Vicki Lewis, Mitchell Tobin, Emily Frazier and Brooke Besikof. Photo by Michael Lamont.

When I was young and naïve, I remember being incredibly confused and disoriented by musical theatre. I had a slight aversion to it. The question was always, “Why are they singing?” It seemed so random, so unrealistic. I never quite understood dance either, being primarily interested in “straight” theatre. As I grew older I began to appreciate it much more, but it is only recently that I have begun to grasp the basic aesthetic theory of dance. For early, unsophisticated me, the question persisted—“Why?”

I found my answer in an explanation of musical theatre from my high school drama teacher, who had a similar question growing up that had been answered by his own drama teacher. He justified the music by asserting that characters sing when they feel an emotion so strongly that they have no other way to express it. I realized this theory could be applied to both vocals and dance when I saw La Mirada’s “Billy Elliot.”

The show is an emotional ballad about Billy (Mitchell Tobin), a young boy growing up during the UK miners’ strike that occurred from 1984-1985, struggling to find his identity and express himself through an important and unexpected discovery—a love of ballet. Billy uses money given to him by his father (David Atkinson) for boxing lessons in order to attend Mrs. Wilkinson’s (Vicki Lewis) ballet class. He falls in love with the art and seeks to go to a ballet school for further training, all before a backdrop of civil unrest and straining protest. His father and older brother, Tony (Stephen Weston), are both heavily involved in the strike, and Billy’s dreams as priority is put into question as he faces economic disadvantages and stigmas surrounding his dancing.

The opening night of the show began with a nod to Noah Parets, who rehearsed with the company until a week before the show, but was forced to step out when he injured his arm in a dress rehearsal. Mitchell Tobin, who played Billy in the second U.S. national tour, took over only days before opening night. 

Had they not made the announcement, no one would have noticed.

SEE ALSO: Theater Review: 'Billy Elliot' At The Pantages

The highlight of the show is a series of fabulous performances from all around, and especially from Tobin. His execution of Dana Solimando’s beautiful choreography is flawless. In particular, there is a dance between Billy and what is ostensibly his future self that is pure aesthetic genius. Stirring both emotionally and intellectually, this pas de deux makes the entire show worth a go simply for its five minutes of stage time, although there’s plenty to see in the rest of the performance. Lewis, Atkinson, and Weston, playing the three most pivotal characters in Billy’s life, were also major standouts. All of the leads put their hearts out on the stage, exposing themselves in a profound way in a show saturated with vulnerable sentiment. 

Stephen Gifford’s scenic design and Steven Young’s lighting design make the production elements of the show just as much of a spectacle as the dance. Scenes transition from location to location fluidly and effortlessly. There is a particular moment near the finale of the show, as a group of miners descend into the mines with only their headlights on, which haunts. It is the sort of image one does not forget upon exiting the theatre.

David Atkinson and Mitchell Tobin. Photo by Michael Lamont.

The most noticeable faults in the show are some compositional issues and troubling choices made by director Brian Kite in the first thirty minutes of the show. There are some group numbers that seem to lack specificity, and a small bit of choreography with a line of police officers that does not add anything to the show and comes off as extremely arbitrary. There are focus problems, particularly during “Shine.” The song is really about Mrs. Wilkinson and features some hilarious choreography with her ballet students, but a spotlight draws attention to Billy throughout the entire number while he does meaningless stage business, drawing focus from the meat of the number. However, these problems only plague the beginning of the show, and there appears more specificity and better execution as the performance goes on.

“Billy Elliot” is overall, an emotional rollercoaster and a masterpiece of performance. Some critics may admonish what they may dub an overwhelming sentimentality in the writing and music of the show, but if an audience walks into the theatre willing to be taken, La Mirada’s production will enthrall, delight, and move. It is a perfect synthesis of ballet and musical theatre that captures the imagination and fuels the spirit. Most of all, it is a touching narrative that reminds us that in a world of economic hardship and social challenges, the thing we cannot allow ourselves to sacrifice is the heart. If we lose our love and our dreams, then we lose every cause worth fighting for.

“Billy Elliot” is playing at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts (14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada) through February 8th. Tickets are $20-$70. For more information, please visit www.LaMiradaTheatre.com

Reach Staff Reporter Ryan David McRee here

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