{"id":246052,"date":"2013-04-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-04-26T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/out-of-the-ordinary\/"},"modified":"2013-04-26T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-04-26T07:00:00","slug":"out-of-the-ordinary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/out-of-the-ordinary\/","title":{"rendered":"Out of the ordinary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stopping in San Diego for 8 shows, \u2018Billy Elliot the Musical\u2019 addresses universal themes in touching, inspirational production<\/p>\n

Por Antonio Rey | Editor SDUN<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly Elliot the Musical\u201d leaps into San Diego Tuesday, April 30 for a six-day, eight-show run and the show \u2013 adapted from the 2000 film \u201cBilly Elliot\u201d that dealt with, ultimately, being comfortable with being out of the ordinary \u2013 has a special place in the hearts of many.<\/p>\n

\"(l<\/a>
(l to r) Daniel Russell with Patti Perkins as Billy\u2019s Grandmother (Courtesy Billy Broadway LLC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Patti Perkins, a veteran to both theater and the \u201cBilly Elliot\u201d musical, said touring was exciting yet grueling, with each day a complete focus on the show. Perkins has been with the company for three years, or nearly 700 productions, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first year, the tour was a little easier because we sat down in cities \u2026 for three to four weeks,\u201d she said. Now, the company typically stays in cities for one week. \u201cI\u2019m getting tired,\u201d she said, laughing.<\/p>\n

Perkins has a special connection to San Diego, after coming here in 2000 to perform in \u201cThe Full Monty\u201d at The Old Globe Theatre. The show \u2013 and Perkins\u00a0 \u2013 eventually moved to Broadway. For this turn in San Diego, the actress plays Billy\u2019s grandmother, the silent but moving character from the original movie.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very different,\u201d Perkins said of the musical version of her character. Besides having spoken lines, the grandmother character has her own side story that is developed on the stage, including a disappearing youth and abusive husband. The story is played out primarily in the number \u201cGrandma\u2019s Song.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI love my moments just singing the song to the child,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s so fun to do and gratifying.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of those children is actor Drew Minard, who rotates the title role with three other actors aged 12 to 15. Minard was in rehearsals for five weeks in New York City before starting on the tour. During any given week, Minard said he attends regular ballet classes, rehearsals and tutoring.<\/p>\n

Minard said the tour is \u201creally fun\u201d and he does not mind being busy. He gets along with the other actors playing Billy, though he did say it was sometimes difficult on days he does not have to work because most of the cast is on stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re like brothers. We all have the same interests and we get along,\u201d Minard said. His mother also travels with the company, giving Minard another outlet when not working.<\/p>\n

A key point in the show\u2019s arc that Minard said he likes performing is the pas de deux, or ballet sequence between two characters: Billy as a boy and the mature, adult Billy of the future.<\/p>\n

\"Drew<\/a>
Drew Minard (Courtesy Broadway San Diego)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Christopher Howard, who is the understudy for the adult Billy role as well as in the ensemble, spent seven months playing the adult character and said the piece between the two \u201cBillys\u201d was pivotal for the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is very climactic of Billy\u2019s story,\u201d Howard said. \u201cI think that\u2019s that switching over point where he says, \u2018Yes, this is what I want. This is what I\u2019m going to be.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Perkins too said the moment was important, calling it a crowd pleaser and a good example of the imaginative side of the production.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat ballet is totally in [Billy\u2019s] head,\u201d Perkins said. \u201cHis young self is dancing with his old self. It\u2019s gorgeous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another side story key for the recurring theme of acceptance is the relationship between Billy and his friend Michael. While hinted at in the movie, Michael\u2019s sexuality and feelings for Billy are played out fully on the stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have a number together in the show, in the first act, called \u2018Expressing Yourself,\u2019\u201d Howard said. \u201cBilly happens to walk in on Michael as he is trying on his sister\u2019s dress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fast forward to act two, and Michael comes out to Billy. A romantic crush on Michael\u2019s part is explored, and Billy, who is not gay, accepts his friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are certainly not trying to hide who Michael is, and I think that message is important for audiences to see,\u201d Howard said. \u201cThe message itself \u2013 saying there\u2019s nothing wrong with being who you are and being what you want to be \u2013 is really important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working with young actors like Minard and the rest of the cast has been wonderful for both Perkins and Howard. \u201cNot once anywhere has the audience not stood at the end,\u201d Perkins said. \u201cIt just gets to people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets for the San Diego run of \u201cBilly Elliot the Musical\u201d start at $25. The production takes place at the San Diego Civic Theatre, located at 1100 Third Ave., Downtown. For complete show times and tickets visit broadwaysd.com<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stopping in San Diego for 8 shows, \u2018Billy Elliot the Musical\u2019 addresses universal themes in touching, inspirational production By Anthony King | SDUN Editor \u201cBilly Elliot the Musical\u201d leaps into San Diego Tuesday, April 30 for a six-day, eight-show run and the show \u2013 adapted from the 2000 film \u201cBilly Elliot\u201d that dealt with, ultimately, […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":726,"featured_media":246053,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"Out of the ordinary","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11549,11547,11551,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-246052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-features","category-news","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/726"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246052"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246052\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/246053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}