Billy Elliot
...is my current favorite musical. No, not all-time favorite, that's still Wicked, but I'm so in love with this show right now.
I first got interested in it after the Tonys this summer where I saw this amazing performance. Seriously, I watch that video any time I feel angry because it's just such a cathartic, if vicarious, outburst of raw emotion.
After that I looked around for a video of the show and got one. At first I didn't really love it. I liked it and the dancing was phenomenal but it didn't quite grip me, much of which had to do with the fact that their accents made a a good deal of the songs and some of the dialogue difficult to follow, but I started listening to the Cast Recording and once I could understand the lyrics I began to be very moved by the show. Really, it's a bit similar to how I fell in love with Wicked. When I first saw it I loved the music but I wasn't in love with the show. Once I got the cast recording though I became obsessed and the rest is history :)
Similarly I've become obsessed with Billy Elliot. I search for articles, performances, and pictures almost every day and have decided that Trent Kowalik (the boy in the "Angry Dance" video posted above) is my favorite. I think he brings the best combination of determination and vulnerability to the role, and his tapping is just out of this role. I have decided that whenever he announces his last performance in the show I am going to buy tickets and see it. There's just no way I'm going to miss it. The only problem is I don't know how much notice I'm going to have for that performance. According to both Trent and his sisters his contract ends on Sunday, February 21st. However, he may be required to stay longer because one of the other Billies (Billys? I don't know if the pluralization of a name follows the same rule of "y -> ie") was injured and Trent may be required to stay on longer until the other boy can recover.
It's all very confusing and because money isn't exactly flowing I want to be very sure before I commit to a ticket purchase.
Oh and before I go, I leave you with the three original Broadway Billies adorably winning their (well-deserved) Tony awards:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBFjEMNjp5I