Ballet Girls News

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL is the joyous celebration of one boy's journey to make his dreams come true. Set in a small town, the story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising talent that inspires his family and his whole community and changes his life forever. Patti Perkins portrays Billy's Grandma in the touring production.

Heather has grown up on Broadway, going from Baby June to Little Who to Ballet Girl to a partly adult role now.

Each night---and sometimes even twice in a single day---actress Janet Dickinson gets to pretend to be a sassy, chain-smoking Brit in charge of a bunch of rowdy, screech-happy pre-teens at a community center ballet class in the current national tour production of BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL, now playing through April 28 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. Before the tour's arrival in Orange County, Dickinson answered a few silly questions from BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos while on the road...

"Billy Elliot" features all the elements of theatricality theatregoers love, although friends of the late Margaret Thatcher may wish to stay away. The Elton John musical balances great storytelling with three intense dance numbers performed by an incredibly talented child and some stunning lighting that highlights the highest points of the lofty production.

Based on the Oscar nominated film, Billy Elliot the Musical is an inspirational story of one boy's dream to realise his ambitions against the odds. Set in the North East of England against the background of the historic 1984/85 miners' strike, Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid disapproval of his struggling family. Check out the photos below.

In this week's edition of 'Around BWW: Regional Highlights of the Week', we take you around the country - and beyond - with the most-read theater stories for the week of December 17! Scroll below to see what made news in your area!

Kara Oates, the Greenwood girl who has gone from the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre stage to Broadway to perform in two top shows, has now taken to the recording studio.

It's Friday and time for another regional news recap! Today, we take you around the country - and beyond - with the most-read theater stories for the week of December 10! Scroll below to see what made news in your area!

BILLY ELLIOT's visiting Austin, Texas this week.

When a show is as acclaimed as BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL, the worldwide megahit that won 10 Tony Awards, audience expectations are high to say the least. Mine were. And no matter how high my expectations can get, many a show surpasses them with ease. BILLY ELLIOT isn't one of those shows. Despite the incredibly talented cast of the national tour, now playing Austin's Bass Concert Hall, BILLY ELLIOT is wobbly on its feet due to the numerous missteps of its creative team.

Billy Elliot the winner of 10 Tony Awards in 2009 has made its way to the Orpheum Theatre in Omaha. Knowing very little about this show, I was hesitant as to what I might think about it. I knew the general story behind the show and I knew that it had won several Tony Awards while on Broadway, I even lived in New York City the majority of its Broadway run, but never did I have any desire to see it. Boy was I wrong! Now that I have seen this wonderful show I am kicking myself for not having given it the chance in New York but at the same time I am happy to say that I can now check it off my list and I will forever remember this phenomenal cast and their performance.

Everyone's favourite little star, Angelina Ballerina, pirouettes on to the Lyceum stage in her brand new musical from Wednesday 31 October - Saturday 3 November.

From 12 November 2012 Killian Donnelly will join the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical to play Billy's brother Tony. He will perform alongside Gillian Bevan (Mrs. Wilkinson), Deka Walmsley (Dad), Ann Emery (Grandma), Sean Kearns (George), Kay Milbourne (Dead Mum), Simon Ray Harvey (Mr. Braithwaite), Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy) and new ensemble members Matthew Dale, David Muscat, Nic Greenshields, Ruri James and Spencer Stafford who join Craig Armstrong, David Bardsley, Paul Basleigh, Dawn Buckland, James Butcher, Spencer Cartwright, Lucinda Collins, Gillian Elisa, Helen French, Sergio Giacomelli, Ian Gareth Jones, Connor McAllister, Steve Paget, Steph Parry and Mike Scott.

Elton John, Stephen Daldry and Lee Hall last night (30 May 2012) joined a special Gala audience at the Victoria Palace Theatre to celebrate 3000 performances and seven years since the world premiere of the award-wining British hit, Billy Elliot the Musical. Scroll down for photos of the event and to find out what happens to that cake.

I was one of the lucky ones who had the chance to see Billy Elliot: The Musical on Broadway before it closed on January 8, 2012. Although this scaled-down NETworks version may lose some of its grandiose sets and sparkle, Billy Elliot still transmits enough electricity to power all of Columbus' Palace Theatre.

The longest-running show in Broadway history, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, offered its 10,000th performance yesterday at 2 PM as a special benefit for The Actors Fund.

On Saturday, September 17, the Billy Elliot held an open call for the newest crop of ballet girls in front of the Broadhurst Theatre in Times Square, drawing out the most hopeful of young dancers in all shapes and sizes with expressive character and lots of personality. Ballet girls Maria May and Brianna Fragomeni, currently starring in the production, were on hand to cheer on the auditioners.

On Saturday, September 17th Billy Elliot the Musical will hold its second annual open call for Ballet Girls at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 W 44th St). Sign up begins at 10am. Billy Elliot is on the lookout for dancers with strong tap skills from 8-12 years old to shine as Billy Elliot's Ballet Girls. The production is seeking a variety of shapes and sizes (tiny, chubby, lanky, quirky, etc) with expressive character and lots of personality - not your traditional ballerina.

On Saturday, September 17th Billy Elliot the Musical will hold its second annual open call for Ballet Girls at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 W 44th St). Sign up begins at 10am. Billy Elliot is on the lookout for dancers with strong tap skills from 8-12 years old to shine as Billy Elliot's Ballet Girls. The production is seeking a variety of shapes and sizes (tiny, chubby, lanky, quirky, etc) with expressive character and lots of personality - not your traditional ballerina.

Tony Award winner Faith Prince and other company members from the touring cast of the hit Broadway musical BILLY ELLIOT, plus Tony winner John Lloyd Young, cabaret star Shawn Ryan and other special guest stars joined together to present a one-time, one-night only benefit to raise funds for The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.