Sunday, May 15, 2011.
He Came. He Saw. He
Konquered!
Alex Ko's Final Performance In The Role Of Billy Elliot
It had been a few months since I'd seen Alex in the role, but he hasn't changed that much. Height wise he's grown, but he still looks like a little kid, and has the same boyish face as always, although with a deeper (not deep) voice. At the "Finding Billy" screening recently in Times Square, Nora Brennan commented in the discussion afterward that the boys know from the beginning that aging out of the role is an eventual reality. They're reminded from the beginning to enjoy the ride, give it their best and be more grateful than sad when it's finished. And it became abundantly clear to me that Alex, who has had a rockier road than most, as Stephen Daldry told the audience before the show began, has enjoyed being Billy but is now mentally prepared to move on to the next great role and roles ahead of him.
As Stephen took the stage, I and a few others began to applaud and "wooo". He then introduced himself as the director of the show. Much more applause and woooing. As Atreyu already mentioned, Stephen thanked Alex's family for moving from (probably much quieter) Iowa so that Alex could perform in the show. He also told the audience that Alex had a rockier road than most, having lost his dad at an early age and then suffering a serious injury early on in his run in the show. He then said that Alex would continue to be phenomenal in whatever he chooses to do, whether it's acting or dancing "or brain surgery, which I can assure you is fully within his capabilities." [may be paraphrasing but was close] That alone should speak volumes about what people think of Alex, I thought, because we all know the performances he gives and maybe something of his love of all things Gaga. But the brain surgery reference shows that Alex is a really, really smart young man whose intelligence and personality have brought him his successes every bit as much as his talents on stage have.
The show began and the cast sang.
"So we will always stand together, through the frost, the hail, the snow, the starrrrrs are our redemption..." As they sang this last bit, Alex appeared on stage and his Friends Of Billy and Billy Elliot The Forum fans cheered for his arrival. He had just been praised to a packed Broadway audience by a world-famous director and now his very appearance on stage was earning him cheers. Thank you Suzanne aka dancingfool for reminding us of this worthy tradition!
The show itself was great, Alex turning in his usual comic moments and tender moments in turn, thrilling and exciting everyone with his amazing dancing throughout. Worth noting is how hard he got smacked by Michael Arnold as George as well as Tony (Will Chase). I don't know about you, but Alex seems like a sweet kid and the smacks he got were really hard! You can fake a punch on Broadway well, but the actual head smacks given are as real as they get. Will Chase seemed to take special delight in his for Alex too. =)
You've also heard tell of the changes to the goodbyes at the end, and when Mrs. Wilkinson said to Alex, "You are very fu#&in special" his FOB and Forum fans gave Alex a lot of cheers and wooos again. Another wonderful tradition we fans have continued! It made me really tear up and I hope Alex appreciated it. Of course the "See ya Neil" and more so "See ya Alex" sent me over the edge. My face was drenched with tears and I sobbed with shakes. This one small change has got to be the saddest, most visceral moment in theatre history for me. No tears from shows' scripts are as powerful as those with direct, powerful resonance to the real person himself, and saying goodbye within a show is just an incredibly emotional moment.
(This puff just had to walk away from the computer to blow his nose just from remembering the moment.)
Another change I enjoyed was Tony's farewell to Billy. I've noted in the past that Will Chase usually stretches out the "Seeeee yaaaaa Sunshinnnne" line on a Billy's last night, but instead this time he said it the usual way but then smacked down the open suitcase so Alex would have to open it again. =)
All in all, it was a great show. The newest Debbie, Lilla Crawford, is just perfect in the role. She's so funny, says her lines great and is also a very pretty young girl who interacts great with whoever Billy is that show. Her mom and baby sister were three rows back from me and I got to tell her how wonderful I thought Lilla was. Her sister (who's only about 4 or 5?) demanded to know HOW I knew her sister. It was very funny and I had to explain that I just heard that they were her family. She's a real firecracker if you ever see her at the stage door, and her mom is really, really, really sweet!
At stage door, I took a couple of pictures and 2 videos of Alex, which I posted elsewhere but will link below too. Legendary director and producer Kenny Ortega was there and was filming every minute of the fanfare for Alex, big smiles and making sure he captured all of it on film. At one point I stood behind him, placed my hand gently on his left shoulder and whispered with a smile, "You're gonna take good care of him now, right?" He turned to me with a big smile and assured me he would. I told him we're all counting on exactly that! Alex deserves the best! A minute or two later he turned the camera on us and said, "Are you all fans of Alex's?" "Yes," we said happily. He said, "Want to say anything to him on camera?" About 5 or 6 of us each gave Alex a brief best wishes/congratulations/good luck wish in turn on camera. So we can now all say we've been in a Kenny Ortega film!
I think it should be called
KO on KO.
As Suzanne (dancingfool) had commented recently, Alex has at least two special guardian angels looking over him!!!
It was a fun night, filled with much laughter and many tears.
Alex Ko was never trapped in the Billy Elliot role, but at the same time, I imagine at least some part of him can now feel like shouting, "I'm free!!!" The freedom he has now is a freedom from the script and choreography of Billy Elliot, and it's a freedom to do whatever he wants to with his life, just as Stephen Daldry suggested at the start of the show. Alex was a wonderful Billy, he is clearly a wonderful young man, and I'm sure he has a wonderful and wonder-full life ahead of him!
Sean
Sean Patrick Brennan/angelenroute
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Alex emerging from stage door/signing autographs (watch as Kenny Ortega gets scolded at the end haha...we love the child guardians!!! They do a GREAT job!!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey5pc0M0vgY
and...
Alex receiving the leaver's book from Linda. Watch for Kenny Ortega filming again here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ6AHkQ6Z-4