Billy Elliot Broadway turned one year old this week. Wild. I’ve never been in a show that has run for a year! Of course I've just finished my 6th week onstage, so I still don't know what it's like playing for such an extended period of time. In the world of not-for-profit theatre we would have had rehearsals and finished the run within that six week framework! But Broadway is a whole different kettle of fish.

Or... pan of cake! And champagne! And noisemakers and birthday hats! Oh... and we must not forget Shirley Temples for the kids. My friend Pam had just arrived from Toronto, so I told her to come and meet me for the party, which we had in the theatre bar after the show on Friday night.

The first person we met upon entering the room was Mitchell, one of the "small boys" in the show. Mitchell is 8, I think. Mitchell had a Shirley Temple and was quick to tell us that his drink was way better than the "adult" drinks. I asked him to lead us to the bar, which he was extremely happy to do, circumnavigating the party-goers by way of empty rows of theatre seats. Mitchell knows these routes extremely well, as he and his guardian John, spend many an hour between shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays looking for coins that spill from patrons' pockets. (If you come to a Wednesday or Saturday matinee, please leave a little coinage for Mitchell!) Mitchell has a constant companion: an extremely squishy stuffed rabbit which he carries most everywhere but on the stage. "What's your rabbit's name?", asked Pam. And with a look of confusion at what should be glaringly obvious, Mitchell replied, "Bunny". Bunny was wearing Mitchell's birthday hat.

Stephen Daldrey made a Happy Birthday Billy toast, and photos were taken of all the Billys (those currently on the stage: Trent, David A. and Tommy; those in training: Liam and Dayton; and those rapidly recovering from injury: the inimitable Alex Ko). He also made a toast to the children and their families. And Pam and I talked about this. Because it is the children that makes this show so different than most of the shows I have been involved with. The kids keep it all a bit more real. Even though they are also existing in this surreal environment of 8 shows a week plus rehearsals, plus tutoring or home schooling, plus dance classes, plus physio-therapy... they are still just kids, with "Bunny" and teenage angst and growing pains in their legs and rhyming songs sung backstage while waiting for cues and pop culture and computers in their dressing rooms... and a community that they make together in the Imperial Theatre on 45th Street between Broadway and Eighth. This is their playground.

And as for their parents and siblings? Anonymous in a way. But no less dedicated to dropping them off, and picking them up, and adjusting schedules, and checking cell phones, and packing lunches, and giving so much time and effort, namelessly, and many times, face-lessly, to allow these talented children to work on Broadway, telling a story about a community. And there is no community without those children.

Happy Birthday Billy!