Billy Elliot The Musical
ARCHIVE
NOW BROADWAY LOVES BILLY ELLIOT TOO
November 2008
Last night in New York (Thursday 13 November 2008) Stephen Daldry’s production of Billy Elliot The Musical opened on Broadway at theImperial Theatre to rave reviews.
Haydn Gwynne, who created the role on stage in London of Billy Elliot’s dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson, made her Broadway debut and playing the title role of Billy Elliot was 13 year old Trent Kowalik from New York.
Composer Elton John, writer and lyricist Lee Hall and director Stephen Daldry were joined at the opening by guests including Woody Allen, Laura Bailey, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Anthony Edwards, Joel Grey, Ron Howard, Billie Jean King, Jane Krakowski, Liam Neeson, Rosie O'Donnell, Paul Rudd, Ben Stiller, Kevin Spacey, Barbara Walters, Rachel Weisz and Anna Wintour.
This is what the American media are saying about Billy:
‘THRILLING. NOTHING SHORT OF ASTONISHING!’
Jeffrey Lyons, WNBC News
‘INTOXICATING. AN HONEST TEAR-JERKER TO BE CHERISHED’
Ben Brantley, New York Times
‘SUBLIME. HEAD AND TOE-SHOES ABOVE EVERY OTHER SHOW THIS SEASON’
New York Post
‘A SENTIMENTAL, INSPIRING, THRILLING SHOW THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO RESIST’
Chicago Tribune
‘GRABS YOU BY THE SCRUFF OF YOUR NECK (AND YOUR HEARTSTRINGS)
AND WILL NOT LET GO UNTIL THE FINAL CURTAIN’
Entertainment Weekly
‘EVERYTHING YOU COULD WANT IN A MUSICAL’
Wall Street Journal
‘SERIOUSLY THRILLING AS IT IS DEEPLY LOVABLE’
News Day
‘AMERICAN AUDIENCES HAVE NO TROUBLE CONNECTING WITH THIS BITTERSWEET DUAL CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUALITY. A WINNER’
Variety
‘BILLY ELLIOT IS A SPECTACULAR JUMP FOR JOY OF A MUSICAL.
THIS BIG ELECTRIFYING SHOW IS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY’
MY 9 News
‘IT SOARS, A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT’
Philadelphia Enquirer