Despite scoring 10 Tonys in 2009 and being a super-hot ticket for a while, ‘Billy Elliot: The Musical’ is closing on January 8. This is rather surprising as all signs pointed to a much longer run. I’m not even talking about a giga-hit on the order of “Phantom of the Opera” or “Wicked”: Consider simply that “Rock of Ages” opened a few months after “Billy Elliot” that same 2008-09 season, and it’s still there — granted, those hair-metallers have to fill the Helen Hayes’ 583 seats as opposed to the Imperial’s 1,421.

Though I wasn’t at the Post yet, I saw “Billy Elliot” when it opened, in October 2008, and was among the throngs who loved it. At the time, I was struck by how forcefully and smartly it confronted class and masculinity. But it wasn’t a lecture: This was a kinetic, genuinely exciting musical that wasn’t afraid to go for the emotional jugular. It helped that Elton John delivered his best score to date — though ironically that category wasn’t part of the Tony sweep.

I’m actually not all that sad the show is leaving the boards. It recouped its investment fairly quickly and has been seen by 1, 659,867 people so far. That’s a great run by any standards, and as much as I love “Phantom,” having shows go on and on and on leads only to stasis on Broadway.