Billy Elliot the Musical - The Movie???

[StevenKing]

My guess is that Billy was still out grossing London on broadway even when it closed. It wasn't a tier 1 hit anymore but could have slid into a steady grosses range ala Chicago etc. But...it's too expensive to run ON BROADWAY without the tier 1 grosses. By any standards except say Spiderman Billy was doing fine, even Chicago would have loved it's lowest grosses, but costs were sky high and unlike the Tour Broadway rules allow no way to cut costs enough.

[kport]

My guess is that Billy was still out grossing London on broadway even when it closed. It wasn't a tier 1 hit anymore but could have slid into a steady grosses range ala Chicago etc. But...it's too expensive to run ON BROADWAY without the tier 1 grosses. By any standards except say Spiderman Billy was doing fine, even Chicago would have loved it's lowest grosses, but costs were sky high and unlike the Tour Broadway rules allow no way to cut costs enough.

Well, we will happily have it back to Boston anytime.

[Wowzell]

I just think it would be nice if shows didn't rely on a celebrity to make or break their show.

Unfortunately that's the only major money-grabber for theatre nowadays! I mean, no one would bother to go and see a 'Christmas panto' every year if it didn't have some (more often than not!) forgotten or C-list celebrity trying to revive their career. People just don't look at the quality of the performance or even the play as a whole nowadays, it's all just 'I saw Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway' instead of 'I saw How To Succeed... on Broadway'. It's sad.

I actually thought Daniel Radcliffe was rather embarassingly and awkwardly bad in the role of J. Pierrepont Finch.

[Eltonjohn]

So the movie version of Les Mis came out this past xmas and tho I have only seen the trailer, the cinema allowed for fantastic scenes to be shot, kinda like Gone With The Wind I was reminded of, i.e. epic story telling.

I recently experienced for the first time a ballet that was simulcast to a movie theatre in my home town and others around the world, live from Russia. It was amazing as you felt as if you were transported there.

In between acts during intermissions, a handheld camera man went literally behind the scenes and peered in on the performers resting between going back out, warming up; so quite intimate.

The russian ballet goers enthusiastically shouted out their bravos whenever a great number was completed and since the audio blasted out from the speakers rather than from within the audience that I was a part of, the accolades were even more resounding.

Every seat in the movie theatre was a 'best in the house' sorta! And there were close ups on faces so you didn't need opera glasses to see facial expressions.

All in all a very different and thrilling entertainment experience. There were mostly balletomanes who bought tickets so not a blockbuster audience... But the energy in the room was something you could cut with a knife it was so noticeable, like a private screening 'for Billyphiliacs only'

[SenseiEli]

I am voting for a recording of the stage play as is. I would love if we could get a set of recordings (the US version AND the London version) as my understanding is they are somewhat different. However, if they don't have this in the works for the US already, then I don't see it happening. I just don't see them training up a whole new cast for a recording. Perhaps we'll get a London recording, but even that I suspect wouldn't be released until after the show closes (which I hope isn't for a very, very long time).
The real question is, who should play Billy in the version that will be saved for history?

[LiamM]

Such a movie would not necessarily wait until the show closes. Mama Mia, Memphis, and Les Mis all had movies out when the shows were still open on either Broadway or London.

[kport]

A more plausible solution would be for Fathom Events to broadcast a live London show to cinemas around the world, in a sort of 'Broadway at the Cinema' series. I raised this with someone attached to the Tour who said it would probably be too expensive to pull off.

[Lightman7]

You know there is a whole subculture of Broadway bootleg recordings. They might no be perfect captures (avoiding ushers, etc.), but they are out there for London, Broadway and Chicago casts (but none of the 2nd tour to my knowledge, which is a shame.)

[jakeu]

You know there is a whole subculture of Broadway bootleg recordings. They might no be perfect captures (avoiding ushers, etc.), but they are out there for London, Broadway and Chicago casts (but none of the 2nd tour to my knowledge, which is a shame.)

There was one person recording in the balcony in Hartford on the Saturday matinee. Didn't have the guts to confront him, although i'd probably sell my soul for a complete copy.

[ERinVA]

Just a reminder: This forum does not condone illegal recording of the show, and any links to such recordings on youtube or other video sites are routinely withdrawn from posts on here, as would be links to sites offering such videos for sale.