Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...Musically speaking, the show has its rousing harmonics very much in place from the fine ensemble, although the rock elements of John’s score didn’t pop entirely as they should, especially when the Rocket Man was playing with the contrast of the miners’ choral traditions with the excitement of a kid channelling all his frustrations into the arts. John was notorious for showing up and turning up the volume on his shows — and had he walked into this theater, the slider on the sound board would have been heading upwards. The show is all about musical shape-shifting, mirroring the central character, and I’ve watched the interplay with an orchestra at this particular theater feel far more organic than seemed to be the case at the weekend."
Chicago Reader - Recommended
"...Billy Elliot is uplifting, but only to a point; Hall and John understood that when they crafted this show. Stork and his ensemble also know that Billy's individual success stands against a grim background of broken promises, changing environments, and depressing prospects for his town and family."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...I was delighted and surprised to love this production of Billy Elliot so much. Go see it."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Trent Stork’s direction is masterful and the set by Michelle Lilly will blow your mind! The set is three stories high and in the finale you will see about a dozen miners climb the stairs to the elevator as they return to the mines and watch the elevator slowly travel down to the mine, hearing their voices enter the earth below. WOW! The sound (Adam Rosenthal) and lighting (Greg Hoffman) are also perfect and the costumes (Izumi Inabi) and projections (Mike Tutaj) are also just right. The props are handled by Jesse Gaffney and the fight director was John Tovar."
WTTW - Highly Recommended
"...Trent Stork’s expert direction of the show, along with Isaiah Silvia-Chandley’s spirited choreography, and the outstanding musical direction of conductor Kory Danielson, are impeccable. So is Michelle Lilly’s set design, which captures both the muscular world of the miners, Billy’s home, and other sites."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...The magnificent musicals and plays produced by Jim Corti's extraordinary Paramount Theatre are always West End and Broadway quality. This glorious show is no exception. It's a musical that generates its own "Electricity" by all the creatives involved in the production. Be ready to cheer until you're hoarse and clap until your hands turn red. But also bring plenty of tissues with you because I guarantee you may shed a few tears as Billy Elliot dances into your heart. This British-based musical story is filled with meaningful, universal truths and is a show not to be missed, especially if you've ever nurtured a dream to bust loose, create art or to simply be true to who you are."
PicksInSix - Highly Recommended
"...The sheer grandeur of the closing moments of this production left me in awe and ranks as the most beautiful visual tapestry I have ever-repeat, ever-seen in a theatre. I am still thinking about it and how Paramount's stunning production of "Billy Elliot" will now occupy a permanent place in my memory box of this show."
Life and Times - Highly Recommended
"...Paramount Theatre in Aurora unveiled its production of “Billy Elliot: the Musical” this week to a packed house. The music is brilliant. The dancing is heart-stopping, breathtaking, and altogether amazing. And the overall spectacle is as delightfully satisfying as a fine dessert. The standing ovation the cast received was one of the longest in all of recent Chicago theatre – and deservedly so."
Chicago Culture Authority - Recommended
"...this is an enjoyable, big-hearted show that manages to pack a meaty story about a period of labor history that helped usher in the brutal era of late-stage capitalism into a lively musical. And that’s no small trick."
Splash Magazine - Highly Recommended
"...Aurora's Paramount Theatre has once again demonstrated its prowess in delivering captivating and socially resonant theater with its latest production, "Billy Elliot: The Musical." Already Jeff-Nominated, the production is set against the backdrop of the famed 1984 coal strike in the north of England when Margaret Thatcher's Tory government broke the miner's unions and threw the entire north into extreme poverty, where much of it remains today. It is nearly impossible to talk about this production without talking about that, because the parts that are actually about the miners' struggle are among the most compelling with great soaring anthems delivered with heart by the talented cast."
BroadwayWorld - Highly Recommended
"...Paramount’s production is awe inspiring. Everything, starting with the talent to the set, the music and especially the dancing, will leave you breathless. The set is another star of the show. The main background conjures up the mine shaft."
