Billy Shining The Miner's Light

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ERinVA
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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by ERinVA »

I believe it's been noted elsewhere on here quite a while ago that the cast say they can see the first few rows of the audience. I can also confirm that back when Tommy Batchelor was in the NY show, he told me once that he saw me sitting in A10 when he was at the cookie jar before Billy turns around to notice the RBS letter waiting for him on the kitchen table. Of course, in Merry Christmas, cast members interact with audience members in the first couple of rows. Carole Shelley will usually pick out a kid to throw one of the nerf balls from the tank to, and the ballet girls will come right up to the edge of the stage and engage with whoever is sitting in the AA seats on either side of the MD's box.
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-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by BEtourfan »

ERinVA wrote:I believe it's been noted elsewhere on here quite a while ago that the cast say they can see the first few rows of the audience. I can also confirm that back when Tommy Batchelor was in the NY show, he told me once that he saw me sitting in A10 when he was at the cookie jar before Billy turns around to notice the RBS letter waiting for him on the kitchen table. Of course, in Merry Christmas, cast members interact with audience members in the first couple of rows. Carole Shelley will usually pick out a kid to throw one of the nerf balls from the tank to, and the ballet girls will come right up to the edge of the stage and engage with whoever is sitting in the AA seats on either side of the MD's box.
Yes, it was a surprise to me but I have also heard that the cast can see audience members even quite a few rows back.
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Mike
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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by Mike »

Thommie Retter told me once at the stage door that he had seen me sitting in the 1st couple of rows and that i reminded him of a dear friend who had just passed away. Also Patrick Mulvey saw me in restaurant near the Theater in Chicago and said hi and that he had noticed me sitting in the front row for a few shows. ( for almost every show i saw in Chicago i sat in AA 101 ).

When i saw Tommy Batchelor in the Nutcracker in West Palm Beach i think he told me he saw me also.
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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by BEtourfan »

Go home Billy wrote:
ERinVA wrote:Carole Shelley will usually pick out a kid to throw one of the nerf balls from the tank to,...
:?  Could you please translate that into English, Ellen, for those of us in the UK. The only things ever thrown off the Victoria Palace stage happen purely accidentally - such as the birds the ballet girls have on their fingers during "Shine" and on very rare occasions (though it doesn't seem to happen these days) Billy's black ballet shoes in "Angry Dance".

Also the first post by shimmyshimmy mentions the Billys shining miner's lights into the audience. Billy doesn't have a light in the London show so can someone explain, please. :?
Nerf = spongy foam ball shot out of the tank by George at the beginning of the second act during "Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher."

Billy does not have his own miner's helmet ... he is wearing his father's.
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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by paul30003 »

I can certainly say that I have had the miners lights shone in my eyes, I'm sure they pick you out. I'm often singing along (quietly) to Once we where kings, I'm usually seated on the front row, if not somewhere towards Center on the B row then A10 - 11 most times I get the same miner shining his light into my eyes, and I'm sure he does this because i'm enjoying the show so much. Last time I was at VPT I could see at least 3 lights trained on my face. I personably think they are looking for those who are clearly expressing enjoyment of the show.
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ERinVA
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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by ERinVA »

To add to that: When Billy is lifted onto his father's shoulders in the productions here, he puts on his father's helmet and starts looking around and pointing in various directions. That's how the light ends up shining in people's eyes.

As for the cannon, in the North American productions, George, dressed as Maggie Thatcher, comes through the door at the back of the stage wearing a "tank" cobbled together out of various items. It has a gun made out of a pipe and a bleach bottle that launches the foam balls into the crowd.

As we have noted before, the MCMT number is quite different here than in London. You have a cow with a milk bottle; we have a tank that represents the Falklands War.
Ellen



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-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by BEtourfan »

paul30003 wrote:I can certainly say that I have had the miners lights shone in my eyes, I'm sure they pick you out. I'm often singing along (quietly) to Once we where kings, I'm usually seated on the front row, if not somewhere towards Center on the B row then A10 - 11 most times I get the same miner shining his light into my eyes, and I'm sure he does this because i'm enjoying the show so much. Last time I was at VPT I could see at least 3 lights trained on my face. I personably think they are looking for those who are clearly expressing enjoyment of the show.
That's so interesting! All the times I've had the light shined in my eyes, it never occurred to me that it might have been done on purpose. :)
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Re: Billy Shining The Miner's Light

Post by ERinVA »

Yes, he does. That is a change that came in with the tours, but it has now been incorporated into the Broadway show as well.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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