me exclaimed, “So tonight will be extra special then!”

And indeed it was.

From the moment that little Jeremy made his traditional stroll down the aisle, there was something extra in just about every scene. Small Boy got a nice round of applause as he climbed his way on to the stage for the last time. And during the more boisterous scenes, the adult cast members all seemed to say something to Jeremy, give him an extra tickle, as the little trouper made his rounds. He had a ball.

Mxmx has already remarked on the strength of J.P.’s last performance so I won’t repeat. But allow me to underline. He was flawless. J.P. was Billy this night – energized, passionate, and so accomplished.

A few random observations:

At the end of Solidarity, as J.P. finished his perfectly executed spins and held his position, the audience erupted in thunderous applause. I looked over at Regan Mason Haley (Tracy Atkinson). Tears. On the other side of the stage, J.P.’s sister Lexi, a Ballet Girl for the last four months, sat on the edge of her chair, absolutely beaming with pride. She was watching her younger brother soaking in the waves of adulation rolling in from all corners of the theater and you could tell there was nowhere on Earth she’d rather be than right there.

During the front of curtain scene just before the audition, there was J.P. looking nervously over at Posh Boy, checking out his snappy suit and then looking at his own down-market clothing, fidgeting with his tie and trying to smooth his shirt to make it look better. A little scene. But a superbly executed bit of subtlety that brought something extra to it. Pure J.P. -- yet another reminder of his determination to always give his best and a reminder, too, of the fierce intellect residing behind that gentle demeanor. The Rubik's Cube is no mere stage prop for this young man.

His Dream Ballet was a study in grace and synchronicity as Max Baud guided his younger version through the moves. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Billy with such an expression of pure joy on his face.

“Electricity” could have been filmed and presented to future Billys as a lesson in how to showcase their character’s struggle to explain, first in words, then with moves, what he feels like when he's dancing. Backflips, an aerial, jaw-dropping pirouettes. Exceptional. The applause seemed to go on forever.

During Born to Boogie, Leah actually laughed through some of her lines as she danced with her co-star. She loves her part. But tonight, she also loved taking her talented student out for a final dance.

His last scene with Leah was one for the memory banks. As these two stage partners faced each for the last time – Mrs. W. and Billy, Leah and J.P. – the final lines were especially poignant. “You are very f***ing special. Now piss off out of here before I start to cry.” Too late.

And at the end, it was "See ya, Cameron." "Yeah, see ya, J.P." And with that, the veteran Billy picked up his suitcase and strode down the aisle for the 174th and last time.

The Company Finale was both joyful and sad. Tears soaked Leah’s cheeks (and a few others). J.P. held it together and had a smile that reached right up the mezzanine.. And when he bent down on one knee to acknowledge music director Susan Draus, he gave her two thumbs-up. She blew him a couple of kisses. This is one loved boy.

And while there was just one boisterous standing ovation at the end, not the multiple standing o’s that have marked some leaving shows, the audience did seem to really enjoy and appreciate the spectacle they’d just witnessed. This was an unmistakably satisfying and emotional performance. A lot of moms (and dads and kids) went away very happy this night.

After the curtain came down, a hearty rendition of “Happy Trails” could be heard from behind the curtain, followed by much clapping, cheering and laughing.

Allow me to give the last words to the newest Billy on the tour – Zach Manske. On his public Formspring account, someone asked him how J.P.’s last show was.

In just five words, he succinctly but eloquently summed up the whole evening:

“Very sad,’ he wrote in reply.

“But just perfect.”

[BEtourfan]

Sunday evening was beautiful in Los Angeles. The famous Southern California sun was dropping low in the sky. The weather was warm. It was Mother’s Day. And at the glorious Pantages theater, a bit of magic was about to unfold.

What a great review!! Thanks for posting.

[porschesrule]

Wow, tomtorfan! Great review!!

You captured so well a lot of the little nuances that made this show so special on Sunday. I also loved your little asides and observations about cast and audience members that really enhanced for me the telling of the story of this last show for JP, Leah and Jeremy.

It truly sounds like it was a very fitting last show for JP. Over his long stay in the role of Billy, he has seen the comings and goings of many other cast members. I'm sure it was a bittersweet evening for him. He so loved the role. Way back when, before he debuted in Chicago, JP was quoted when asked how long he planned to play Billy: “I’ll be in it as long as my voice doesn’t change, or I don’t grow.” Very recently, when asked about why he was leaving the show, he simply said "I'm too old and it's been a long time". A long time --- two years and two months almost to the day, in fact, since that debut in Chicago -- and considerably longer if you take into account his lengthy audition process and then all the training he underwent before the show even opened in the Windy City. Yes, JP, it has been a long journey and one on which, from all accounts, he thoroughly enjoyed every moment. But clearly he knew it was time to go and accepted it.

He has other interests, especially in the area of the sciences. So who knows? He may end up finding the cure for cancer or be one of the astronauts who land on Mars some day. Or just maybe he'll decide to continue using his many performing talents and we'll see him on stage again sometime. No doubt, this intelligent, talented young man will succeed in life, no matter what he decides to do.

It was so gratifying to me to read your words, tomtorfan, that this last show of his 174 times in the role, was so fittingly and predictably excellent and so filled with emotion. He (and Leah and Jeremy) got a proper sendoff.

Thanks for sharing your observations.