Billy Elliot the Forum

This discussion will be about the various options for Billy Elliot The Musical in the upcoming year. We can't control the future, but we can prepare for it. Certain options will still surprise us(like the BETM Tour going to Brazil), but others we can plan for ahead of time(like scheduling a holiday in London next year).

The first option is that BETM in America ends after a trip to Brazil. There will be no more plans for any production on this continent. This would indicate that profits from the show do not justify any commercial endeavor. Perhaps smaller, non-profit licensing will be approved or maybe PBS promotions for fundraising(perhaps a video of the show?). But if we want to see a professional production, we would have to visit London. This is not the end of the world.

Personally, I do not see this happening. The show seems to be gathering momentum with mostly larger crowds, better reviews and more notoriety. BETM can make money, and Networks must know this by now.

Anyone care to comment on this or other options?

accessmenj wrote:This discussion will be about the various options for Billy Elliot The Musical in the upcoming year. We can't control the future, but we can prepare for it. Certain options will still surprise us(like the BETM Tour going to Brazil), but others we can plan for ahead of time(like scheduling a holiday in London next year).

Are we sure London will even be an option next year? Currently, tickets are being sold through mid December 2013. Will another block of tickets be made available after that date? Then there's the whole thing with the renovation of the Victoria Palace Theatre. When will that begin?

Durham Performing Arts Center has four shows booked for two-three nights each as offshoots of the main 2013-2014 season. It would seem Billy Elliot would be an ideal engagement of this kind. The tour had an excellent run in Durham back in fall 2010. A two/three night return three or four years later would likely be quite profitable. Other shows have had even shorter gaps between runs in a city and made a profit.

There has been talk before of the tour returning to past cities, and as I looked at some DPAC information the other day, BETM couldn't help but come to my head. The powers that be would be well-advised to book return engagements such as DPAC.

The problem is so complex that, for the sake of keeping a number of British productions than have been on Broadway or on tour ongoing, such luminaries as Daldry, Lloyd Webber, Furnish and John, Spacey, MacIntosh and others need to put their combined heads together to find the solutions. The economy has changed in the past five years and I am not sure the industry has had the time to adjust. The big names in British musicals need to combine their efforts rather than compete. The British Government is big on encouraging such partnerships; seeing as these productions (and the Old Vic, RSC etc etc are fundamental to Britain's image abroad), some encouragement might be forthcoming.

I just wish taxes for flights to the UK were lower. Even if I use my points to fly for free, I still need to pay about $650 in taxes. Kinda defeats the point when I can just find a cheap discounted flight for $750.

I am holding out hope that the tour will continue somehow. From what I see, there's a lot of cities that could still host the show, or have it back for a longer run. It was so popular in Toronto, I'm sure it could go back for a few months and make some money. Would be sad to see the show end if it can make money.
The tour could potentially be taken internationally as well. I'm sure a UK tour would do well, and maybe a visit to South Africa and a return to Australia as well. Lots of options out there.

I find the scheduling of Brazil really odd. The tour does Hartford, then takes a break for a couple months, and then spends a couple weeks in Brazil, and then... that's it? Seems odd. If I was in the cast or crew, I would start looking for new employment right after Hartford. And then... what if a bunch of people leave... how would they do the show in Brazil? I would think/hope they have some more plans afterwards... if only to do a few more cities in South America.

I share your observations about the price of flights to the UK; the British Government has imposed new tariffs
on flights to and from the UK; Virgin is one of several airlines challenging this.

Spending 25000 BA Avios points will save me the princely sum of $65 on a round trip flight from Boston on LHR. Hardly worth the bother of negotiating around the blackout dates!

For what its worth, flying with a British airline is cheaper if the return flight originates in the UK. At the moment the dollar is up about 7% so fairs purchased in sterling will be that much cheaper.

I have been trying to discover whether NETworks is behind the Brazil mini tour; it may be an entirely different operation than the current tour.

rob_hanson1979 wrote: ... what if a bunch of people leave... how would they do the show in Brazil?

Maybe this is one reason for the recent casting calls for various roles.

My option has been to just get used to the new reality of a North America without Billy. I obviously share every hope you all have of more, but perhaps to save myself further stress on the matter, I've tried to focus my energy on gratefulness for what we've already had between Broadway and the Tours.

I saw the show the very first time in London, and unlike a lot of people here, I can't get over to see it again there as easily. A proofreader's salary and a mortgage for a home on Long Island don't help. My partner has family in Southampton, and we were there last time for a wedding in 2007, so we are overdue for a return to Europe. But I also can't and won't hold my breath.

So for now, I'll look forward to any eventualities and conversations on the topic. As another show taught me, anything's possible!

Alas, I have almost resigned myself to not seeing Billy at the Mother Church in London.

Even though I made the best cardboard sign I could find and picked the most traveled interstate off ramp, my fundraising efforts have been for naught.

Angelenroute, as a proofreader, maybe you can help me create a new sign. "Will work for for a trip to London," just hasn't had the response that I had hoped for,

cainmac wrote:Angelenroute, as a proofreader, maybe you can help me create a new sign. "Will work for for a trip to London," just hasn't had the response that I had hoped for

Try reverse/complex psychology: "I don't deserve your help, but if you can, I'll be forever grateful!"

Either that or: "My kingdom for a tutu!"