Gala performance - Elton John

[KeefyM]

Yes Malcolm, I can exclusively reveal that Dave and I are going to be playing Billy and Michael on the Gala (haha, god help us all, even if do say so myself!) - and supposedly I would be a better candidate for Michael than Billy because according to some friends I'm more 'camp' than Dave. Cheeky buggers! Although I do quite fancy Cindy The Nurse and would probably swap a signed photo of Kevin Keegan for her - but don't tell anyone.
Didn't you get the PM Malcolm ? as you, Pat, Brian and Barry have been drafted in to play the Miners/Ensemble at the Gala and Yorkie is on standby as the understudy Mrs Wilkinson (haha).

haha, only joking of course and just having a cheap laugh, no more news as yet but I'm sure when anything is made official and when/if Billy Whiz hears any further official news it will certainly be posted on here. Although it is not guaranteed that Elton John will be there, I know (from going to be working on the BBC's Diamond Jubilee Coverage that week/first weekend of June) that he is 'in town' as he is due to perform at the Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace (and Buck Pal is after all only 'round the corner' from the VP) - not that has one bit of significance whether he attends or not.

As Ellen and Billy Whiz have said, there is absolutely no guarantees on the information provided so far, but I wholeheartedly agree with you Malcolm in that it will be a great nights entertainment regardless of who is/is not there and for £19.50 it is certainly worth taking the chance!.


Cheers
Keefy

[Westletonion]

Well thank you Keefy! Seeing you and Dave in those roles would be worth at least double £19.50 and I am sure the 'House Full' sign would be brought out of the mothballs for the occasion! I don't want to panic you but you have only got five weeks to rehearse, by the way!

[Barry Appleby]

Seeing as we are on a lighter note - Keefy, please contact my agent and negotiate my fee.
Its such a long time since I last appeared on stage, it was in Aladin, a Trafford Parnell production, I was a stage hand, I had to wear a pigs head in one of the scenes, I still remember it vividly, as in the final performance someone shouted out " your've never looked so well Baz" I'm sure it was one of the follow spot operators but nobody ever owned up.

Barry

[Billy Whiz]

GALA PERFORMANCE - WEDNESDAY, MAY 30th

We have very kindly been given permission by the Victoria Palace for photographs at the Gala Performance with a slight difference so please read the following carefully

The rules are:

NO FLASH

NO VIDEO

AFTER THE CHAIR LIFT THERE IS A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA AND PHOTOGRAPHS CANNOT BE TAKEN THEN. THEY CAN ONLY BE TAKEN AFTER THE LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA, AT THE CURTAIN CALL.

Exact details will not be finalised until the actual day so things could still change. If this is the case then I will have to let people know on the night.

CAN EVERYBODY PLEASE ALSO NOT MOVE FROM THEIR SEATS WHEN TAKING PHOTOS. BEFORE ANYBODY SAYS ANYTHING - I KNOW, I'M THE WORST OFFENDER

Thanking everybody in anticipation of your usual co-operation.

[tzwicky]

Billy Whiz. You have got the talent to go far in the communication biz. Without saying what you know, you've communicated excitement, anticipation, anxiety and a heart palpitation or two.

I've only seen Elton once at a BETM Gala, and that was years ago, so I'm not even saying where he's likely to be sat in the audience, prior to or following extra bits going on. I actually quit a job back in the dark ages when I could not see Elton in Concert (early 80s, I think) because at the time, my company was still doing quarterly inventories on their own. Also at the time the market also handled (or didn't actually) security on their own. So I quit over the no cutting out on Inventory night policy, and I also got tired of armed robberies (ummmmmmmmm, not to point fingers, but during a leap in violent crime in Miami that coincided closely with the whole Mariel thing). So one inventory too many and 3.5 times having a gun or guns pointed at me for what amounted to chump change was enough to cut out).

But not being able to go to Elton was the straw that broke this camel's back.
Whatever the newly reinvigorated PR people do at BETM in London will, I am sure, be lovely.

If there was a way, I would even sit up in the Gods (it would only be the 3rd or 4th time out of 91 shows) to see another Gala.

Now, all you BillyManiacs, take your marching orders from Billy Whiz. Be reasonable around the little Ghods of the West End stage, as well as Elton and David and Stephen and Lee and Peter and the other creatives who brought the story to the stage. Perhaps there's a Diamond Jubilee Appearance scheduled, and we all know where Her Majesty likes to sit. So, everyone, behave themselves, but get plenty of photos for those of us who cannot attend.

tzwicky

[Born to Boogie]

Elton John Hospitalized for Respiratory Infection - ordered to drop a week of shows in LA.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... n-20120524

[Born to Boogie]

Via @BillyElliotUK twitter this evening...

"Want to mingle with the stars at Billy Elliot the Muscial?! Book tickets to the celebrity-filled Gala, Wed 30 May, NOW! http://t.co/HgirXXMO

[Billy Whiz]

Elton John Hospitalized for Respiratory Infection - ordered to drop a week of shows in LA.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... n-20120524

Oh bugger

I hope that does not mean he won't be at the Gala.

[ERinVA]

According to this article, he is indeed going to miss it.

http://www.key103.co.uk/news/entertainm ... gas-dates/

[tzwicky]

I can deal with Elton's away status at the 3,000 BETM show.

And I'm OK with him doing, or still planning on doing The Queen's Diamond Jubilee show thingie.

Sure they're both one-time events in a lifetime, but one is Royal and the other isn't.

Sad. As long as all the other luminaries are on hand.

Not that I am there, anyway.

Sad for me in any case.

tzwicky