One of the country ’s best known and most produced plays, Billy Bishop Goes to War is something of an aberration in published Canadian drama; it is in fact a musical that is published with lyrics and descriptions of the music. After doing some research I have found that, unlike most musicals, the producers/director of the show are responsible for the music, none is provided when the rights to the play are purchased. With that being said, the lyrics and musical descriptions work very well; they are key plot elements and are often used as turning points in the plot of the play. This book tells the story of legendary Canadian World War I pilot Billy Bishop and his rise to glory from a failing R.M.C. student to the toast of an empire.
The Segal Theatre presents Billy Bishop Goes to War, a timeless war-time tale set to music. The play was written and composed by John Gray and stars Eric Peterson as the daredevil pilot Billy Bishop with Gray accompanying the stage as his piano-playing sidekick. The work is based on the life of Bishop, an actual soldier.
Billy Bishop Goes to Calgary Shelley Youngblut | Jan.14.2011 | comment 1 In a 1979 interview, which took place the year after Billy Bishop Goes to War was first performed, its co-creator John Gray was grilled about the potential longevity of his theatrical career. n“People will want nothing less than a follow-up to Billy Bishop, using the same format with (cocreator) Eric Peterson,d” said interviewer Alan Twigg. g“We already thought of that,d” answered Gray, then 33. m“WeQ’ll call the sequel Billy Bishop Goes to Seed. Eric and I will sit onstage and drink for two hours.n”
Bilotti, Stage 3’s Artistic Director, takes on the title role of Billy (and a cast of 16 other characters). It is surely one of the biggest challenges of his long career. An actor/director with a huge list of regional and national credits, Bilotti calls this “ the most demanding role I have ever played, period”. “I need to draw on everything I’ve ever learned for this role”, he continues. “We go from knock down slapstick comedy to terrifying battle sequences to the most poignant, heart wrenching moments – often in the space of seconds.” “Bishop was a fascinating character and this play is the perfect vehicle to depict not only his remarkable journey but also the tragedy of war and how that tragedy can bring out the best and worst in us.”
