Many thanks from a brand new fan

[atreyu]

I cannot hope to top FlyingDutchfan's remarkable account. Still, I have a compunction of my own to describe my experience discovering BETM and hope it can add a distinctive voice to the chorus of our common enthusiasm while maintaining a proper harmony.

I must start with a most sincere Thank You to those who make this forum about as special as the musical. The time and effort of those contributing regularly are greatly appreciated.

Alas that my access to Broadway is no longer the 1-hour train ride that it once was and now will only occur as weekends allow. On my occasional NYC trips these last couple years, I had seen the BETM ads, but was scared off by ticket prices 1.5-2x what they were a decade ago. Finally, on the weekend of February 19 when I was coming to town primarily to see Al Pacino's final NY performance as Shylock, I decided I could splurge on a 4th row center orchestra ticket at BETM. Although I had never seen or even heard of the Billy Elliot movie, this show had won a Best Musical Tony award after all, and this would be a nice way to see it.

So with no more of an idea about the show beyond this would be about a kid who dances, the evening of the 19th I was completely blown away by the spectacle that is BETM. Oh, there have been wildly entertaining musicals before - Spam-a-Lot comes to mind. It may be said that it is not truly great music (as per Mr. Feinstein). Yet the music is exactly what it needs to be; it pairs perfectly well with a remarkable story. But what I hadn't imagined in my most hopeful dreams was seeing this new ground being broken.

Never before has a live production asked so much from so young an artist as each of the special talents that portrays Billy. And never before have these young actors delivered so successfully night after night. Then to discover this forum and the excellent collection of articles at http://www.theskykid.com/, reading about Billy camp thoroughly confirmed what I felt that night: We are getting to watch true greatness before our eyes. How could one not want to come back again and again? I'm now up to 3 following this weekend's BETM-Driving Miss Daisy-BETM sandwich.

For the record, Al Pacino is absolutely superb in The Merchant of Venice and if you appreciate Shakespeare, don't miss that opportunity. James Earl Jones is excellent with a role that needed to be meatier in order to match his legendary talent. But BETM is unquestionably what stole my heart in that first experience and I look forward to conversing with all here how it makes true history.

[ERinVA]

I already said hello in the reviews thread, but hello again, and welcome to the forum, atreyu.

[billyelliot05]

Welcome to the forum!

[BILLYFAN]

Welcome to the forum Atreyu

[BILLYFAN]

Welcome to the forum atreyu

[Brad]

Welcome

[maria]

Welcome aboard atreyu and thank YOU for YOUR story of discovery of BETM. It's always fun to read how folks have discovered this great show!

Enjoy the show and the forum!
maria