Billy Elliot :: Dancing Through Air

As "Billy Elliot the Musical" prepares to take flight in its first West Coast regional production at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, its creative team ponders its powerful statements about individuality and a supportive community.

During the course of its 36 years, the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts has built a reputation on staging shows that explore what it means to fly, both literally ("Peter Pan," "Mary Poppins") and figuratively ("Jesus Christ Superstar," "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"). For the next show in its 37th season, "Billy Elliot the Musical," La Mirada is tackling a show that explores both ways to fly at once.

Based on the Oscar-nominated 2000 film directed by Stephen Daldry and featuring music by Elton John and book and lyrics by the film's screenwriter Lee Hall, "Billy Elliot the Musical" tells the story of the titular hero, a teenage boy who shucks convention by aspiring to be a ballet dancer. Set in a rural County Durham town against the backdrop of the 1984-85 U.K. miner's strike, the show examines both cultural and societal expectations through the reactions of Billy's father and brother to his choice to enroll in ballet class. It premiered in London's West End (where it still currently runs), and was successfully staged on Broadway in New York and in Australia.

Though the show has been seen by Southern California audiences when its national touring production made stops in both L.A. and San Diego, La Mirada's production will mark "Billy Elliot"'s West Coast regional debut, which the show's creative team says is a bonus.

"I didn't see the production on Broadway or on tour, but I know the movie well," says La Mirada's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite, who also helmed the venue's successful regional productions of "Miss Saigon," "Les Miserables" and the Ovation Award-winning "Spring Awakening," and will be the guiding force behind "Billy Elliot" as well. "This production will be unique, because I'm just looking at it as a new piece of theater that we're going to create as we go along."

The production's Mrs. Wilkinson concurs. "I think when you do a show regionally, you take fear out of the equation," says Vicki Lewis, who is starring as the ballet teacher in whose class Billy enrolls. Lewis, who is best known for her role as quirky secretary Beth on NBC's "NewsRadio," has also appeared in movies ("Finding Nemo," "Mouse Hunt") and on Broadway ("Chicago," "Damn Yankees"), but adds that she prefers the freedom that a regional production provides. "The creativity is a lot more fun and I think, can be a lot more inventive because you're not under as much pressure to [do it a certain way]. You can really delve into the show and get creative and have fun and not worry about the outside sources."

Both Kite and Lewis say they are inspired by not only the show's message of individuality, not just with Billy, but also with his gay best friend Michael. "It's like Bette Midler used to say: 'Some people wear their fried egg on the inside, some wear 'em on the outside,' " Lewis says, "This show is all about wearing the fried egg."

To which Kite adds, "To want to dance in this town, particularly for a boy at that time, is all about just being true and being honest with who you are and living your life that way."

The director also points to the support of Billy's community as another powerful message delivered in the show: "In the middle of all this discord, when these miners were pushing against the world and not making any headway, there's this one kid that has a dream of doing something he's good at, and eventually everyone realizes that, if they can't push their way through, they can all get behind Billy and make a difference in his life. That's a really powerful message as well, and one that's still needed in the world today."

Though audiences can expect to see a fresh interpretation of "Billy Elliot" at La Mirada, Kite says one part of the show won't change: Billy's audition at the Royal Ballet School of London. Asked by the school's admissions staff what dancing means to him, Billy begins to describe the feeling he gets when he dances and literally, takes off in "flight" in a dance routine that involves some dynamic aerial acrobatics. "We're kind of known for our flying at La Mirada," Kite continues, referring to the theatre's successful productions of "Peter Pan," "Mary Poppins" and "Miss Saigon." "I'm working with the same team I worked with on 'Miss Saigon' and 'Spring Awakening,' I'm always excited by getting on that stage with them and making things soar."

"Billy Elliot the Musical" takes runs from Friday, January 16 through Sunday, February 8 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada. For tickets and information call 562.944.9801 or go to lamiradatheatre.com