Unemployed coal workers trusting the government to reopen their
mines and restore their jobs? No, it’s not the West
Virginians who believe Trump’s campaign promises. It’s the plot of
BILLY ELLIOT, a plucky gem of a musical based on the film of the same name about
striking mine workers in Great
Britain. The 1980s were the Thatcher years
when the “Iron Lady” broke the unions and put 200,000 men out of work. At the
center of one impoverished coal family is a boy who dreams of becoming a dancer
and a dad who expects his sons to follow in his dusty footsteps.
The heroic story of BILLY ELLIOT(@ Wheelock Family Theatre
through Feb. 26th) is a heart wrencher and the remarkable Wheelock
production is packed with show stoppers. Director Susan Kosoff makes every
scene resonate and choreographer Laurel Conrad makes each and every member of
the cast a dazzling dancer, even the miners! Jon Goldberg’s orchestra
transfuses the Elton John/Lee Hall score directly into your blood stream: You
cannot keep from moving to the beat, especially in the anthems—and there’s more than one in this
infectious pop musical.
Billy (the astonishing Seth Judice) fell into dance purely by
mistake. He was supposed to be taking boxing lessons to toughen him up, as he’s
the baby of the family. His mother (a loving Gigi Watson) has died and he’s
trying to cope. Luckily he has a supportive grandmother (a spunky Cheryl D.
Singleton) who, once upon a time, loved to dance, and a best friend (a charming
Shane Boucher) who marches to the beat of a different drum.
Kosoff’s spirited ensemble adds an element of electricity you
don’t often see in such abundance. Every song works like gangbusters. The big
production numbers pay off handsomely and the “small” moments that tug on your
heartstrings will have you reaching for your tissues more than once. The
righteous, pounding Solidarity number weaves together marching strikers,
responding police and little girls in tutus, without collision or confrontation,
in a choreographic feat which would give the Radio City Rockettes pause.
The Wheelock production has a cast of stellar performers,
many of whom headline shows around town. For instance, Aimee Doherty as the
dance teacher who corrals Billy into her class, plays her flinty on the outside
while letting us know she’s pleased to no end to be able to mentor and stand up
for the sweet, talented boy. That means she’s taking on Neil Gustafson as his
stalwart, unyielding father and Jared Troilo as his hot headed, macho brother. Gustafson
has a shattering song about his dead wife, Deep Into The Ground, which
he nails in a heart breaking solo.
Peter S. Adams is another local star who shines as Big Davey,
coalminer, hard-boiled striker and –would you believe, he’s kicking up his
heels in the production numbers! Mark Soucy, too, crisply leads the police in
riot formation, as they parade in the choreographed pandemonium. John Davin, as
well, delivers lots of laughs as the hard-nosed boxing instructor not afraid to
flatten his young charges.
Gary Thomas Ng nearly steals the show in the “boogie” scene
as the stodgy rehearsal pianist who can “shuffle off to Buffalo” with the best of them! Speaking of
scene stealing, a wee actor named Ben Choi-Harris is pretty good at theater
larceny. Lily Ramras gets to play the bratty ballet dancer, daughter of the
teacher and she’s awfully good at it, too. Byron Darden is quite amusing as the
“posh dad” at the big audition and Will Christmann is a standout as the future
Billy.
If you know the musical, you’ll be surprised how well this
tightened version tells the story and you’ll be astonished at what Matthew T.
Lazure has done with a compact set; with Franklin Meissner Jr’s captivating
lighting, with Melissa Miller’s ingenious costumes and most of all, with the
ensemble of players who give it their all.
