 | Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John (see photo), and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall (who wrote the film's screenplay). The musical revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes. The story of his personal struggle and fulfilment are balanced against a counterstory of family and community strife caused by the 1980s coal miners' strike. Hall's screenplay was inspired in part by A.J. Cronin's novel, The Stars Look Down, and the musical's opening song is an homage. |
| The musical opened in London's West End in 2005 and was nominated for nine Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four on 26 February 2006. These were best musical, best choreography (Peter Darling), best sound design (Paul Arditti), and best actor(s) in a musical (James Lomas, George Maguire, and Liam Mower). At thirteen, Mower was the youngest actor ever to win the award. They were also the first ever to win the award in a shared capacity. Lomas, Maguire, and Mower also jointly received the Theatre Goers' Choice Award 2005 for The Most Promising Newcomer. Billy Elliot the Musical has also won several other awards: The Evening Standard Award 2005, the Critics' Circle Theatre Award 2005, and the Theatre Goers' Choice Award 2005, all for best British Musical. The success of Billy Elliot the Musical has led to productions in Australia and a forthcoming Broadway production. The Broadway production is scheduled to open at the Imperial Theater on 1 October 2008 in previews and officially on November 13. The London production's creative team will direct and design the Broadway production. The title role is set to be rotated among three young actors, David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik. | |
Sir Elton John brings Billy Elliot to Broadway "Electricity" from Billy Elliot: The Musical performed by Trent, David, & Kiril with Sir Elton John Lyrics: "Electricity" I can't really explain it, I haven't got the words It's a feeling that you can't control I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who you are And at the same time something makes you whole It's like that there's some music playing in your ear And I'm listening, and I'm listening and then I disappear And then I feel a change Like a fire deep inside Something bursting me wide open impossible to hide And suddenly I'm flying, flying like a bird Like electricity, electricity Sparks inside of me And I'm free I'm free It's a bit like being angry, it's a bit like being scared Confused and all mixed up and mad as hell It's like when you've been crying And you're empty and you're full I don't know what it is, it's hard to tell It's like that there's some music playing in your ear But the music is impossible, impossible to hear But then I feel it move me Like a burning deep inside Something bursting me wide open impossible to hide And suddenly I'm flying, flying like a bird Like electricity, electricity Sparks inside of me And I'm free I'm free | |
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