Craig Armstrong News

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.

Ninety-seven scores from eligible feature-length motion pictures are in contention for nominations in the Original Score category for the 84th Academy Awards®, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today.

Today, 12 year old Kaine Ward from Hertfordshire and 9 year old Macy Staisick from Darlington will join the new West End cast of Billy Elliot the Musical which is now in its seventh year at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Kaine will become the twenty-eighth boy to play the title role in the West End and the 62nd boy to play the role worldwide, including Jamie Bell who played Billy Elliot in the award-winning film. He is joined by Macy who plays Dance Teacher Mrs Wilkinson's daughter, Debbie.

On 14 November 2011 Gillian Bevan (Mrs Wilkinson) and Deka Walmsley (Dad) will join the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical along with Ann Emery who returns to the cast to play Grandma, the role she originated on stage at the Victoria Palace in 2005 and played until 2010.

On 14 November 2011 Gillian Bevan (Mrs Wilkinson) and Deka Walmsley (Dad) will join the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical along with Ann Emery who returns to the cast to play Grandma, the role she originated on stage at the Victoria Palace in 2005 and played until 2010. They will be joined by new principal cast members Michael Peavoy (Tony), Sean Kearns (George) and Simon Ray Harvey (Mr. Braithwaite).

Today 25 July 2011, in the production's seventh year in the West End, 13 year old Adam Vesperman from Seattle, USA, will make his West End stage debut as Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre, becoming the twenty-seventh boy to play the title role in the hit west end show Billy Elliot The Musical.

Today, 6 June 2011, the multi award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical announces the release of over 630,000 new tickets for sale taking bookings up until 15 December 2012.

Spike TV announces an ambitious new slate of non-scripted original pilots aimed at the network's core audience of Men 18-34, while also appealing to the network's expanding audience of Men 35-49. The pilots in development follow a distinctive theme of authentic characters in a high risk/high reward environment, similar to that of the network's new crop of successful original series, 'Auction Hunters,' 'Coal' and 'Repo Games.'

Billy Elliot the Musical features music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, and is directed by Stephen Daldry with choreography by Peter Darling.

Today, 13 April 2011, twelve year old Ryan Collinson from Southport, becomes the twenty-sixth boy to play the title role in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical. The internationally award-winning show, which opened a the Victoria Palace Theatre in 2005, has been seen by over 6 million people worldwide, including 3 million in the West End. Ryan becomes the 56th boy to play Billy Elliot worldwide since Jamie Bell in the award-winning film.

Jamie Oliver, impassioned British chef, TV personality and best-selling author, will bring his Revolution to the nation's second largest city -- Los Angeles, California -- and take on his biggest challenge yet when 'Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution' returns for a second season to ABC, TUESDAY, APRIL 12 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET).

This week, in a corollary column to tonight's InDepth InterView: John Leguizamo, who can currently be seen nightly in his one-man-show GHETTO KLOWN on Broadway, we have an abundance of performance clips from his past stage shows - FREAK, SEXAHOLIX, SPIC-O-RAMA and more - as well as clips from his most beloved films - THE PEST, CARLITO'S WAY and TO WONG FOO, THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, JULIE NEWMAR, among others - as well as a look at his most memorable and mind-blowing characters - ranging from Tybalt in Baz Luhrmann's ROMEO + JULIET to Toulouse Lautrec himself in MOULIN ROUGE - all coming on the heels of the nationwide release of his newest feature film, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, co-starring Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Josh Lucas and William H. Macy, which we take a cursory look at, too, of course. Plus, some musical theatre parodies, celebrity impressions, his debut appearance in a Madonna music video, and even a visit from Elmo himself!

BILLY ELLIOT is currently playing Victoria Palce Theatre. Check out images of the current cast below!

Jamie Oliver, impassioned British chef, TV personality and best-selling author, will bring his Revolution to the nation's second largest city -- Los Angeles, California -- and take on his biggest challenge yet when 'Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution' returns for a second season to ABC, TUESDAY, APRIL 12 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET).

Twelve year old Josh Baker from Rochester has just become the twenty-fifth boy to play the title role in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical as the hit show is shortlisted for the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award, the only category voted for by the public. Voting is now open and will close on 9 March with the awards ceremony on Sunday 13 March 2011. Now in its sixth year at the Victoria Palace Theatre, the critically acclaimed, internationally award-winning musical has been seen by over 6 million people worldwide, including 3 million in the West End. Since its world premiere in 2005 a total of 53 boys, including Jamie Bell who played Billy Elliot in the award-winning film, have now performed the title role worldwide, making Josh Baker the 54th boy to play Billy.

Twelve year old Josh Baker from Rochester has just become the twenty-fifth boy to play the title role in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical as the hit show is shortlisted for the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award, the only category voted for by the public.

The full cast is Dean Charles-Chapman (13 years old from Romford, Essex), Scott McKenzie (13 years old from Dumbarton, Scotland), Aaron Watson (12 years old from Kings Lynn, Norfolk) and Rhys Yeomans (12 years old from Oldham, Lancashire) who alternate the role of Billy, Reece Barrett (12 years old from Exeter), Connor Kelly (12 years old from Scunthorpe), Connor Lawson (12 years old from Shotton, County Durham) and Joe Massey (11 years old from South Wirrell) who alternate the role of Billy's best friend Michael, Francesca Mango (11 years old from Northumberland), Emily Smith (11 years old from County Durham) and Emily Williams (9 years old East Wingate, County Durham) who alternate the role of Debbie.