Talk:Billy Elliot the Musical

Cast info

Even though the cast lists have been split off into their own article, the notable actors in the original West End cast should be named in the paragraph describing that production, saying which roles they played. Best regards, -- Ssilvers (talk) 23:15, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

New Synopsis

I made some edits to the synopsis, which read more like a review than a synopsis. I removed the parental guidance and personal opinions, which don't belong here. I've written a more detailed synopsis that I would like to put up as a replacement for the current content. It's just a quick and dirty bit of writing -- nothing pretty, but better suited than the currently bit. So please feel free to modify the text to make it flow better or more accurately portray the timeline of the story. Also, please let me know if there are any objections to this switch. If not, I will post this sometime in the next 24 hours.

NEW SYNOPSIS:

Set in County Durham, against the backdrop of the 1984-85 coal miners' strike, motherless eleven-year-old Billy inadvertently finds his way out of his boxing practice and into a girls' ballet class run by Mrs. Wilkinson. Sure enough, he becomes attracted to the grace of the dance and yearns to learn more. While his brother, father and neighbors stand on strike and clash with riot police, Billy continues to show up at the studio, keeping it a secret from his family, who would prefer that he take on more manly, working-class pursuits. One of the ballerinas, who happens to be Mrs. Wilkinson’s daughter, develops a crush on Billy and, also, at the same time, becomes practically his only friend in the all-girls group.

When the local boxing coach informs Billy's dad that the boy hasn't been to practice in months, the man erupts, realizing that the money he gave his son for boxing was spent on something else. Soon Billy’s father finds out where his son had been for past few months, and he storms into the ballet class, forbidding Billy from attending and Mrs. Wilkinson, who is supportive of the boy, from teaching him. Mrs. Wilkinson, recognizing the boy’s talent, privately suggests to Billy that he come to the studio for free solo lessons. During these lessons, she improves Billy's skill to a level beyond that of her entire class. Eventually, she encourages him to consider auditioning for the Royal Ballet School in London.

Meanwhile, at home, Billy's friend Michael, a young boy with homosexual feelings, persuades Billy to have fun in less traditional ways. Together they dress up in women’s clothing and dance around, free of the restricting inhibitions of their working class community. All the while, Billy's gruff, conservative father and brother are engaged in a daily battle with riot police that often turns bloody. They struggle to get the family by with very little in strike pay, a difficult task that goes on for nearly a year.

When the day of the audition comes around, Mrs. Wilkinson, comes to pick Billy up. However, she is forced to barge in on the boy’s family and some members of the community that have gathered at the Elliot home. She if forced to reveal to them that she has been secretly teaching Billy ballet and that she plans on taking him to the Royal Ballet School audition that very morning. This news sets off Billy’s father and, even more so, his brother Tony, who pushes the boy around, calls him names and embarrasses him in front of the gathering of people. This setback sends Billy into a tailspin, and, for nearly a year, he stays away from everything related to ballet.

Christmas time comes around and the community gathers to eat, drink, sing and be merry. Some of the children put on a show disparaging Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who is seen as the antagonist from the coal miners’ perspective. After the performance, Billy’s father, a little drunk on beer, sings an old folk song that draws back memories of his deceased wife. The typically stoic man runs out of the community center in tears and everyone but Billy and Michael follow him out. Alone in the room, Michael reveals to Billy that he has feelings for him, and Billy explains to Michael that, although he likes ballet, he’s not gay. Nonetheless, he lets Michael give him a kiss on the cheek and then, knowing Michael's penchant for cross-dressing, offers him a ballet dress to take home. Michael then leaves Billy alone in the room, giving Billy a chance to dance for the first time since the disaster when Mrs. Wilkinson tried to pick him up for the audition. From the door, his father watches Billy's dance routine in silence. Overcome with emotion, he goes to Mrs. Wilkinson’s house to discuss Billy’s prospects as a dancer. Mrs. Wilkinson informs Mr. Elliot that Billy is quite talented but that, naturally, she can’t tell if the he would definitely get in the Royal Ballet School or not. She also gives Mr. Elliot a ballpark figure of how much the audition and school tuition would cost, figures that are well beyond the Elliot’s means. Mr. Elliot leaves her not exactly encouraged but, at the same time, with the recognition that his boy’s future is in his hands. It makes Mr. Elliot question his “working class pride” and wonder what kind of a future mining really has.

Mr. Elliot decides that he must at least try to help his son. And the only way he can do that is to go back to work and earn money. When Tony sees his father cross the picket line, he becomes infuriated and confused. The two argue over what’s more important, sticking together in the hopes of reviving the mining industry or helping Billy get to the audition in London. The argument eventually comes to blows and, somehow, Billy is hit accidentally. The incident makes one of the miners realizes that the most important thing to look after is this Billy, not a dying, roughneck industry that may not even be around for the boy's generation. The miner gives Billy his strike pay as a show solidarity of a different kind. Eventually, all of the miners offer to help Billy by contributing some of their strike money. Tony, though, points out that, even with all of their money, Billy still can’t afford even the bus trip to London. But before all hope is lost, a strikebreaker approaches Billy and offers him hundreds of pounds from his wage. Tony erupts in rage at the man's mere presence, much less his offer of money. He throws the man’s money on the floor, claiming it “dirty.” The community, though, stands behind Billy, and, eventually, Tony runs off.

Billy and his father finally make it to the Royal Ballet School for the audition. Mr. Elliot is forced to wait outside with another father while their boys take the stage. The other father, an upper-crust Londoner, highlights the differences between the Elliots and the families of the other contenders. Soon after, Mr. Elliot meets a dancer who offers him a cigarette. The man, who has a thick Liverpudlian accent, could very well be Billy in five or ten years. The two have a cigarette together and start talking. Mr. Elliot enquires how the dancer got to where he is. The man informs Billy's dad that his father never supported his interest in ballet and still, to this day, doesn’t support it. Before leaving Mr. Elliot alone, the man gets up in his face and, in a sharp tone of voice, tells him to "get behind his boy."

Billy nervously finishes the audition and leaves with a sinking feeling that he screwed up. As he packs his stuff, he lets that emotion take over and eventually punches another ballet contender in the face.

Before the Elliots leave, they have a joint conference with the people holding the auditions. Billy is informed of the strict standards of the school, and he apologizes for punching the other boy. It is also mentioned that they received an enthusiastic letter from Mrs. Wilkinson, a note that helped them to understand Billy's background and situation. Finally, they ask Billy to describe what he feels when he dances. Billy responds with an heartfelt declaration of his passion.

Back in Durham, the Elliots resume life as usual, until one day Billy receives a letter from the Royal Ballet School. His family eagerly waits for him to open it. When he finally does, he informs everyone that he didn’t make it and throws the note in the waste bin. But Tony picks the letter out of the trash and reports to everyone that Billy did indeed get accepted. Before anyone can get excited, though, a miner enters the house and tells everyone that the union has given in and that they are to return to work immediately.

The miners soon return to the pits, resigned to the fact that they are a part of a dying industry and a withering community. They brave on with the same solidarity they exhibited during the strike. Billy then says goodbye to the miners and then drops in on Mrs. Wilkinson. He wishes her farewell, thanking her for everything she did to help him pursue his unconventional dream.

Please don't hesitate to comment on this version or to modify the text.

Cheers, ask123 (talk) 22:41, 4 November 2008 (UTC)

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It would be interesting to indicate within the synopsis when the musical numbers happen... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 195.235.227.10 (talk) 10:55, 16 March 2009 (UTC)

David Alvarez

I would like to make a wikipedia page for David Alvarez, but there is someone else with that name already on wikipedia. Does anyone know how to make a page for someone with the same name? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Broadwaylover (talk • contribs) 03:20, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

Cast info

It is great that the lengthy cast lists have been moved to their own list article, but a sentence should be added to each production in the production section noting the notable (bluelinked) actors. -- Ssilvers (talk) 20:11, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Nicely done, LM. -- Ssilvers (talk) 22:28, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Synopsis

The present synopsis is 1,473 words long. Hopefully someone familiar with the production can take a few moments to trim it to a more reasonable length. LiteraryMaven (talk • contrib) 21:03, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

I streamlined the synopsis. Feel free to trim it a little more if you can, but I dont think it's too awfully long now. Musical theatre synopses tend to be a little longer than film synopses. See WP:MUSICALS' article structure guidelines. Obviously, the article is missing a lot of necessary information, such as a critical reception section, analyses of its text and music, and a more complete description of its genesis. Best regards, -- Ssilvers (talk) 22:28, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Your streamlining was done well and reduced it to 1,143 words. I trimmed it a little more and don't think I omitted anything crucial. It now stands at 920 words. LiteraryMaven (talk • contrib) 14:08, 8 June 2009 (UTC)

Assessment

The assessment was upgraded to "C class", but this article doesn't even have a critical reception section, and there is no information at all about its conception and genesis. Who decided to adapt the film? How did they assemble the writing/composing team? What inspired the songs? What about an analysis of the musical and textual style? I'd still call it a "start". -- Ssilvers (talk) 14:39, 23 July 2009 (UTC)

Move

This article should move to Billy Elliot (musical). I have the Vocal Score right in front of me, and the title of the show is "Billy Elliot", not "Billy Elliot the Musical". 174.57.203.45 (talk) 22:35, 6 October 2011 (UTC)

Title

Billy Elliot the Musical, as this article is shown, is titled as Billy Elliot: The Musical at these two primary (Broadway) sources:

• ​Billy Elliot: The Musical​ at the Internet Broadway Database
• Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Playbill Vault

Would think that a move to this title would be appropriate, as no other primary sources seem to otherwise suggest. Please feel free to comment. Thanks. Best, --Discographer (talk) 13:07, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

• Oppose-I oppose only on grounds that use of either Billy Elliot the Musical and Billy Elliot: the Musical seem to be both universally acceptable. The two sources you mention are tertiary sources per WP:TERTIARY. The WP:Primary source seems to use Billy Elliot the Musical. Since the primary source of the currently running London production seems to use the current title used in the article (here): I would oppose a move. -Aaron Booth (talk) 19:14, 23 February 2014 (UTC)

Okay, thanks for responding. The article should remain here, as it is, then. Best, --Discographer (talk) 19:42, 23 February 2014 (UTC)