It's the story of a boy who wanted to dance.
"Billy Elliot the Musical," which opens tonight at Capital City Productions, 719 Wicker Lane, follows the title character, a young boy in a northern English coal mining town affected by the coal strikes of the early to mid 1980s. When Billy stumbles across a ballet class, he instantly knows it's for him, but his family doesn't see it the same way.
Director Laura Vedenhaupt said the show features beautiful music from Elton John and some "show stopping dance numbers." Vedenhaupt said she saw the film "Billy Elliot" and it has stuck with her ever since.
"I love the idea that an art form can so grab your imagination that you are willing to pursue your passion regardless of others' expectations," she said.
Capital City Productions has been busy since reopening at the end of May. This latest production will be the third show at the venue in the last month, and Vedenhaupt said that has made for some challenges.
"Rehearsal space has been at a premium as we had three shows needing the space at the same time," she said. "We squeezed the 'Billy Elliot' cast in where we could."
Plus, she said, several members of the cast were also cast members in the last show, a one-weekend performance of "A Night With Cats," and Vedenhaupt tried to be respectful of "everyone's need for a little time off."
"The 'Billy Elliot' leads are seasoned actors, so they took up the challenge," Vedenhaupt said.
That tight turnaround between the last show and "Billy Elliot" meant the crew had only about one week to change the set, something Vedenhaupt said was incredibly difficult.
"That is really not enough time for a full revamping, so some ideas had to be scrapped," she said. "The cast and crew pulled together over the weekend to finish up, and I am very happy with the result."
The cast and crew have been working for eight weeks to get ready for the show, and Vedenhaupt said they absolutely are ready.
The show features vibrant costumes and characters, and is the perfect venue for a night out with friends and family, she said.
"People should come and see the show for its beautiful message to believe in yourself and your dreams," she said.
Her favorite parts are two numbers that she said consistently bring her to tears or give goosebumps (though she emphasized that this is a joyful show), and those are the scenes with Billy's mother, who has died before the audience meets the town, and the ending number with the miners singing a capella.
Make sure you're not too quick to leave when the show ends - Vedenhaupt said she loves one last number that takes place after the actors have taken their bows.
Tickets are $38 and can be purchased at ccpjc.org/billie-elliot. All performances come with a buffet meal provided by Argyle Catering. Doors will open at 6 p.m. tonight, with dinner served at 6:30 p.m. and the show starting at 7:30 p.m. Other performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, as well as Aug. 20-22, and 1 p.m. Saturday and Aug. 22.
Vedenhaupt said the theater has taken precautions to keep everyone, from audiences to cast members, safe, including requiring face masks when entering and having touchless temperature checks.
"If you feel comfortable, we would love for you to visit the new theater and enjoy this amazing production," she said.