Billy Elliot the Forum

To prevent the discussion about tutus as a promotional gimmick from taking over the Publicity Section for the tour, I have set up this poll so people can vote about it. After all, it is an election year.

I have added several choices, but if you would like more, let me know. I have also made it possible for people to change their votes if they change their minds.

I'll be interested to see the results.

The reason I'm hesitant to encourage tutu donning by Billys/Michaels/male venue staff while publicizing the show is that I think it comes across as demeaning outside the context of the story. It's used as an attention-grabber by marketing, and the reason it grabs so much attention is the average person thinks it's very weird and/or emasculating if they haven't seen the show yet. Let them discover the normalcy of individuality on their own terms when they come to see the show. But using the typical "****ing weird" or "sissy" view of men in tutus to attract people to the show doesn't sit well with me. I thought one of the messages of the show was that it isn't weird at all.

So did you vote for any of the categories? Do I need to add another choice?

So far, 11 out of 16 do not want men wearing tutus.
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ERinVA wrote:So did you vote for any of the categories? Do I need to add another choice?

I voted for Yes, but only by the ballet girls as part of a promotion. If the cast are doing a promotion in-character, obviously the Ballet Girls should wear their costumes. But to me, having a television interviewer wear one when speaking to cast members is silly and gimmicky.

Actingdude17:

My, you are "right on!" The word "gimmicky," has always expressed my feelings perfectly when I view this form of promotion for our favorite musical, which carries far more profound messages than represented by the tutus. Seems professional promotional folks could be far more imaginative in their desire to capture a wider audience.

Just a personal opinion.

Colin

The miners wear them in the Finale...so not sure why people have a problem with it, it's IN the show!

Billy wears one too, of course.

It's the context: We've just been through a powerful emotion experience, we're just seen and heard "just because I like ballet, doesn't mean I'm a poof, y'know". At the finale, we're outside the story and everyone is just goofing off and having fun.

Putting the tutus in the promotion tells a story that doesn't match the vast majority of the show. This isn't Priscella Queen of the Desert. It's not a show about drag. Why promote it as such? (Save that for Michael Caffery the Musical)

The question is about a promotion. In a promotion there are only a few seconds to convince someone who knows nothing about Billy Elliot The Musical that they want to go see it. We know what the show is all about, so we think that men-in-tutus is funny. The public could think that men-in-tutus means that the whole show is silly and not worth seeing. This promotion could cause many people to miss a show that could change their whole life and inspire their future.