BILLY ELLIOT to Close on Broadway January 8, 2012- Page 3

[TheHappyPhantom]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 4:12am

This has been one of the smartest and most engaging shows Broadways had in years! So pathetic to see its intelligence and quality fly over so many people's heads. It's by far one of the best things on Broadway. Elton John's lyrics are quite bad at times, but the book, music, acting and of course, dancing make it a don't miss. Saw it in London and made my friends see it in NY. Now that Follies is open, I guess we can only have one musical that dares to actually be legitimate theatre, and not just jazz hands and fluff. It will be sorely missed.

[hermajesty]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 7:39am

what a shame, I think it's always sad when a show has to close. A lot of hard work is put into them

[madbrian]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 7:55am

I enjoyed the show, but it didn't approach its hype. It's run far outlasted its merits. I feel sorry for those who will lose their jobs, but Broadway needs turnover to remain fresh, so hopefully this will make room for something worthwhile.

[beensince1987]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 8:39am

Hey Phantom, you know Elton doesn't write lyrics, right?
madbrian, I agree with you. Phantom anyone?

I did enjoy Billy very much when I saw it this summer. I will be going back to see it once again before it goes...

[WestVillage]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 9:56am

"Broadway needs turnover to remain fresh" ... now if only Chicago would stop with the no-talent stunt casting and close up shop. But I have a feeling that show is here to stay.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 10:14am

"I'm happier to see it close as it was meant to be than to be watered down to stay open."

Indeed.

Even if the changes have been briefly introduced, it would be better to close with integrity than dumb down.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 2:19pm

"now if only Chicago would stop with the no-talent stunt casting and close up shop. But I have a feeling that show is here to stay"

I overheard an asian tourist say while in front of Chicago, "Let go see sexy peoples dancing."

Chicago is here to stay-sorry folks.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 2:31pm

yeah, there's not much of the "sexy peoples dancing" in BILLY ELLIOT, what with the mullet and bad-perm wigs and clashing outfits.

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 5:12pm

So will the revised version be a disappointment to anyone who has not seen it before?

[kdogg36]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 5:22pm

Regarding the changes to the show, I saw it the day of the flea market (after the changes had supposedly been implemented) and couldn't detect anything significant, although I only saw it once before and that was two years ago. Certainly there are still many, many f-words!

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 5:28pm

Thanks kdogg! Really want to see it before it closes.

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 6:46pm

Here's another poster who's hugely sad to see the show close. Saw the West End production twice and the New York version once, and frankly we consider Billy Elliott the best new musical we've seen in the last decade. (And we're saying this despite being proud fans of Next to Normal, groundbreaking as that show is.)

When the dance patterns of the girls' ballet class merged and overlapped with the clash between the cops and the miners, our mouths dropped open and the hair on the back of our necks stood up. This is the moment that musical theater always aspires to reach but seldom does. Great theater doesn't get any greater than that. Broadway will be poorer without Billy. May the West End run continue long into the next decade.

[eman02]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 8:04pm

I absolutely loved this show. It spoke to me in a way no other piece of art ever has - and I didn't feel that way about the movie, thought I enjoyed it. It celebrated arts education and relayed the message that it does take a community to raise a child. What a wonderful dream to think that all communities, like the one in the story, could lift up every young boy or girl who dared to be different, and peruse the arts.

It had a grittiness that few other Broadway shows ever had - it was a new type of contemporary musical addressing contemporary themes others haven't before.

I am truly sad to see it leave Broadway, when I think what it meant to me, could in fact have influenced others for years to come.

It maybe an American thing (I am American) that this closes early, but I'm so glad it was here. I do hope the producers will realize its impact and find the right ways for it to live on.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 10/9/11 at 1:59pm

One of the producers of the show made a comment about the closing. It was something about how this was their first venture into producing for Broadway and they did not consider the running costs as they just wanted to put on the best show regardless of costs. He sounded regretful that they did not consider costs when putting the show together. The weekly running costs for the show were over $700k a week

[mikey2573]

Posted: 10/9/11 at 2:03pm

This show should not be judged by the quality of the CD. The CD of the London cast is over-produced and has a very "in-studio" sound to it. Not very theatrical. It is really a horrible recording and doesn't do the show justice. THe songs work so perfectly within the context of the show. And SOLIDARITY alone is one of the most brilliantly staged musical numbers to appear on stage in years.
This show should not be missed. I plan on seeing it again before it closes.

[binau]

Posted: 10/9/11 at 5:49pm

Lol, I missed this show the three times I went to NYC and despite living in Australia (where it was here for like 2 years in various spots)...thought it would always be around. Whoops.

[windbelle]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 8:40pm

Soooooo sad it's gonna close soon. It's my favorite show on broadway in the past decade. I thought it was gonna last for another two or three years at least. Went to see the show again last Sunday after I heard about the announcement of closing, and still enjoyed it very much.