Ballet Joel

Ballet Joel
University at Buffalo The Spectrum - NY,USA
"Brenda and Eddie were the popular steadies and the king and the queen of the prom," a set of Billy Joel lyrics sung by Wade ... I'ma big fan of Billy Joel.". ...

"Brenda and Eddie were the popular steadies and the king and the queen of the prom," a set of Billy Joel lyrics sung by Wade Preston in the Broadway hit "Movin' Out," now playing as part of Shea's Broadway Series.

Buying the soundtrack to this latest addition to Shea's theater isn't necessary, since 25 of the 29 songs featured in the performance come straight from the Billy Joel closet of classics.

Unforgettable lyrics from songs such as "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," "Uptown Girl," and "Only the Good Die Young," are performed by a band overlooking the rest of the stage, where the cast presents a modern ballet to the given lyrics.

"Movin' Out" brought an audience of all ages, from college students that are fans of Billy Joel's music to ballet-goers to theater connoisseurs.

"The show was great, energetic, and fun," said Mike Folli, a communication major at UB, "and the songs were really cool. I'm a big fan of Billy Joel."

"Movin' Out" is truly meant for any person who enjoys an evening out at the theater, the mix of rock 'n' roll with ballet choreographed by Twyla Tharp gives a modern edge to dance.

Tharp has been dancing since the age of four, joining the Paul Taylor Dance Company after studying at the American Ballet Theater School, but left to start her own group in 1965. She began choreographing in 1979 where she arranged the dances for Milos Forman's film version of the '60s rock musical "Hair." Other credits include staged dances for the films "Ragtime," "Amadeus," and "White Nights."

Tharp introduces a progressive approach to ballet by instituting a jovial type of dance full of spunk, comprising competitive gymnastic tumbles and cheerleading stunts never before seen onstage.

"There was a great deal of energy in the performance," said Gail Taylor, a resident of Kenmore. "There was so much heart and soul. Nothing about it dragged. It was very peppy."

Tharp's use of gymnastic jumps, dives, and plunges express emotion through dance as opposed to the spoken word. There were many cases in which displayed emotion was essential in order to portray a plot.

The storyline follows a group of friends on their graduation day, including Brenda and Eddie, high school sweethearts who break up in the first scene, and James and Judy, who want to get married soon. There is also Eddie's friend Tony, who steals Brenda quickly after graduation.

The plot thickens when the boys go off to war and James dies during battle to the beat of "We Didn't Start the Fire." The anguish is portrayed skillfully with Judy's funeral ballet, where she is clothed all in black and dances to "The Stranger."

Act II follows Eddie through his depression after the war, where he experiments with drugs and eventually receives forgiveness and a new beginning.

"Movin' Out" began showing at Shea's Tuesday evening and will continue through April 23. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m., with another at 8 p.m. on Friday, on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com and at Shea's box office at 650 Main Street.