Friday, August 6th, 2010.
BILLY: Jacob Clemente
MICHAEL: David Bologna
I had bought tickets for my friend Trevor and his boyfriend to see the show while they were visiting from Pittsburgh, and then this past week my niece and I were talking about plans for her 30th birthday which was yesterday. She waited until the last minute to plan anything, and couldn't think of anything special to do for her birthday. Apparently she looked into tickets for Wicked, but couldn't find anything that wasn't ridiculously priced. Say what you want about how great Wicked is, but if the masses can't get tickets, I'm happy they can find a way to see Billy instead! After speaking with my sister (my niece's mom) who told me she'd buy tickets for my niece and her to see Billy Elliot, I went back to Telecharge and found 2 more seats in the same aisle as us right next to us that were still available. So it was 5 of us for the show Friday night. My walking-distance neighbor and friend from Friends Of Billy was also in attendance.
Strange as it may seem, I got to my seat realizing I had no idea who was on as Billy! How did I not look on the board?! I must have been so excited that my friends and family were seeing the show with me--an extra special night because this was the FIRST time that ANYONE from my family has gone to see the show! I'm fully expecting them to all go now once my sister and niece report back.
Sooooo, I opened my Playbill and saw Jacob Clemente was on as Billy. I love all of the boys' embodiments of the role, so I wasn't worried at all about who would play Billy. I was almost surprised it wasn't Liam though who seemed to be trying to break a record for most performances in a week!!! =)
And we were also blessed with that show business god himself, David Bologna. It is with absolute certainty that I tell everyone he WILL be back on Broadway soon enough. David Bologna is a Joel Grey, a Ben Vereen and a Nathan Lane all in one. And though I'm slightly sad he's leaving, I feel like he has been blessed with two awesome runs in this show already and I am SO EXCITED to see him in another role now, somewhere, anywhere soon/soon enough.
Just a couple minutes before the show began, a young girl, maybe 15 sat down next to me with her father in the last seat on the wall (we were in rear mezz row G). I heard her telling her father she had seen "Michael once and Dayton once". "Ohh," I interrupted, "I'm glad I have another veteran sitting next to me!" She was very sweet and her dad was very nice too, and this was his first time seeing the show. I assured them both that they'd really enjoy Jacob. "They're all awesome."
The show was uneventful as far as I could tell, with a few minor hiccups: 1) C.K. Edwards' baton tried to run away from him during Solidarity, but he was able to retrieve it and get back in his seat for the hats passing to happen without issue. 2) Billy's bathrobe stayed on the stage after the bed set sank back down before The Letter, so Kate picked it up and casually tossed it off set as she said her lines before walking over to Billy to take the letter from him. 3) The sound seemed to hum slightly at two different points in the show but didn't last long and thankfully no mics went out. But the show itself was great, everyone doing a wonderful job.
Jacob is a great Billy, very sweet and so young, so believable for the role. His timing isn't perfect for the end of Solidarity and the end of Electricity but he makes up for it by lifting his head and arms at the cue of the end note, which always works well and the audience enjoys. David Alvarez used to do the same thing. I guess the perfect way to do it would be to time everything exactly to the final notes, possibly even adding another instrument to the end to make it easier for the boys to know when to stop, but since they do quite ridiculously well for themselves, I prefer to not complain haha. When I saw him the first time (this was my second time seeing him), his Letter scene made me cry more than I've ever cried before, which is saying a lot. Though I cried more from Row C in Orchestra than I did Friday night in Rear Mezz, he still touched me deeply with his sad rendition. Again, his youth makes him a very sweet Billy.
Debbie (Georgi James) did so much better Friday night than the previous times I'd seen her perform. Her timing is spot on now and I'm so happy for her. She had always done well with just a few small timing issues, but I think she has since been coached on those and she does great now.
My sister Laurie, though just 50 as of this past January, became a grandmother last year, and I could tell she loved Carole Shelly and her song. Everyone did of course, and I was happy to see her back after her vacation (I always miss her when she's not in).
And of course I loved seeing Greg back too. He and Joel are perfect in their roles and though Joel did a fantastic job as Dad when Greg was out recently, I am a big fan of Greg Jbara and the way he completely embodies the role so well. He is an awesome actor and a great guy!
Thommie Retter was, as always, brilliant, and I loved hearing the giggles from my friends and family during his number. He is a true dance genius and a complete pleasure to watch perform!
My niece loved the show too although she was upset to not see the pride of Dad at the end like how the movie ends. I explained that it's hard to capture that kind of thing in just a moment to end a show, especially since we were in row G of Rear Mezz lol. She had only just seen the movie by herself the day before, so I think she was expecting too much of a direct parallel.
Not much else to report, but that's not a bad thing. My family and friends all enjoyed the show very much and for good reason: It was a solid job turned in by all! Their photograph taking and autograph getting time at stage door proved to me that my guests enjoyed the show very much! =)
Tessa, we missed you, hope your back feels better soon! (I know she won't read that but I send it spiritually to her anyway haha.)
Sorry for keeping this short, but I think that's pretty much all I wanted to share. "Thanks very much" for your time and attention.
Sean