Casting Announced For 'Billy Elliot'

 The New York Times has reported that three boys have been chosen to play the title role of Billy Elliot. They are David Alvarez from Montreal, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik. They will alternate performances when the musical opens on October 1st 2008 on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre

Directed by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot has recently celebrated its 1000th performance in London and has now been seen by over 1.5 million people and has grossed over £65 million.

Billy Elliot is set in the North East and is a funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of one young boy's dreams.  This staging of Billy Elliot  is an adaptation of one of the most adored British films of the last decade which broke box office records across the world and was nominated for 3 Oscars and 13 BAFTA Awards.  The score has been composed by music legend Elton John, the most celebrated UK singer songwriter of the last 30 years, choreography is by Peter Darling, designs are by Ian MacNeil with sound by Paul Arditti and lighting by Rick Fisher.

According to the Times, the casting "was the time-consuming matter of finding an adolescent who could sing, act, speak in a northern English accent, do gymnastics and, most important, dance like a pro. Three boys, actually: the show demands its main character be onstage for nearly three hours, so to prevent Billy from keeling over in exhaustion, the plan, here as in London, is for three boys to rotate in and out of the role. Scouting began more than three years ago; in the meantime auditions took place — and are still taking place (for future casts) — all over the country, involving hundreds of boys."

For more information please visit www.billyelliotthemusical.com.