2019 Billy Elliot The Musical - Play Guide by Theatre Calgary

Billy Elliot The Musical 2018-19 Season

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Contents The Basics 3

Cast & Creative Team

Setting

Who’s Who

Synopsis

Musical Numbers Explorations

Strikes, Unions & Maggie

David Sklar Education & Outreach Coordinator

Expressing Yourself with Katelyn Morishita

This play guide is designed to enhance your experience and delve deeper into Billy Elliot The Musical.

Fathers and Sons: What Does it Mean to be a Man?

New Work and Revisals: Getting into the Mind of Stafford Arima

Interesting Facts

Terms to Know

Ballet Terms

A History of Strikes: Three Strikes and You’re Out!

The Play Guide for Billy Elliot The Musical was created by

If you wish to avoid potential spoilers, we recommend enjoying this guide after seeing the production.

Connect with Us Theatre Calgary

Questions? Email dsklar@theatrecalgary.com

@theatrecalgary @theatrecalgary

Conversations

Billy Elliot The Musical is recommended for ages 12+ ADULT LANGUAGE WARNING

220 9 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2G 5C4 403-294-7440 theatrecalgary.com

Further Reading

Billy Elliot Movie Night

Educational Exercises

British Foods & Sweets

Conversation Starters

Sources

Front Cover Illustration: Andrea Ucini

The Basics

The Theatre Calgary production of

Billy Elliot The Musical

Book and Lyrics Lee Hall

Music By Elton John

Originally Directed by Stephen Daldry Orchestrations by Martin Koch Executive Producers (original production) Angela Morrison David Furnish Producers (original production) Tim Bevan Eric Fellner Jon Finn Sally Greene Originally presented in London by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Tiger Aspect. Based on the Universal Pictures/Studio Canal Film. Billy Elliot Dex Drewitz

Michael Coffrey Marc-Ă&#x2030;mile Fallu

Lesley, Ensemble Katelyn Morishita

Tony Elliot Alex Smith

Billy Elliot Rhett Udsen

Clipboard Lady, Ensemble Jillian Hannah

Miner, Ensemble Steven Morton

Tracey, Ballet Girl Julianne Smith

Minerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wife, Ensemble, Dance Captain Amber Bissonnette

Grandma Kathryn Kerbes

George, Ensemble, Fight Captain Kevin Corey Debbie, Ballet Girl Jaya Del Greco Jackie Elliot Dennis Robert Dubbin

Posh Boy, Ensemble Fionn Laird Older Billy, Ensemble Ryan Maschke Mrs. Wilkinson Caitlynne Medrek Mr. Braithwaite (understudy) Glen Mills

Angela, Ballet Girl Robyn Neumann Posh Dad, Ensemble Scott Olynek Dead Mum, Ensemble Michelle Rawlings Mr. Braithwaite, Ensemble Joel Schaefer

Big Davey, Ensemble Connor Suart Julie, Ballet Girl Kelsey Woodard Keeley, Ballet Girl Nicole Woodard Susan, Ballet Girl Siena Yee

Director Stafford Arima

Costume Design Cory Sincennes

Associate Choreographer Brock Jellison

Stage Manager Jennifer Swan

Choreographer Yukichi Hattori

Lighting Design Alan Brodie

Voice & Dialect Coach Jane MacFarlane

Music Director Don Horsburgh

Sound Design Joshua D. Reid

Acting Coach - Billy Braden Griffiths

Asst. Stage Managers Patti Neice Carissa Sams

Set & Projection Design Scott Reid

Associate Music Director Mark Limacher

Fight Director Karl H. Sine

Head of Lighting Catharine Crumb

Head Stage Carpenter Scott Morris

Head of Sound Bronwyn Bowlby

Head Dresser Rachel Michelle Sheridan

Stage Hands Andrew Kerr Eric Hindley

Young Company Chaperone Alixe Edwards

Follow Spot Operator Mike Booth

TC Mentors program Voice & Dialect Alexa Elser Directing Julie Tomaino

RF Technician Chris Jacko

Video Marc Lavallee

Dressers Mollie Eliza Robertson Carley Powell

Apprentice Stage Manager Nicole Olson Grant-Suttie

The Basics

Setting The play takes place in Northern England in Durham County during the 1984-1985 miner’s strike.

Who’s Who Billy Elliot An 11 year boy who turns in boxing gloves for ballet shoes.

Dead Mum Billy’s mom who passed away but visits Billy in his imagination throughout the show.

Mrs. Wilkinson A ballet teacher who encourages Billy to dance.

Older Billy A grown-up Billy.

Jackie Elliot Billy’s father, a miner.

Mr. Wilkinson Mrs. Wilkinson’s husband.

Tony Elliot (Brother) Billy’s older brother, a miner.

Michael Coffrey Billy’s friend.

Grandma Billy’s grandmother who suffers from dementia.

Posh Boy A boy auditioning for the Royal Ballet School.

Big Davey A miner.

Ensemble/Clipboard Lady A woman who works for the Royal Ballet School.

George The boxing teacher.

Ensemble/Lesley A miner.

Debbie Mrs. Wilkinson’s daughter who also attends her mom’s ballet classes and has a crush on Billy.

Male Ensemble Dancers.

Mr. Braithwaite A pianist.

Ballet Girls Local girls who attend Mrs. Wilkinson’s classes.

The Basics

Synopsis ACT ONE The play begins with the miners in town celebrating going on strike with a song (The Stars Look Down). Billy and his friend, Michael, have trouble understanding what all the fuss is about. In the Elliot house, Dad is getting breakfast ready for his family. While Billy is alone, an apparition of his dead mom enters and fondly reprimands Billy for drinking milk out of the bottle. She reminds him to fetch his things and in the blink of an eye, vanishes. Billy arrives late to his boxing class, and George, the coach, forces Billy into a match with Michael. Billy is forced to stay late to work on his punches and instructed to give the hall keys to Mrs. Wilkinson, the dance teacher. Billy tries to hand off the keys, but Mrs. Wilkinson pulls Billy into her lesson and tells him he’s good but needs work and expects to see him back next class (Shine). Uncertain of how he got roped into all of this, Billy starts to dance by himself. Back home, Grandma tells Billy about her dancing days with his grandfather and informs Billy what a horrible man her husband really was (Grandma’s Song). Billy returns to ballet class and struggles to catch up with the rest of the girls, while the striking miners begin to clash with the riot police. Tension escalates through a song (Solidarity) until Dad catches Billy in class. In a fit of rage, Dad forbids Billy from attending. Mrs. Wilkinson tells Billy that she thinks he has enough talent to audition for the Royal Ballet School in London and with her help they can work together, in secret. Billy decides to visit Michael for advice. To Billy’s surprise, he finds Michael wearing a dress. At first uncertain of what to make out of this situation, Billy agrees to try on some of Michael’s sister’s outfits. Michael tells Billy that he feels good wearing women’s clothing and thinks that everyone should express themselves individually (Expressing Yourself). Back home, Billy walks in on his brother, Tony, sneaking out of the house with a crowbar to attack the riot police. Dad stops Tony by knocking him to the floor. Upset, Billy runs to the dance hall and shows Mrs. Wilkinson a note from his mom that she wrote to him before she died. In it she tells Billy to, “Always be yourself…and you will always be true” (The Letter). With help from Mrs. Wilkinson and the pianist, Mr. Braithwaite, Billy prepares for his audition (We Were Born To Boogie). The next day Billy finds George, Big Davy, Dad and Tony in the kitchen. Tony is bleeding and Billy tries to leave the house, but Dad refuses to let him go since there are riot police everywhere. Mrs. Wilkinson arrives at the house stating that they’re about to miss the audition. Tony, annoyed, grabs Billy and tells him to dance for everyone. When Billy refuses, Tony tells Mrs. Wilkinson to get lost. Another miner, Lesley, rushes in and tells everyone to hide as the riot police are rummaging their way through town. Billy tells Dad that his mom would’ve let him dance, to which Dad replies, “Your mam’s dead.” Billy goes to his room and lashes out by dancing and then runs to the policemen, tries to attack them, but collapses to the ground (Angry Dance).

The Basics

Synopsis (continued) ACT TWO Six months pass and the miners are putting on a Christmas show to raise badly needed funds (Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher). Dad gets up and sings his wife’s favorites song (Deep Into the Ground) and Billy joins in at the end. Billy and Michael, alone, share a beer and Michael admits that he is happy that Billy has given up ballet because Michael would miss Billy if he went away. Michael kisses Billy, and while Billy is taken aback, he keeps Michael’s secret. Michael tries to get Billy to show him some ballet moves, but Billy is too worried about what his Dad would think. However, alone, Billy turns on the tape player and an older apparition of Billy dances with him. Dad walks in and sees his son dancing. Dad goes to Mrs. Wilkinson and asks whether she thinks Billy is good enough to succeed at the audition. She tells him he has a chance and can arrange to get Billy to be seen in London. Dad, worried that he can’t even afford to provide bus fare for the trip, leaves discouraged. Dad, humiliated, crosses the picket line. Tony confronts him, telling him that he can’t give up but Dad wants to get Billy out of town (He Could be A Star). The two men almost come to blows, but Billy breaks them up and gets hit himself. Big Davey confesses that this infighting is tearing the miners apart and they should come together to support Billy. The miners donate money but unfortunately it isn’t enough so some scabs (workers who cross the picket line) come in and offer the rest of the needed funds. Tony, tries to reject their money but no one else sides with him. Enraged, Tony runs off while Dad and Billy leave for the Royal Ballet School. While waiting for Billy to finish his audition, a Glaswegian (Someone from the city of Glasgow) chats with Dad and tells him that his father wasn’t supportive of his dance career and suggests to Dad to, “Get right behind your boy.” In the audition room, Billy is asked to do a few routine moves and then thanked for his time. Fearing that the audition didn’t go well, he gets upset and punches a boy. Billy and Dad are sent before the panel of judges and reprimanded for the assault. One of the panelists asks Billy what he feels when he is dancing and Billy sings a song (Electricity). Afterwards, they return home. The ongoing strike is hitting the town hard. A letter arrives for Billy and he tells his family that he didn’t get in but Tony sees the letter and realises that Billy has in fact been accepted. The celebrations are cut short as George informs the family that the strike is over, and that they have lost. Billy admits to his grandma that he is scared to leave. Billy says goodbye to Mrs. Wilkinson as the miners return to work, knowing that they won’t be employed for much longer (Once We Were Kings). Billy says his goodbyes to Tony and Dad and sees his mom appear, telling her that he can finally move on (The Letter - Reprise). Michael calls out to Billy and Billy gives him a friendly goodbye kiss. The entire cast returns to the stage to celebrate Billy’s bright future (Finale).

Cosmic Dancer

Is it wrong to understand The fear the dwells inside a man? What’s it like to be a loon? I liken it to a balloon

Musical Numbers ACT 1 Overture – Miners The Stars Look Down – Company Shine – Mrs. Wilkinson, Ballet Girls Grandma’s Song – Grandma Solidarity – Mrs. Wilkinson, Miners, Ballet Girls, Police, Ensemble Expressing Yourself – Michael, Billy, Ensemble The Letter – Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy, Dead Mum We Were Born to Boogie – Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy, Mr. Braithwaite Angry Dance – Billy ACT 2 Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher – George, Ballet Girls, Miners, Ensemble Deep Into the Ground – Jackie, Billy, Ensemble He Could Be a Star – Jackie Tony, Big Davey, Ensemble Electricity – Billy Once We Were Kings – Company The Letter (Reprise) – Billy, Dead Mum Finale – Company MUSICIANS Music Director & Keyboard 1– Don Horsburgh Associate Music Director, Keyboard 2 – Mark Limacher Reed 1 (Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo) – Jeremy Brown Reed 2 (Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute) – Richard Harding Reed 3 (Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone) – Cedric Blary Trumpet 1 (Cornet, Flugelhorn, Trumpet) – Jim Murray Trumpet 2 (Cornet, Flugelhorn, Trumpet) – Leanne Paisley Horn – Douglas Umana Euphonium, Trombone – Dave Reid Guitars, Banjo – Neil McVey Bass – Jeremy Coates Drums – Jeff Fafard Orchestra Contractor – Dave Reid Subs: Reed 1 – Gerry Hebert Reed 2 – Mike Gardner Reed 3 – Barbara Hume Horn – Boris Bonchev Euphonium, Trombone – Alden Lowrey Keyboard 2 – Willy Joosen

Explorations

Strikes, Unions, and Maggie Billy Elliot The Musical takes places during the real-life yearlong miner’s strike that severely affected thousands of workers and shaped British history. The strike ran from March 6th 1984 to March 3rd 1985 and Stephen Daldry, the director of Billy Elliot The Movie, is stated as saying, “It’s not possible to exaggerate how close Britain came to civil war.2” The strike had been building for years as coal became less profitable, unemployment rose dramatically, and the government was looking for ways to privatize most of British industry. The British mining industry was a strong and powerful force in the UK for the first half of the 20th century. It was established in 1888 and became The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1945, with a total labor force of 250,000 people. Since 1947, the coal industry was owned and operated by the government and the miners felt that they were an essential part of keeping the country running. “The profits and the use of that resource were commonly held, just like a library or school,” says lyricist Lee Hall, who grew up in a coalmining town in Northeast England, similar to where Billy Elliot takes place. After World War Two, demand for coal began to wane as nuclear energy and foreign oil took precedence. Some mines began to close which forced workers to head north to the Midlands and Yorkshire regions in England. Some strikes occurred in 1972 and 1974 both over wages and overtime. A state of emergency was declared and a three-day work week was imposed. The government was hoping that the British people would vilify the miners for the disruptions but instead the public blamed the government and the prime minister was forced to back down.

In 1979, Margaret Thatcher was elected prime minister and learning her lesson from the previous government’s handling of the strikes, gave the miners a 9.3 percent raise which increased productivity. This, in turn, allowed coal to be overproduced and the government began stockpiling coal and oil for the all but guaranteed future strikes. A secret document called, The Ridley Report advocating “train(ing) and equip(ing) a large, mobile squad of police, ready to employ riot tactics in order to uphold the law against violent picketing3.” was supported by the Thatcher government. Due to the oversupply of coal, Thatcher started shutting mines and from 1981 to 1984, some 41,000 jobs were lost. For some towns, the coal industry was the beating heart of the community and when the mines closed, the towns died. According to Lee Hall, Thatcher wanted to, “Reduce the political influence of trade unions.” In 1982, Arthur Scargill, a politically leftleaning miner, was elected president of the NUM. Scargill was a vocal opponent of the Thatcher government and its policies of privatization. In a closed-door meeting, Thatcher was heard referring to the union leaders as “The enemy within” which helped Scargill galvanize the movement. However, he failed to grasp the consequences of the government’s six-month energy stockpile and made a misstep starting the strike at the end of winter when demand for coal was at its lowest. He also backed a “No” vote for a national strike, hoping that there would be a domino effect throughout the country. However, in places like Northern Wales, miners continued to operate under police protection.

The 1984 Miners’ strike: The History Behind Billy Elliot the Musical”. https://www.dpacnc.com/news/detail/the_1984_miners_strike_the_history_behind_billy_elliot_the_musical. Oct 2010.

Explorations continued from previous page The strike lasted a year with 142,000 miners on the picket lines. Many towns and villages suffered extreme hardships and there were violent clashes between the strikers and the riot police. Two picketers, David Jones and Joe Green, were killed in separate incidents and three teenagers died when picking coal from a garbage bin in the winter. Overall, 11,291 people were arrested, mostly for breach of the peace or obstructing roads while picketing, of whom 8,392 were charged and between 150 to 200 people were imprisoned. Two major groups that grew out of the strikes were The Women Against Pit Closures and The Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners organization. Women, historically on the sidelines of union activities, brought attention to women and family needs and were credited with bringing a feminist voice to industrial disputes. On August 11th 1984, 23,000 women silently marched past 10 Downing Street, residence of Prime Minister Thatcher. Wearing black scarves and black flowers in memory of the two strikers killed, they averted their eyes from Thatcher in a sign of contempt. In addition, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) launched when NUM’s funds were confiscated by the government and organizations were told to “twin” with a mining town as a way for the money to reach the families. LGSM raised over 11,000 pounds (equivalent 56,000 dollars today) and began to make frequent visits to the mining towns. This exchange and sharing between the communities, not normally thought to be on the same side, became a turning point in LGBT rights in the UK. Miner groups became vocal supporters of the LGBT community and some of their strongest allies in opposing Section 28, an anti-LGBT UK bill tabled in 1988 that was against, “Promoting the teaching in any…school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.4”

Public support for the strike began to shift throughout the year. According to British political writer, John Campbell, “Though there was widespread sympathy for the miners… there was remarkably little public support for the strike, because of Scargill’s method.5” In July 1984, public support for the miners was at 33 percent. Five months later, that number dropped to 25 percent. When the public was asked whether they approve or disapprove of the tactics used in the strike, 79 percent disapproved in July 1984 and that number only increased to 88 percent in December 1984. The NUM, losing public support and out of funds, voted to return to work on March 3, 1985. The miners were defeated, and the political power of the NUM and the British labour movement in general was severely reduced. What was left of the British coal industry was privatized in December 1994. The 1994 European Union inquiry into poverty classified the town of Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, as the poorest settlement in the country and one of the poorest in the EU. The last deep coal mine in the UK, Kellingley Colliery, known locally as “The Big K” closed permanently on December 18, 2015, bringing an end to centuries of deep coal mining. Today, Britain imports the majority of its coal. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, cities and regions at the heart of the dispute voted by a majority to leave. Scargill, a supporter of leaving the EU, said that the Brexit vote presented an opportunity to re-open the coal mines. While talks of opening a new mine were discussed in 2018, none of the deep coal mines have reopened. The strike was considered by the BBC to be “The most bitter industrial dispute in British history” and the journalist Seumas Milne said of the strike, “It has no real parallel – in size, duration and impact – anywhere in the world.”

Local government Act 1988. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/9/contents.

UK Miners’ Strike” (1984-1985)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_miners%27_strike_(1984%E2%80%9385) Jan 2019.

Explorations

Expressing Yourself with Katelyn Morishita

Interview by David Sklar

Katelyn was born and raised in Brooks, Alberta. Her father is mayor of Brooks. She always knew she wanted to be in the arts. She took acting classes at Company of Rogues and attended SAIT for business. She has owned and operated a concession/kitchen in Brooks for the past four and half years. She considered herself to be the worst cook you’ve ever met in your life. I sat down with Katelyn to chat about her upcoming Theatre Calgary debut. What attracted you to acting? Why did you choose this profession? I’ve always loved to perform. I grew up in a household where there was lots of singing and dancing. My parents still own a karaoke and DJ business. My mom was actually an opera singer and I remember thinking that my mom was the most beautiful when she sang. I always wanted to be a part of that. My parents were really great about letting me pick what I was interested in but once I chose it, I had to follow through with it. When it concerned the arts, I was always happy to stick with it. I feel like this is something you are born wanting to do. It’s in your heart and blood. In school, I would write plays and attend drama classes. When I finally could move to the big city, I wanted to follow that dream. If I am having the worst day ever, I find I can still haul myself out of bed for a rehearsal and I will be excited to do so. But I also wanted to gain entrepreneur experience so that is why I went to pursue my business degree. This will be your first time on the TC stage. What are you excited by? Challenged by? I’m so excited to be working with Theatre Calgary. This has always been a big dream of mine. I look

forward to seeing people who have been doing this for a lot longer than me - to watch and grow from them. It’ll be such a rewarding experience. I am also very nervous working with a new company. It’s good nerves but hopefully I can keep up. You joined TC for its inaugural Broadway Dreams last summer. What did you learn from them? It was such an amazing experience. To be surrounded by so much talent and you get to share the things you are most passionate about with people who feel the same way. We learned to focus on our goals and what we were looking for which felt like fireworks each day. Stafford Arima (Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary) said, “Your Broadway dreams don’t necessarily mean you have to make it to Broadway. It can be establishing yourself right here in Calgary. Or even finding you don’t necessarily want to be acting, you want to try directing.” It was about delving into what you really wanted and what will inspire you which led me to venture out and try assistant directing for Confederation Theatre’s production of The French Kiss Off. For Broadway Dreams, it was so intense, you learned so much about yourself in such a supportive environment but it also got you into a professional mindset. Sometimes rehearsals are all “Go, go, go!”

and that means you have to have already put the time and work in beforehand. Once we went home, we had to work and rehearse. Some people say that was a sacrifice. I don’t see it that way. This was a way to train and educate us. If you want to make it in this business that is what you have to do. I also loved all the stories from past performers, choreographers and directors. I appreciated how they leveled with us and had time to talk to us one-on-one. It was an open environment to ask questions and take risks. Sometimes you don’t get that opportunity. I left feeling so inspired, it just lit a fire under me. I feel like I really took off. You have an extensive background in musical theatre from working with The Canadian Badlands Passion Play to Storybook Theatre to Birnton Theatricals. How have these past experiences helped prepare you for this production? I think it’s always great to work with different companies because everyone operates differently and you have to be prepared for what comes at you. It all stems from your own self-discipline. How can you prepare as best as you can to be the most successful in the room? I have been blessed by wonderful experiences but they all operate in their own way. I’m hoping that 12

my past experiences will help me ease into it-to be as prepared as I possibly can and go with the flow.

What are the most important features for an actor to possess in order to be successful?

I have also been working on my voice, and dancing is something I want to work on. A friend of mine, who is also in the show, and I are doing research on the movements of the piece to better understand more of the time and setting.

Kindness. Something that I learned this past year is that every single person is talented. But not everyone is necessarily nice. I would much rather work with someone who might take longer to learn something or is having a hard time harmonizing, but if they’re wonderful to work with, that makes it much easier. I want to make sure I am kind, compassionate and patient with my peers. Also, it’s super important to keep up with your craft. Never get comfortable. Constantly be scared, grow, and learn new things because this is an industry where the more you know the better off you will be. And have some fun.

What has been your favorite role to play? What is your dream role? My favorite role was the dragon in Shrek. I was the voice but I loved singing that song so much. We had an amazing team of actors moving this giant dragon puppet on stage. I was so excited and nervous each night. My dream role is…I don’t know. To be honest, my dream role would be to be part of something that has never been seen before and to be the first person to play that role. I try as hard as I can, when I get cast, to never YouTube or Google anything on the character. I want to make it my own and not even subconsciously make choices I wouldn’t have made on my own. I would love to be part of brand new script, written by a local playwright.

If you could do one “do-over” in your life. What would it be? When I first moved to the city, I would have liked to put my head down and focus a bit more. I got really excited moving out of a small town and got sidetracked about what I was originally here for. But I don’t know if I would do it over again because it took those lessons to learn that it really does require hard work and discipline to do what

I wanted to do. If I had gotten roles right away, I don’t know if I would have appreciated it as much in the long term. What are you most proud of? I am feel most proud of who I am in this moment. Is that cheesy? I feel like I have learned so much about who I am this past year through theatre and personal issues. I am starting to be grounded and that is the most rewarding feeling. To be confidant where I’m going and who I’m becoming. I just want to be a positive force in the world. What is your greatest fear? Freezing on stage. The older I get the worse the fear. When I was younger I thought, I’ll just improv if that happens, but now, it’s a scarier feeling. How do you want to be remembered? As being kind and humble. I’ve lost quite a few people this year and you learn you’re not invisible. I try as much as I can to give people I see a hug. I always say, “I love you” to my family even if we are fighting. I want to remember the good memories.

Explorations

Fathers and Sons: What Does it Mean to Be A Man? The events surrounding Dad and Billy’s life shed light on some of the great challenges men face when confronting their own masculinity. The continuous conflict between father and son, represent how we as a society sometime see men and the pressure they are under in order to conform to certain norms and beliefs. As Billy and Dad learn to bond despite their differences we, as the audience begin to witness news pathways and options available to other boys and men. Traditional masculinity and how to “Be a Man” is on display throughout the play. Most of the men in the play work in the mine: a physically demanding and dangerous career. That is what is expected of them. Passing on that tradition from father to son is considered a noble endeavour. Tony, Billy’s older brother, has begun to take up the mantle and Billy should be next in line. However, once Billy is exposed to ballet, he is set on a different course. When first expressing interests in dance, he is apprehensive and worried about how he will be perceived by others. He knows he should enjoy boxing, a “manly” sport. Ballet is looked down upon and considered a blow to one’s own masculinity. As there are no other boys in the dance class, he is literally on his own.

telling him, “You’re a waste of space since Mam died.” Dad is losing control of his children and he doesn’t know how to handle it. This is further evident at the Christmas party when he mournfully sings his wife’s favourite song. He is unable to verbalize emotions that are clearly pent-up inside of him. Billy likewise struggles with his own conceptions of masculinity. Already perceptive to the misconception that only ‘poufs,’ a derogatory word for a homosexual, do ballet, he is worried how he will be regarded in his small town. That is why he dances in secret. He doesn’t want his masculinity to be questioned and derided. When he sees his friend, Michael, dressing up in girls’ clothing, he is shocked but surprisingly accepting. He even agrees to dress up with Michael as a way to bond in friendship. Michael, firmly latching onto Billy’s mother’s key message of “Always be yourself,” allows Billy to begin to understand the importance of staying true to who you are. As Billy starts navigating what it means to be his own man for the first time in his life, he sees that there is a whole spectrum open on how to express yourself, rather than being boxed-in to his father’s opinions. In addition, Billy’s Grandma reveals that she used to go dancing when she was younger and that dance was a space where they “Were free…from the people we had to be,” This message connects Billy’s desire to dance to personal freedom. He can dance and learn to be graceful and express his masculinity in a non-conventional approach. Moreover, when Michael kisses him, Billy neither recoils nor shames his friend but keeps Michael’s secret. When Billy is about to leave for London, he returns the kiss in public, as an act of friendship and solidarity. At this moment, Billy shows his maturity and security in his masculinity.

It’s a story we all knowsomeone trying to express themselves

When Dad finds out about Billy’s secret, he goes into a rage. According to Dad’s beliefs, boys shouldn’t be interested in dance, they should want to punch objects and people. Boxing requires focused energy and alertness. But, so too does dance. Dad’s rage and sternness also reflects how other people will perceive his son and by extension, himself. Since losing his wife two years before, he has had to play both father and mother to Billy and appears to be struggling at both. He is worried about how he will support his family while on strike since he can no longer “bring home the bacon.” Without a secure income, Dad is under immense pressure and begins to wrestle with his own insecurities concerning his manliness. This is reinforced when Dad and Tony almost come to blows with Tony

When Dad sees there is only one way out for Billy to make it in an uncertain Britain, he is stuck between his loyalty to his son and loyalty to his beliefs. Since he can’t even afford the bus ticket to London, he is faced with a harrowing internal conflict to cross the picket 14

When it appears that Billy will not get into The Royal Ballet School, he is asked by one of the panelists, “What does it feel like when you’re dancing?” He doesn’t yet have the words to articulate the meaning it gives him, so he expresses it in song. “…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.”

Hugues Merle. The Scarlet Letter. 1861. Oil on canvas. Walters Art Museum, Baltimore

lines and become a scab. This brings him into direct confrontation with Tony, who believes the town should take importance over a child’s desires. Tony, like his father, tends to resort to anger in order to deal with his pain. Luckily, they are able to find a compromise with the financial help from the town. This small but indispensable act is a demonstration of unified masculinity. When a scab offers the remaining required funds, Tony takes this as an affront to his role as protector over Billy. Tony needs his money to be acknowledged and can’t handle his efforts being overshadowed by “Traitors”. When Tony leaves in a fury, the scab’s money is joined together with the striker’s funds. Perhaps in a different setting, Dad would also refuse the money. However, out of options, Dad swallows his pride in order to help Billy who has less of an understanding what taking the money actually means.

Continued from previous page

Explorations

This is the first time Billy has the ability to express what dance means to him and he is not only expressing this to the panelists, he is communicating this to his father. There is a bond created, man to man, which allows Dad to hear Billy for the first time. They are able to share this moment together and thus grow closer and stronger.

New Work and Revisals: Getting into the Mind of Stafford Arima

Despite the familial solidarity, the strike is lost. The mine will eventually close and Dad and Tony will be left to fend for themselves. When the miners, returning to work and sing, (Once We Were Kings), they are referring to their secure past and now uncertain future. Their position in society is being torn away and they are uncertain how to see themselves, especially as men. Billy is symbolized as the hope for his family as well as the town. Despite coming from two different points of view, Dad and Billy are able to create a loving and supportive relationship. Dad has swelled with pride in Billy succeeding because that means he has succeed as a father. Will all this mean a smooth road ahead for Dad and Billy? It’s impossible to say, but we are at least left with an understanding that father and son, man and young adult, have seen one another as individuals expressing their hopes and dreams. “We owe it to the next generation to create a world where it is possible for the Billy Elliot’s as yet unborn to have a chance to succeed and flourish rather than to be fed to the machine which grinds us into identical pieces only fit for consumption. If Billy Elliot conveys any message at all I hope it is that it is possible to fight back and resist and it is possible to move on without forgetting where you come from”. (Lee Hall)

What first sparked your love of theatre? I was eleven years old and I saw Andrew Lloyd Webbers’ Evita at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. I knew nothing of the theatre, Webber or Eva Peron but my mother was an avid theatre fan and we were in Los Angeles for a vacation. She pulled me to this matinee which I didn’t want to go to. Like most eleven year olds, I wanted to be at Universal Studios. But then the house lights dimmed, we were in the last row in the balcony and all of a sudden the music started. I remember that everyone looked like ants running around the stage because we were so far back. That was when the theatre bug bit. I became an avid audience member. I loved experiencing live theatre; it wasn’t that I wanted to be an actor, singer or director- I guess it was in my blood that I wanted to perform. I pursued acting up until I got into York University. From there, I made the decision to focus on directing. I think I was an ok actor, I mean, I could act, but wasn’t ever going to be the actor who would melt into the character, and lose 100 pounds or gain 20 pounds of muscle. Those are the kind of actors that intrigue and fascinate me. So at university, I decided to pursue directing. You have an extensive background in musical theatre. What is it about musical theatre that resonates with you? Since the first piece I saw was a musical, I have always been drawn to music, singers and singing. I can’t sing but when I was four years old I saw my first movie musical, Funny Lady with Barbra Streisand. From a young age, I was intrigued by movies like The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. Then I branched out, buying records by people like Julie Andrews. When I fell in love with theatre adding music created a natural passion for musical theatre. What is your hope for the future of Theatre Calgary? Why leave New York for the blistering winters of Calgary? The most important ingredient for a company that is entering its second half century is that it continues to expand, evolve and redefine itself. Theatre Calgary has always been a company that has shared a balanced season. It has an overview of classics, musicals, contemporary, established plays and new works. In the past 11 years, while under Dennis Garnhum, there was always new work being 16

produced. Maybe not three works in one season but with his time here, there were seven new shows. I think it’s important to plant the seed with our audiences that Theatre Calgary is a place that not only produces the good ol’ chestnuts but where you might see something brand new. My hope and goal is that as we move into the next few years we keep expanding new works. We have a responsibility as a cornerstone arts institution in this country to replenish the canon of plays and musicals. There has to be new voices we can share that may become the next classic. You are a big believer in new works. What are some of the risks and rewards of staging new material? The risks are that since a new work is an untapped and unknown commodity, people tend to bring a reticence or cynicism rather than an openness. But the reward is that an audience can experience something that has never been seen on earth. It’s like you’re tasting a fruit or vegetable that has never been tried before. To experience a work of art that is being birthed right in front of you is a privilege and honour. Some might say, “I don’t know it,

so give me what I know.” That is unfortunate because whatever company it is, be it Apple, Starbucks or Theatre Calgary, any successful company that is still in existence, changes, grows and evolves. There are the standard items you can get at a Starbucks like a black coffee, but when you look at how they change their brand and what they offer, it’s because they don’t want to be irrelevant and static. You talk about how you see life in five acts. Which is the most challenging? All of them. Without challenges and a certain amount of obstacles in your way, it’s too easy. If I came to Calgary at the height of the boom, it would have been exciting and adventurous but it wouldn’t be as challenging. As a director, I’m drawn to works that are aren’t necessarily easy. If you look at the majority of the work that I have done, it’s been either new works or something I call “revisals,” which is taking something and relooking at it. It’s easier to do a classic play that already has a Governor General’s award or a Pulitzer Prize and put your own spin on it. New works are so exciting because it’s being built, formed and explored in front of an audience.

What is one of the most important features for an actor to possess in order to be successful? Commitment. You have to be committed to the art form. Some would disagree with me in the following comment. When you say, “I want to be an actor, a writer, a designer and a dramaturg,” that gets tricky. It’s true, we can possess the potential to be multiple things. You can be a surgeon and an actor. However, if you really want to be an actor, if your dream is to be on Broadway or a hit Netflix show, to get there takes a lot of commitment. If you are committed to that goal it will happen. It happened to me. I had only one focus which was, “I want to direct.” At some point, I was in New York directing. You are the artist adviser of Broadway Dreams. Why is that organization important to you? What do you want people to get out of the program? Broadway Dreams brings me such joy. The performers are either dancers who want to learn to sing or singers who want to learn to dance or actors who want to do both. They love the art form and we 17

Continued from previous page provide the ability to make them triple threats in acting, singing and dancing. I laugh when people say being in musicals is easy. Try it! What I love most is that our founder, Annette Tanner, offers incredible support and she will move mountains for her students. In addition to that, she believes in giving a real-world experience for the students. We’re not going to give everyone gold stars and say, “You’re going to Broadway.” If you come in and your audition is less than stellar, you may just be in the back for the showcase. That’s not because you’re untalented but there may have been someone else who came in and was a better performer. You can’t think, “Well, I’m in Broadway Dreams, what about my solo?” That’s not how it works on Broadway. We try to give the students the experience of what it would be like to work on a show in New York. You’re given a short amount of time to learn a dance number and you better learn it. Five or ten years ago, a dancer didn’t have to worry about singing. But there are 500 people going out for the same role now. The costs are higher, cast sizes are shrinking and that puts more pressure on the performer. We have seen students auditioning who not only can kick their leg over their head but perform Shakespeare while singing a high C at the same time. Billy Elliot The Musical is a story about being true to yourself and expressing yourself. Why is the story something that needs to be told today? We still live in a society where we sometimes live in fear of being who we are. Who we are doesn’t only refer to sexuality. It’s about as simple as, “My parents want me to

be an accountant or take over the family business but I just want to open flower shop.” The pressure that the world and family puts on us can translate to what school we go to, who we date, who we marry, what kind of job we get etc. We are conditioned by our society or by the media on what is right or wrong, good or bad, what you should or shouldn’t do. It’s important to be able to celebrate individuality the way Billy does. He discovers that he really doesn’t want to be a boxer and sees a bunch of girls in tutus. It accelerates a passion in him. It opens a door of possibility for him. For me, that is inspirational. I love this musical because it celebrates the “You in you.” What has been your favourite show that you’ve directed? Carrie was very special because I had seen the original Broadway production, which was considered the biggest flop in Broadway history. Nowadays, bullying is such a big topic. Kids are being killed in high school because they’re gay. There was kid in Florida who sent a valentine’s card to another boy and the next day the boy who received the card killed him. I was thinking, “I was never bullied to that degree.” I thought about all these kids. I then thought about Carrie and how she was bullied because she was also different; she had telekinetic powers.

in many ways to make that dream become a reality. That is why Carrie was special. I was surrounded by people saying, “You can’t, this is not possible, no one will allow you, etc.” I just kept saying, “Why not?” What do you feel most proud of? Career sustainability. I’m turning 50 this year and I’ve been doing this a long time. From 1992 on, I’ve only worked in the theatre and I’m still learning. I’m proud to look back and say, “How did I survive New York for 20 years?” I was a freelance director and I had to hustle my way to the next gig. That’s something to be proud of. What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this job? If I left the theatre, I would open up a space of healing and get all my friends to design the spa. Find the best reiki, acupuncturists and massage therapists. Have an area for people who are suffering from illnesses or a place where they could mediate. I love healing and helping people.

We talked about an actor’s commitment. I really do believe in the line that Mariah Carey sings, “Make it happen!” That’s a philosophy that I believe we as humans have to apply more into our lives. Not just as actors or directors. If you want something, make it happen. Not like in the book, The Secret, where you just close your eyes and dream about a Mercedes Benz and it arrives. No, but if you want a Mercedes, you could work 18

Explorations

Interesting Facts Billy Elliot The Musical has been staged on Broadway, as well as in London, Australia, Canada and South Korea. The North American touring production, which began in 2010, finished its run in August 2013 but countless other productions have been shown in Italy, Norway, Estonia, Israel, as well as in Brazil, the first time Billy Elliot played in South America. Lee Hall came up with the idea of Billy Elliot The Movie while soaking in the bathtub. Billy Elliot was inspired by the real life story of Sir Thomas Allen, born in Durham County. Allen was gifted with a beautiful singing voice and encouraged by his physics teacher. Uncertain of how to help Allen, the teacher brought Allen to a music professor at Durham University who in turn arranged for the boy to attend an interview at the Royal College of Music in London. Allen later became an international baritone star performing all around the world. Jamie Bell, who originated the role of Billy in the movie, took ballet and other dance classes while in school, which caused him to be ridiculed by his peers. He used those experiences an inspiration while playing Billy. When Elton John saw the movie, he knew he wanted to turn it into a staged musical. When he proposed this idea to Lee Hall, who wrote the screenplay, Hall thought it was, “The worst idea in the world.” Luckily Hall was won over and even decided to write the lyrics to the musical. In the Calgary production, there are not one but two Billys. Each actor alternates on different nights. You could come twice and see the different interpretations of each Billy. Due of the great demands on the actor playing Billy: He must sing, act and dance throughout the show, one of the first Billy’s to interpret the role in the UK, Liam Mower, actually threw up in a bucket because it was so physically demanding. The Hungarian State Opera cancelled a run of Billy Elliot last year when media outlets close to Prime Minister Orbán called the show propaganda and prompting a, “deviant way of life.” In 2014, the Royal Ballet School indicated having a “Billy Elliot” effect. For the first time, there were more boys attending than girls. 112 boys to 109 girls1. The likely reason was the removal of the negative stereotype of young men wanting to dance from the musical to TV shows like X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent.

Hoyle, Antonia. “Why are there now more boys at ballet schools than girls? The ‘Billy Elliot’ effect sees young males become the ‘crème de la crème’ of the dancing world”. https://www. dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3356888/The-Billy-Elliot-effect-sees-young-males-creme-dela-creme-dancing-world.html. Dec 2015. 1

Explorations

Terms to Know Nationalization The transfer of a major branch of industry from private to state ownership or control. Privatization The transfer of industry from public to private ownership and control. 1. Maggie Thatcher A nickname for Margaret Thatcher who was the British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. She was the first female Prime Minister to hold that office. She was dubbed, “The Iron Lady,” for her politics and leadership style. She believed that trade unions were harmful to the public and fought to cut 20,000 mining jobs. Scab A derogatory term for a strikebreaker — people who report for work during a strike at their company, or people who temporarily take the jobs of those on strike. Billy’s older brother Tony reports, “There were 2,000 police taking six scabs to work.” Cush Excellent. Bairn A child. Purloined To steal something. Mank Disgusting. Knickers Women’s underwear. Bugger off Get lost or go away.

Pasty A baked pastry made by placing uncooked fillings, typically meat and vegetables and sealed before baking. Bollocks An exclamation used to express contempt or annoyance. It can mean “nonsense!” “Geordie you’re a corker” Geordie is a nickname for a person from Northeast England, as well as the name of the region’s dialect. “Geordie you’re a corker” is a phrase the police sing in the song “Solidarity.” 2. Shirley Bassey Welsh singer who became a pop star in the 1950s and recorded the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Moonraker (1979). 3. Margot Fonteyn Considered one of the greatest dancers of her time. She spent her entire career with the Royal Ballet. When Mrs. Wilkinson meets Billy in ballet class, she sarcastically says, “Pleased to meet you. I’m Margo, Margot flippin’ Fonteyn.”

Pouf or Poof A derogatory word for a homosexual. Gits An insult meaning silly, incompetent or childish. Bloody Used as an expression of anger or used to emphasize a comment. Ex: Oh Bloody Hell! Or “Bloody fantastic!” Mate A friend. Similar to pal or buddy. Esquire A title that historically referred to a young nobleman. 5. Trainers Athletic shoes – what we might call “sneakers” or “runners.” Loo British slang for washroom. 6. Fifty p Short for “fifty pence.” A pence is one hundredth of a pound, or the British equivalent of a penny. Colliery Another name for a coal mine.

4. Wayne Sleep A dancer, choreographer and director who was a Principal Dancer with the Royal Ballet. He won a scholarship to study at the Royal Ballet School at the age of 13 Bonny A Scottish adjective that means attractive and healthy. When boxing trainer George wishes Billy well he says, “Congratulations, Bonny lad.”

Explorations

Ballet Terms Ballet has a whole vocabulary of its own, traditionally in French. Here are some terms you will hear in the play. 1. Attitude A standing position on one leg with the other leg lifted in the front or the back with the knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees and well turned out so that the knee is higher than the foot. A balletomane Someone who is a fan of the ballet. 2. Barre The horizontal wooden bar attached to the walls of the ballet classroom which the dancer holds for support. Every ballet class begins with exercises at the barre. Chainés (pronounced sheh-NAY) This is the simplest term for “turns.” The dancer performs a series of traveling turns by quick steps that involve alternating feet. Développé A movement in which the working leg is drawn up to the knee of the standing leg and slowly extended (develops) to an open position in the air with control. It requires great balance and strong center. Devant French for “in front.” Pirouette Possibly the most commonly known ballet term, means “spin.” 3. Plié Bent or bending. One of the most famous moves in Ballet, it refers to the bending of the knee or knees with strong turn out from feet, knees and hips. 4. Pointe technique the part of classical ballet technique that concerns pointe work, in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet. Promenade A promenade is when a dancer turns around on one leg with the standing leg’s heel on the floor, while the other leg is extended behind the body. 5. Tendu Any movement that is stretched out or held tightly. Turn-out is the ability of the dancer to turn out his/her feet from the hip. It is considered essential to ballet. 6. A Tutu The short classical ballet skirt.

Explorations

A History of Strikes: Three Strikes and You’re Out! “It’s not possible to exaggerate how close Britain came to civil war,” - Stephen Daldry, Director of Billy Elliot The Movie

1947

January 1 British Coal industry is nationalized.

1948

July 5 National Health Service is established.

1952

February 6 Elizabeth II becomes Queen.

1979

Winter Strikes begin to paralyze Britain during the so-called “Winter of Discontent.”

1979

May 3 Margaret Thatcher becomes Prime Minster.

1982

January 26 Economic recession leads to three million unemployed.

1983

June 10 Thatcher is re-elected by a landslide. The conservative (Tory) government begins a privatization and deregulation programs affecting trade unions.

1984

March 12 12 month “Miners’ strike” begins.

1984

October 12 IRA bombers strike at the Conservative conference in Brighton, UK. Thatcher narrowly escapes the blast but five people are killed.

1986

December 8 Major national industries such as British Gas, Steel and Telecom are privatized.

1987

June 11 Thatcher wins a third term which paved the way for her to become the longest serving Prime Minister in more than 150 years.

1990

March 31 A “poll tax” (taxing an individual for local government resources) leads to riots and the eventual downfall of the Thatcher government. She is eventually replaced by John Major.

Conversations

Further Reading

Alex Ko: From Iowa to Broadway, My Billy Elliot Story By Alex Ko A real-life “Billy Elliot” story by American dancer and actor, Alex Ko who endured many hardships including the death of his father when he was eleven. Overcoming it all, Ko’s greatest triumph is starring in Broadway’s version of Billy Elliot, the Musical. 2013 Non-fiction

Swan Boy By Nikki Sheehan Johnny’s family is down on their luck. With the loss of his dad, Johnny and his family must move to London, where Johnny encounters bullying. When he gets cast as the lead in an all boy version of Swan Lake things really take a turn with his chest sprouting feathers, and real swans talking to him.

FROM THE CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY

A Body of Work: Dancing to the Edge and Back By David Hallberg David Hallberg shares his struggles with bullying and perfectionism along with his rise to success, in this Billy Elliot-like biography. 2017 Non-fiction

The Enemy Within: The Secret War Against the Miners By Seumas Milne The background story behind Billy Elliot. The 1984-1985 miners’ strike in northern England brought out the worst in the UK government and the miners’ union. 2014 Non-fiction

2016 Fiction

Click on the book covers to check their availability at your local library! 26

Billy Elliot: The Novel By Melvin Burgess This novel by acclaimed dramatist Burgess, is based on the screenplay of the award-winning movie of the same name. 2001 Fiction

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 133/4

By Jon McGregor

By Sue Townsend

Acclaimed writer, Jon McGregor takes readers on journey through the lives of ordinary people living on a street in northern England.

A hilarious diary of a British teen set around the same time as Billy Elliotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tough, funny and heartwarming story.

2002 Fiction

1982 Fiction

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Billy Elliot Movie Night 1

Billy Elliot The movie that started it all. Young Elliot is torn between his love of dance and the fractures in his family life. Starring Jamie Bell, Julie Walters and Gary Lewis. 2000 | Feature Film | R | 1h 50min | Director Stephen Daldry

Billy Elliot: The Musical Live Starring Elliot Hanna, Ollie Jochim and Bradley Perret. Based on the movie and filmed at Victoria Palace Theatre in London, England. 2014 | Live Musical | NR | 2h 40min | Directors Stephen Daldry and Brett Sullivan

Save the Last Dance A white Midwestern American girl relocates to Chicago after her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tragic death, where she meets a black teen from the south side with a semi-criminal past. 2001 | Feature Film | PG-13 | 1h 52min | Director Thomas Carter

Black Swan A ballet dancer wins the most converted role in Tchaikovskyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swan Lake only to find herself struggling with self-doubt and fear that leads to her struggling to maintain her sanity. Starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis 2010 | Feature Film | R | 1h 48min | Director Darren Aronofsky

The Iron Lady Starring Meryl Streep as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as she looks back on her life from girlhood to the highs and lows of her political career. 2011 | Feature Film | PG-13 | 1h 45min | Director Phyllidia Lloyd

Pride UK queer activists work to help Welsh miners during their year-long strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in 1984. 2014 | Feature Film | R | 1h 59m | Director Matthew Warchus

Conversations

Educational Exercises Creative Activity (ONE BLOCK OF CLASS TIME OR CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE) What will the future hold for you? The play ends just as Billy is about to start his new life. We don’t know what will happen to him. Will he go on to have a successful dancing career? Will he change course? What will happen? Assignment: Using your imagination, create a vision of your future. Items can be written down, cut out of newspapers and pasted on or drawn on a bristol board. Students can also take photos of themselves in which they stage how they see themselves now compared to 10 years in the future. Questions: • How will you see yourself 10 years in the future? • What will you doing? • Where will you live? • What will your future look like? • What are you looking forward to? What are you concerned about?

Writing Activity (60 MINUTES) In the song Electricity, Billy struggles to find words to describe the indescribable. Write a poem, song or story that attempts to capture in words a feeling or experience that is difficult to put into language.

Drama Activity (60 MINUTES) Billy Elliot uses his body to express himself. Now it’s your turn to express yourself! Preparation: • Use these physical exercises to become aware of the body. • The body can convey character, emotion, and environment. The body can work in harmony with the dialogue or in contrast. The body can tell a story without any dialogue at all. • Begin by engaging all students to pretend to be in a situation in which they will take responsibility for creating their roles. Warm-ups: • Move around the room as if walking in the following environments: warm summer’s day, a light rain fall, a torrential downpour etc. • Move around the room as if walking through or on the following: a muddy field, an icy sidewalk, a rocky mountain, etc. • Alphabet Body: Students spell letters of the alphabet with their bodies. (I, X, T, L, U K, J, N, V) Then they work in pairs (W, H, M, O, A, Z.) Finally, in small groups students try to create a word just using their bodies. • Using the Body to Show Environment: The Weather Groups create a tableau that shows the weather without using words (e.g. holding out a flat palm to show that it’s raining.)

Warm-ups (continued): • Entrances and Exits: Students enter the space, sit and then exit. Their objective is to show both the location they’re entering and where they’re going. • Entrances and Exits II in Groups of Three: The first person enters, establishes the space and exits. The next person enters, places a mimed object in the space (that must fit the space) and leaves it when they exit. Third person does the same. Bonus points if the third person can pick up and use the second person’s mimed object before leaving. • Using the Body to Show Emotion: Show enthusiasm in your eyebrows, your shoulders, your fingers, your knees, and your feet. Do the same with sadness, and anger. How do the specific body parts tense or release depending on the emotion? • Create a Full Body Physical Pose for an Emotion: What happens to the body when you’re happy, mad, sad, scared, and proud? In small groups, create a tableau that shows an emotional reaction. Show the tableau to the rest of the class. Can they guess the emotion? • In pairs, improvise a scene surrounding a birthday present. One gives the present, and one receives. (Make sure the pairs solidify the relationship!) First time round, the giver and the receiver are both happy with the present. They must show their happiness with their bodies. Second time round, the receiver says they are happy with the gift, but presents a very unhappy body. How does that change the scene? Third time around the giver presents an unhappy body. Activity: • Using your body to tell a story. • This can be done in pairs or on your own. • Tell a story using only your body to convey a struggle you have had to face. How did it happen? (The beginning) How did you deal with it (The middle?) How did you overcome it? (The conclusion). • Give time for the students to think over what they are willing to share. It doesn’t have to be a life altering-event, just something that means something to them. • Allow them to work in the space, rehearsing how they want to set up the story. • When everyone seems ready, (or you give them a time limit) collect everyone and have them go one at a time, letting them move to express their story. No need for comments or direction until it is completed. • Discuss certain key points that conveyed strong meaning in each person. Wrap-up: • Pose Questions to the Students: What was the point of these activities? What did you learn using only your body? What did you find out about your body? How can the body convey information? Are words always necessary? How do you take and hold space? Share Space? Give space away? • Moving Forward: Next time you are out in the world, begin to observe how people use the space around them. Do they take over space? Do they let it overtake them? How do people interact with one another in the outside world?

Conversations

British Foods & I got a hankering for some good ol’ British cuisine! Other than the classic fish and chips, you probably can’t think of many top British fare that will wet your appetite. Unlike their French-haute cousins, the Brits haven’t always been known for their attention to food. But that has changed with notable chefs like Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver. Also, due to Britain’s colonial past, many foods have gained prominence such as Indian Tikka Masala called “A true British national dish.6” Here is some popular fare to get your belly rumbling.

Sunday Roast A traditional meal typically served on Sunday consisting of roasted meat, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, veggies and gravy. A UK poll ranked it second in a list of things people love about Britain. Traditionally, Catholics and Anglicans abstained from eating meat on Friday as well as fasting Sunday morning. This large meal was considered an end of the week reward. The roast may date back to medieval times when serfs would assemble in a field on Sunday, practice their battle techniques and were remunerated with a feast of oxen roasted on a spit. 6

Fish and Chips Fried-battered fish and French fries. Yum! Alexis Soyer (1845) gives a recipe for, “Fried fish, Jewish Fashion,” whipped and dipped in flour and water. The first owner, Joseph Malin, a Jewish immigrant opened the first recorded combined fish and chip shop in London in 1860. Fish and Chips became a staple of the working class in England with the development of the trawl fishing (a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats) in the North Sea and the development of the railways connecting to major ports.

Afternoon Tea & Scones Typically taken between 3 to 5pm. The upper crust of English society is credited with introducing this light refresher to England. By the end of the 19th century both the wealthy and middle classes were taking part. Tea time can be accompanied with cucumber sandwiches, bread and butter, scones and jam, cakes or pastries. Today, high tea is more for a special occasion, usually served in a posh hotel, such as Calgary’s own Palliser Hotel.

Tikka Masala Originally from the Punjab region, one of the most popular dishes served in the UK. One origin story is from an Indian restaurant in Glasgow. A Pakistani Chef, Ali Ahmed Aslam, owner of the Shish Mahal Restaurant, invented the Chicken Tikka Masala by improvising sauce made from yogurt, cream and spices.

Cooke, Robin. Robin Cook’s chicken Tikka Masala Speech. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/19/race.britishidentity. April 2001.

Conversations

British Sweets Did you know that Theatre Calgary will be serving British Treats from Jolly Good’s Candy Stop throughout the run of Billy Elliot The Musical in the Main Lobby? Here are some famous British sweets.

Jelly Babies Associated with both Dr. Who and grandmothers, this candy tastes like “a very condensed jam covered in icing sugar.”

Curly Wurly Curly-Wurly was launched in the UK in 1970. Its shape resembles three flattened, intertwined serpentine strings. The bar is made of chocolatecoated caramel.

Crunchies are basically crispy, chocolatey paradise in a bar. You’ll never stop loving this honeycomb center.

Irn-Bru Bars A Scottish specialty named after a soda that have “tiny little crystals of ultra-sour fizziness scattered through them.”

Conversations

Conversation Starters 1. Mrs. Wilkinson states, “You see, there are two basic theories about dance. One is, it's a technical exercise Something you learn from the outside and just repeat. Or it's a very personal expression that you realize from within.” How are these two perspectives on dance reflected throughout the play? In the end, which viewpoint does the play appear to advocate? Which do you think you prefer? 2. Mrs. Wilkinson tells Billy, “Dancing is as much about you discovering things about yourself as it is discovering about dancing.” What does Billy discover about himself throughout the play? 3. Billy has to deal with his father’s deeply held stereotype that “Ballet is for girls” and his stigma of masculinity. What other stereotypes and stigmas are revealed and challenged throughout the story? 4. How does Billy’s relationship with and memory of his mother influence his journey? 5. Imagine you live in Billy’s town. Write a letter to your MP or minister explaining the issues and problems that you think are the most pressing. What needs to be addressed immediately? How would you solve the standoff between the government and the striking miners? 6. Billy starts his journey to The Royal Ballet School just as his town is dying. Write a persuasive argument trying to convince him to stay at home. 7. Throughout her song, Grandma describes the difficulties she had in her marriage. Explain why you think she stayed in her marriage and how dancing helped her cope. 8. A theatre company in Hungary cancelled the run of Billy Elliot The Musical because of its depiction of sexuality and gender non-conforming stereotypes. Does the theatre have the right to cancel a show for fear of upsetting the government and a segment of the population? Should they have stood up for the play despite the pressure? Put yourself in the shoes of the theatre manager and release a public statement. 9. Class difference plays a big role in the play. Compare and contrast the world of the Royal Ballet School with the economic status of Billy’s family and town. How do people interact with one another? What do people take for granted in either setting? 10. When Dad learns about the cost of getting down to London, he decides to cross the picket lines and go back to work. Explain his choice for refusing Mrs. Wilkinson’s aid. What do you think was going through his head when he showed up for work?

Sources Billy Elliot the Musical. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Elliot_the_Musical. Jan, 2019. “English Dictionary, Thesaurus, & Grammar Help | Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com. British Slang and Terms http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/billy-elliot-musical-live-british-slang-terms/4147/. Oct, 2015. Hall Lee, Elton John. “Billy Elliot: The Musical.” “Movies, TV and Celebrities.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. Margret Thatcher. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher. Jan, 2019. Picard, Caroline. “The 30 Quirkiest British Slang Words Every American Should Know”.https://www.goodhousekeeping. com/life/entertainment/g20053317/british-slang-words/. April 2018. Irish Examiner. “All The Facts and Figures you need to know as Billy Elliot The Musical celebrates 10 years”. https://www. irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/entertainment/all-the-facts-and-figures-you-need-to-know-as-billy-elliot-themusical-celebrates-10-years-676917.html. May 2015. Weber, Cynthia. “Oi. Dancing Boy!” Masculinity, Sexuality and Youth in Billy Elliot. https://www.colorado.edu/ gendersarchive1998-2013/2003/01/15/oi-dancing-boy-masculinity-sexuality-and-youth-billy-elliot. Jan. 2013. Schmidt, Anna. Billy Elliot: The Musical, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Study Guide. https://www.mtc.mb.ca/EducationOutreach/For-Educators/Study-Guides/Billy-Elliot-Study-Guide.aspx. Jan 2016. Rex T. “Cosmic Dancer lyrics”. https://genius.com/T-rex-cosmic-dancer-lyrics. 2019. British cuisine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_cuisine#cite_note-GuardianMasala-11 UK miners’ strike (1984-1985) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_miners%27_strike_(1984%E2%80%9385)#cite_note-3 Rodosthenous, George. “Billy Elliot The Musical: Visual representations of working-class masculinity and the all-singing, all-dancing body.” http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/10354/1/rodosthenousg1L.pdf. 2007. Price, Lindsey. https://www.theatrefolk.com/freebies/acting-with-the-body.pdf. 2017

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