January 2010 Reviews - NYC

[madmax1960]

I agree with the others Moby-Dick...thank you so much. I was especially hoping that someone would see the show last night who could report on how Donnie did as "Dad". Big shoes to fill standing in for Jbara. Glad to hear he pulled it off. I thought he would. Based on your review and what others have said, I really, really want to see Dayton as Billy now. I don't know when that will be though. It is nice to be able to experience it vicariously through the reviews of those of you who have seen him though. Thanks again. I am another one who enjoys the long, detailed reviews.

[angelenroute]

There seem to have been quite a few of our fellow Billy fans at the show last night, two of whom have made themselves known so far between this topic and Trent's section, but as I had dinner with 4 more who were going last night, some from the U.S. and some from across the pond, I hope more will write reviews too! =) Looking forward to reading the above review as soon as I'm able today.

Sean

[Billy Whiz]

I love the long reviews as well but I'm also happy if somebody just writes a few lines. Don't feel as if you need to be the Bard before you "put pen to paper".

[Marky]

Saw Dayton's name and squealed silently to myself (have been hoping to catch him performing as Billy on Broadway).

Pure marvelousness.

Hey M-D

You got to see Dayton! Fab. I knew it wouldn't take you long! I'm so glad you enjoyed his Billy, and loved the review.
A Billy with attitude, anger, tons of personality and a little bit cheeky too I'd say!

Mark

[angelenroute]

As I exited the theatre, it made me happy to overhear so many conversations about how amazing the show was. Gotta love Billy Elliot.

Pure marvelousness.

Amen! =) Thanks for the great review! I was in Times Square last night and saw the 50% rate up for some tickets. I really should try that sometime as the lady working the line told me they're mostly Orchestra and Front Mezzanine.

Again, thank you!
Sean

[Geridith]

Oops, neglected to post my writeup from this past Thursday's show...

Thursday, January 21st

Dayton/Jake (and Seth!)

I'll start by saying this was show #45 for me, but I was excited to have a really good friend of mine coming to the show for the first time with her boyfriend. She's been saying for ages that she wanted to see BE since she had done summer stock with two of the adult ensemble members a few years back. I was sitting in A10, with her and the bf right behind in B12/14, and it seriously felt like the best seats in the house.

Now after 44 times, I tend to like to leave longer gaps in between viewings, but I've been reeeeeeally wanting to see Dayton again. And honestly, as I looked around the stage and saw all the new faces... I felt like I was watching it for the first time after months of being away. It wasn't just that... the show felt re-energized, like everyone had suddenly started discovering new things. If you asked me for a list I couldn't tell you, but it was a lot of little things that were seriously making the show sparkle in a brand new way.

I can't say enough about how amazing Dayton is, and how much of a true triple threat he is. Every note he sings is pure and clear, wonderfully pitched, and of course his dancing is amazing. But what really sets him apart is his acting. He portrays a wide range of emotions in Billy, and isn't afraid to show them. Sometimes its hard to believe the same kid who cries at his mother's last letter is the one who hauls off and punches Posh Boy, its a tough combination to make as an actor. For me, the punch has always been one of the parts that is in the most danger of feeling out of character for Billy. But as vulnerable as Dayton portrays Billy in some parts, you can also see the pent-up anger and frustration. For me, one of the most telling moments is when he steps forward in the Mrs W/Tony confrontation, attempting to make himself part of the argument. There is also the transition out of the Letter in B2B, where he quickly tries to mask his emotions as soon as Mr. B enters, you can hear it in his voice as he disparages Mrs. W with "what's SHE on about?", trying to play it tough. (BTW, I absolutely LOVE that he says "'cept I couldn't wait" instead of "I opened it a few years early" in the Letter) It is a wonderfully crafted, well thought out portrayal of Billy.

And for the record, he's had a perfect B2B both times I saw him

Jake.... is so freaking cute. He's really gone through and made his take on Michael his own, emotionally and physically. He plays a less flashy Michael, though his Express is uninhibited and joyful. Still settling in a bit, I'm really looking forward to how he develops and grows. My one criticism would be volume, but that'll come in time, I'm sure.

Seth is positively MINIATURE. Just adorable.

[cincinnati]

Bravo once more Dayton....he is really good....if all the fans of BETM haven't seen him yet...get going..... I promise he will win you over...as I have said in an earlier review....100 pounds of KRYPTONITE!....This kid is the real trifecta.....

[cincinnati]

Dayton, The Bloody Little Champion from "Down Under" ..... go gettum kidder....

[phoebe]

What a marvelous, marvelous review, madmax!!

(Really long…sorry….next time I will try not to be so long).

No, no! Absolutely lurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve the long reviews. Always think it's so wonderful that people take the time to write them, as they are so enjoyable to read!! Really makes me feel like I was there to see the show, too!

AGREED! Wonderful review. I love details.
And also many thanks to other reviewers!

[Moby-Dick]

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Billy - Trent Kowalik
Michael - Jake Evan Schwencke
Small Boy - Luke Trevisan
Dad - Donnie Kehr
Mr. Braithwaite - David Hibbard

Whew! Two performances of Billy Elliot in one week! You know it's true love (obsession) when you skimp on grocery money in order to afford tickets for the show...

(Box Office and Pre-Show)

My decision to go see the Tuesday performance this week was pretty much spur-of-the-moment (and am super glad I made that decision - because I got to see Dayton!) Seeing this Thursday's show, however, had been planned nearly a week in advance. Why? Because - this time - I was bringing my friends! Am sure most of you would agree there is something quite exciting about bringing people who have never seen Billy to go see the show the first time - seeing their delighted reactions and sharing in their joy of the experience.

Original plan: student rush tickets, of course! Got in line around 5:30 pm and there were already a lot of people in line. We were a bit nervous because we needed to get four tickets together and weren't sure if there would be enough left for all of us. On top of that, for some reason, based on the prices listed on the TV screen at the box office, basically all of the tickets this Thursday were being sold at quite a discount! (Still don't know why that was...) When it was our turn in line, the very helpful man at the box office informed us that, tonight, if we were to get Student Rush tickets, they would be $41.50 for Rear Mezzanine seats (rows F and G - pretty far back) valued at $61.50. OR - get partial view box seats closer to the stage for the same price!

Box seats AND a closer view of the stage... Excitement, much?

Much.

After dinner and wandering around Times Square, my friends and I entered the theatre and were pumped for the show. In eager anticipation, I looked over at the board and saw that (eeeeeks!!!) Trent was going to be playing Billy tonight! What utter perfection: not only was I finally able to share the Billy Elliot experience with my friends, but they were going to see none other than the one and only Trent Kowalik in the role. Perfection, indeed.

(Stars Look Down)

Shout out again to the adorable Luke Trevisan. So far, he's the only Small Boy that I've seen on Broadway, but boy is he one little bundle of cuteness. This little fellow really steals the show when he's on the stage. This time, from a seat closer to the stage, I could see the cheeky little smile he has. Totally melted my heart - it was a positive puddle of goo.

And when Trent started his night and started to sing those first few bars as Billy, I couldn't help but feel a rush of giddiness. Instead of seeing him as a vague figure on the stage from seats way back in the rear mezzanine - tall, with a mop of curly brown hair - there I was, seated that much closer to the stage, sharing with my friends what I knew was going to be an incredible experience, and watching a veritable Billy veteran show his stuff.

Amazing. Just amazing. I couldn't have asked for better.

(The Pasty Exchange)

Unlike Tuesday's audience, Thursday's was much quicker "out of the starting gate" (as porschesrule so fittingly phrased it). Jokes from the very beginning got plenty of laughs - even though my friends did not know what a "pasty" was. Carole Shelley returned tonight in the role of Grandma. She really is excellent in the part.

(Boxing Scene)

"Jesus!" line got plenty of laughs tonight. Little Luke and his ginormous gloves never fail to elicit a laugh. Really enjoy seeing the different dance moves that each of the Billys bust out during this scene, and Trent's dancing got a lot of laughs. Joel Hatch, like Thommie Rhetter, really adds something to the show; and it's a great joy to watch these talented actors interact with the children on stage.

(Shine)

Seeing the Ballet Girls perform from a closer vantage point made this number even funnier than usual. Have written before in my last review that they really do bring their own individuality to their characters, and on Thursday night, was able to really see each of them shine. (Pun intended).

My friend laughed heartily at Mrs. Wilkinson's atrocity of a dress. Really, the sparkly purple sequins on her dress are quite a hoot, and I've gotta hand it to the costume department for doing a great job with Mrs. Wilkinson's clothes. Really adds something to the character.

(Solidarity)

Well, this number is always amazing. There's not much more to say. You get more of the power of this scene when you have a full view of the stage, however, and I was sort of sad that my friends wouldn't get the full effect of the fantastic choreography with our partial view seats. However, at the end, my friends were still more than impressed with the choreography.

Gotta hand it to the Ballet Girls for being so full of energy and personality in this number. One of my friends noted how hard it must be for them (and Billy) to act like they are bad dancers, especially since they are probably quite talented. However, my other friend made the comment that they must be quite talented not only as dancer in their own right but also in their ability to weave in and out of such a complicated, choreographed number like Solidarity.

Also, shout out to Tessa Netting. Her spastic starfish rendition elicited a hearty laugh from the audience. She's really great.

(Expressing Yourself)

Jake Evan Schwencke is such a superb Michael. His fragile, sensitive, yet hilarious rendition of the role leaves the audience wanting to know more about this curious little friend of Billy's. Jake has a very soft voice, which makes the delivery of his lines very different in character than the other Michaels I have seen. It's a less overt and hammy delivery of humor, but effective in its own right. When Jake goes from softly speaking a line to squealing the end of the sentence, you really just have to laugh out loud. I really do love him in the role, and the audience loved him, too. Throughout the entire number, you could really tell how much they were enjoying it. Jake got a very loud applause and much cheering at the end.

My friends love him so much, that - during intermission - they made sure to ask me if Michael was going to be in the rest of the play (you could see they wanted more!) Thinking of the upcoming hilarity and tenderness in the winter scene, I told them they had nothing to worry about.

(Dad and Tony)

You can really tell how tall Trent's gotten by the fact that his head just grazes the bottom of the staircase in this scene as he stands in the kitchen. Trent's acting skills were evident in this scene, as you could really see the vulnerability on his face as he stands under the stairs while Dad and Tony are fighting.

(The Letter Scene)

Finally found myself seated on the right side of the stage to see Billy's face in the Letter Scene! This scene is just heart-wrenching, and Trent did a tremendous job. Trent has a different take on the scene from Dayton's portrayal of Billy in that it's less overtly emotional. Dayton voice wavers and breaks, whereas with Trent, he shows his a lot of more of his vulnerability through his body language and facial expressions, which just make you just want to run up the stage and give him a hug!

To be able to bring that kind of emotion to every performance for so many performances over the past two years is amazing in such a young performer. Bravo, Trent.

(Born to Boogie)

Five sheets of cast change announcements on this evening. Unfortunately, Thommie Rhetter was not performing, and David Hibbard filled in for the role of Mr. Braithwaite. David Hibbard does a solid job in the role of Mr. Braithwaite - hideous wig and all - but it was a bit different in that he does not do the worm or as much of the street dancing bit that Thommie Rhetter does. Regardless, a great scene filled with hilarity and does a great job bringing the audience back to a cheery mood after the Letter Scene.

Jump rope sequence went off without a hitch, and the jump off the piano was marvelous. Love that bit to pieces!

(Angry Dance)

One word: phenomenal. As with Dayton's performance, I was SO excited to see this number because I had hear so many good things about it. As many have expressed, this really is Trent's number, and he certainly did not disappoint. I had seen the YouTube video of Trent's performance at the Tony Award and was absolutely wowed by it, and seeing it live was really...just that much better! There is so much emotion put into this dance, and Trent's feet moved so fast and furiously - like mad magic. Amazing. Also, in the bit where Billy jumps onto the police barricade, this was done with so much power and force and it seriously looked as if he was going to knock them over. Really powerful stuff.

Wow.

(Are You Downhearted?)

You could tell everyone was pumped and excited to get on with the second half of the show, and when George asks the audience if we were downhearted, we responded with a loud and hearty "NO!". And on with the show!

(Deep Into the Ground)

Donnie Kehr performs this scene so well, with a lot of emotion and a great singing voice. During this performance, however, I also took note to see what the other actors were doing during this much more subdued and emotional number. And I caught sight of little Jake, sitting in the back corner, cradling and playing with a Maggie Thatcher puppet as a child would a doll. Something about seeing how sad and quiet he looked really broke my heart, and it really resonated with me and added more power to the scene. It also reinforced my perception of Jake's more sensitive and fragile take on the role of Michael.

(Winter Scene and "The Nutcracker")

My friends were excited to see Michael back on the stage in this scene, and Jake certainly didn't disappoint. I love how high his voice gets when he tells Billy that he was given a rugby shirt for Christmas. The indignation in his voice is hilarious.

Watching Michael squeeze into that tiny tutu and pull out his bright red shorts was hilarious and so adorable. Delivery of the Nutcracker line was fabulous, and the audience ate it up. My friends were all laughing hysterically.

Jake added an extra "Oh, f*ck" at the end of the scene when he had a bit of trouble picking up all of his stuff at the end of the scene. That actually ended up getting quite a few extra laughs and really solidified Michael's cheeky character. The whole scene was just great.

(Swan Lake Scene)

This entire scene was so beautiful. As written by Cincinnati before, Trent's longer limbs really add grace and beauty to the scene. Both Trent and Easton do such a marvelous job, and during the number, I stole a few looks at my fellow audience members and could see the awe on their faces. Beautiful, just beautiful.

(Royal Ballet School)

This part of the show got a lot of laughs from the audience and featured a lot of great acting. Donnie Kehr's take on the scene is really funny, and I love the swagger he does when he's walking up to Easton in the scene between him and the older ballet dancer.

Posh Dad - played that night by Kevin Bernard - was great. It was first time I saw his facial expressions (and super cheesy grin) up close, and I laughed harder than I ever had before during this particular scene.

(Electricity)

What can I say? Electricity was...marvelous, tremendous, fantastic, amazing...all manner of all that is good.

Trent's singing voice was superb and perfect for this song, and you could tell he had the crowd wowed from the first flip he does at the beginning of the number to the very last pose at the end. Watching Trent perform this number just felt so special because it really hit me that wow, this kid is a true professional. Over 200 performances and STILL knocking everyone's socks off! Am really so incredibly grateful to have been able to see him perform. What a legend, what a pro.

Trent deserved every second of the long applause and enthusiastic cheering that he received at the end of this number.

(Finale)
At the end of the show, when the curtains lower in front of the lone figure of Michael on stage, my friend tapped me on the shoulder and dejectedly asked me, "Is it really over!?" I made sure to reassure him that "No, there's still a little bit more".

The Finale was great, and while I've read in some places that some people are of the opinion that it is tacky and unnecessary, I personally think it really adds something to the show. And at the end of it, you can't help but walk away from the Billy Elliot experience with a huge smile on your face.

(Post-Show)

Success: three more Billy converts! My friends all LOVED the show, and one of them even thanked me for taking him to see it. It's certainly not me that deserves the thanks, however. Our sincerest thanks should go to the marvelous cast and crew for being so utterly brilliant each and every night!

I love seeing the effect that Billy Elliot has on the audience. It's such a marvelous experience, and I'm so privileged and happy to have been able to share in it with my friends.

You just can't help but walk away from the theatre clutching your heart and grinning stupidly.