Electricity!

Billy Elliot is amazing. I really want to go see it. It's probably one of my longer-lasting obsessions that has something to do with Musical Theatre. (Other ones include Wicked, RENT, and West Side Story.) I know I already talked about the amazing Liam Mower in a previous post, but I'm not even kidding - every time I watch Electricity, I get chills. It doesn't matter if the boy (or boys, as the case may be) playing Billy are from the West End, Australia, the U.S., or even Korea, the same chills rush up and down my spine. It's a combination of the message of the song, the surge in the music when the dancing begins, the ridiculously amazing spin at the end, and the fact that all this acting, singing, and dancing is being performed by a boy who is around 10 to 14 years old.

This post is mainly a showcase for some of the amazing performances I've come across in the past several months while dying to see the show live. First, once again, Liam Mower, original West End Billy, performing Electricity.



I think this performance is probably stronger than the one I showed previously, for several reasons. First, Liam's a little older, a bit more comfortable in the role and the dancing and performing live. I think I read somewhere that the one I showed before (where he missed his singing cue) was at the very beginning of live performances to promote the show, so he was quite nervous. I this one, he's settled into the character better, and he is more relaxed, so his lines are crisper and more defined. I also really enjoy the performance from the dad in this one - the emotions on his face absolutely make Liam's passion show more.

Next up is the three original Broadway Billy Elliots: Kiril Kulish, David Alvarez, and Trent Kowalik, performing Electricity with Elton John at the Broadway Launch event.



These three boys are amazing, and each has his own style and strengths. I really enjoy Kiril because he is a solid, all-around performer. He can sing, dance, and hold his own in the acting. David, I really enjoy watching because he is such a graceful dancer. His lines and his turns in his ballet are absolutely gorgeous - and little details, like the extensions of his hands and fingers - simply breathtaking. Trent is the tapper. He had already trained in Irish step dancing beforehand, so his Angry Dance is just... so powerful. It also really helps that his cries define and punctuate beats in his performance. This is his performance at the 2009 Tony Awards.

Next up is Leon Cooke, also from the West End, in his performance in the TV show, Anything Will Do, which I probably will talk about at some point, because this series is also incredible. He's a little older than most Billys, so his voice is a bit low, and he's quite a bit taller than most Billys. However, his lines are incredible, and that spin at the end is just great. I think he got to 19, which is quite a few turns compared to most performances I've seen on YouTube.



And this is David Bologna, who is absolutely hysterical as Michael, Billy's friend. He has such great personality and energy, and from the interviews I've seen of him, he seems like a really great kid. These are highlights of his performance of the song Expressing Yourself, opposite David Alvarez's Billy. It's a hoot!



Now, we've come to the section which explains my inspiration for this post: the Korean Billys. First off, I get ridiculously happy when I see Asian Billys. It might have something to do with being Filipino, but who knows? xP Anyway, I remember when I saw that J.P. Viernes was a Billy Elliot, I was seriously spazzing. (Not even kidding, I was like, "Oh my God! There's a Filipino Billy Elliot! YUSSSS!") I wish I could have gone to see him. He was in the touring cast when they came to San Fran last year, but I didn't get to go. I wish watching shows wasn't so expensive, or they all had a $20 lottery for the front rows like I hear RENT used to have.

But anyway, I stumbled across the Korean Billy Elliots while surfing through a bajillion YouTube videos, and they may just be some of my favorites. First up is Ji-myung Lee, who has one of the most heartfelt performances of Electricity that I've ever had the pleasure to watch. He dances the "street" version of the dance, which incorporates more hip-hop inspired moves and gymnastics for those Billys who are perhaps not as experienced with ballet.



His voice is so good, and I can just feel the emotion pouring out from him, even though the tiny little stage makes it quite difficult to do full choreography. He has one of the best voices of all the Billys I've seen. It doesn't even matter that it's not in English. In fact, I think it adds to the story's impact - it truly is a show for all cultures.

And finally, this is Jung Jin Ho, who gives what is possibly the strongest dancing performance of Electricity I've ever seen. His lines and extensions are just... about as close to perfection as you can get in a young boy, or perhaps in anybody. I really don't know - I'm not a dancer. I just love to watch people who can dance.. He is also an incredibly strong singer, and while I may appreciate the emotion of Ji-myung Lee's Billy a bit more, the fact that he has such a strong voice and the a combined version of ballet and "street" for this song makes him one of my favorite Billys of all time.



Seriously! It's like 29 turns at the end!!!! It's amazing! So, on that note, I will conclude my day's worth of obsessing over Billy Elliot. Until next time, then!