Billy Elliot the Forum

Here's a nice interview with Joel from BWW San Francisco:
http://sanfrancisco.broadwayworld.com/a ... m-20110616

Here's the first confirmation I've seen that Joel is continuing with the tour production in the role of George:

http://stlouis.broadwayworld.com/articl ... 3-20111013

porschesrule wrote:Here's the first confirmation I've seen that Joel is continuing with the tour production in the role of George:

http://stlouis.broadwayworld.com/articl ... 3-20111013

This is great news! Joel is incredibly talented!!!

Looks like Joel will be reprising his role of George in Ogunquit in a few weeks ! http://www.broadwayworld.com/maine/arti ... 5IwDdUo5D8

This is fantastic news! I have missed seeing the cap/toe/head trick for a year! Joel's take on this role is one for the books.

When I first heard that BETM was coming to Ogunquit, my mind immediately hoped that Noah Parets and Joel Blum would be part of it. I got a two-fer, then!

Joel's 'George' has become a legend. He has ramped up the humor of the Boxing Scene to a new level (so has London, by the way) that it is perhaps the first scene that gets the audience truly involved. It is the opening of the second act that really sees Joel's stamp on this production: the famous 'hat trick' is simply wonderful! In fact, that whole scene is a great improvement over two adults holding a raffle in front of the curtain: I like the fact that the four children are involved, right from the moment the four little Christmas elves run down the aisles among dawdling theater-goers to get the second act underway, to Small Boy getting 'miked' on the head, to the coconut shells replicating Rudolph's hooves, to the boys singing the start of Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher while playing assorted Christmas cracker noise makers - it is so much better than the other version, that I cannot see why it isn't tried everywhere.

One little moment stands out in the boxing scene: when Michael (the brilliant, cheeky Alec) winds up to deliver 'a left, and a right, and a left again', the last punch is delivered so hard and loud that you can hear the audience wince in sympathy as it laughs. I won't ask how Joel sustains that, performance after performance, but I will simply chalk it up to a 'certain fortitude'!

I think the success or failure of the front of curtain banter in London depends on who is doing it. At the moment, it seems canned and past its sell-by, but I have seen it done brilliantly by Trevor Fox, Phil Snowden, and David Bardsley (especially Trevor). The fact is, it has to be treated as an improv to work. When it is "just part of the script," it falls flat. It has been falling more than standing up lately, that's for sure.

ERinVA wrote:I think the success or failure of the front of curtain banter in London depends on who is doing it. At the moment, it seems canned and past its sell-by, but I have seen it done brilliantly by Trevor Fox, Phil Snowden, and David Bardsley (especially Trevor). The fact is, it has to be treated as an improv to work. When it is "just part of the script," it falls flat. It has been falling more than standing up lately, that's for sure.

It's definitely the one part of the show that can range from Halarious to Eh.

Joel is currently appearing in Kiss Me Kate at The Globe Theatre, San Diego, until Aug. 2nd, along with his fellow Ogunquit actor, Anastasia Barzee.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/san-diego/ ... d-20150630

Joel is currently appearing in "A Christmas Carol" at GEVA Theatre here in Rochester. He plays Mr. Fezziwig/The Ghost of Christmas Present. I did not see the show but was attending another play at the same venue and noticed his name and photo on the cast board.

His photo and bio can be found on the cast tab and the clicking next:
http://www.gevatheatre.org/shows/a-christmas-carol/