BILLY ELLIOT the Musical Piano/Vocal Selections Songbook. Music and Lyrics by Elton John and Lee Hall. Published by Hal Leonard. Softcover, 88 pages.

Billy Elliot is the heartwarming story of a young boy from a working-class family who discovers a passion that will change his life forever. Eleven-year-old miner's son Billy Elliot is on his way to boxing lessons when he stumbles upon a ballet class. Billy secretly joins the class, knowing that his blue-collar family would never understand. Under the guidance of his teacher Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy's raw talent takes flight. But when his father discovers his son's ambition, Billy must fight for his dreams and his destiny.

Based on the 2000 film about a young BrIt'sh boy who tries to escape a future as coalminer by training in ballet, Billy Elliot--The Musical feels like an exemplary screen-to-stage adaptation, making the best use of composer Elton John's melodic resourcefulness. The score shows that John has thoroughly absorbed the genre's classic strain.

Table of contents:

* Born To Boogie
* Deep Into The Ground
* Electricity
* Expressing Yourself
* Grandma's Song
* He Could Be A Star
* The Letter
* Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher
* Once We Were Kings
* Shine
* Solidarity
* The Stars Look Down