7/8-8/14
Despite a stormy weather week, the Beck Center’s Billy Elliot: The Musical danced on in the Mackey Theatre. On Fri 8/12, before the show began, Director Scott Spence warned us that “Billy” depended on electronics, so if the theater lost power due to rolling power outages, we’d need to be patient as they got back up to speed.
Luckily, that didn’t happen. The audience, which seemed to be made up primarily of junior dancers and their parents (there were also dance recitals earlier in the day), responded enthusiastically to this musical adaptation of the touching film of the same name. It was a bit like attending an Olympic event (yes, Rio is on my mind these days), with cheers for favorites and a supportive atmosphere for the young contenders.
Most impressive part of the show? Several numbers that featured a stage full of dancing miners and policemen with little ballet girls and other cast members running between them. It provided vivid action. Outstanding numbers included “Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher” and “Solidarity” — both with the full company.
That said, the show dragged in places, particularly during the exposition that tried to explain the world of British coal miners on strike, the opposition to the Prime Minister, and why boys might have been afraid to dance. It’s something that worked better in the film version of the story the musical is based on.
The night I went, Billy was played by understudy Maurice Kimball IV and his best friend Michael by Seth Judice. This was a role switch for the two and it seemed clear that Kimball was less comfortable onstage than the more experienced Judice.
Larry Goodpaster led the small orchestra behind the stage. The musical features music by Elton John with book and lyrics by Lee Hall. Martin Céspedes served as choreographer.
[Written by Laura Kennelly]
Lakewood, OH 44107
Lakewood, OH 44107