Tony Winner Faith Prince to Star in Billy Elliot's Second National Tour; Casting Complete

[PastorErnst]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:45pm

Tony Award winner Faith Prince will play dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson in the second national tour of Billy Elliot the Musical, which launches Oct. 30 at the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, NC.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions announced Aug. 25 that the title role will be shared by Giuseppe Bausilio, Michael Dameski, Kylend Hetherington, Lex Ishimoto and Daniel Russell.

The cast will also include Rich Hebert (Dad); Patti Perkins (Grandma); Jeff Kready (Tony); Joel Blum (George); Griffin Birney and Jacob Zelonky (Michael); and Rachel Mracna (Debbie). Rounding out the ensemble are Maximilien A. Baud, Craig Bennett, Kirrilee Berger, Michael Biren, Damien Brett, Samantha Cutler, Jason DePinto, Jennifer Evans, J. Austin Eyer, Andrew Fitch, Kurt Froman, Mary Giattino, Cassidy Hagel, Regan Haley, David Hibbard, Karen Hyland, Aaron Kaburick, Nicholas Lampiasi, Rebecca Marlowe, Katie Micha, Alec Osher, Vanessa Russo, Nathan Scherich, Nicholas Sipes, Dorothy Stanley, Kristopher Thompson-Bolden, Beatrice Tulchin, Genai Veal, Olivia Wang, Beverly Ward, Patrick Wetzel, Branch Woodman, Katrina Yaukey and Danielle Znutas.
Playbill.com: Tony Winner Faith Prince to Star in Billy Elliot's Second National Tour; Casting Complete

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:53pm

Really? I was thinking maybe Grandma...

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:53pm

I hate that Giuseppe is leaving the Chicago production early to join the second tour. He is my favorite Billy (of the 3 that I've seen), so he will be sorely missed.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 3:34pm

Soooo happy Giuseppe is going on tour!

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:06pm

As excited as I was to see Emily Skinner in the role, and as good as she was, I am sad that I won't get to see Faith Prince. I absolutely adore her.

Giuseppe is a great billy.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:21pm

This may be a stupid question but is one tour smaller in scale than the other like "Wicked"?

[THDavis]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:27pm

This is probably another stupid question that's already been discussed. Is the Chicago production picking up and touring when it finishes here in Chicago this upcoming January?

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:34pm

The Chicago production is moving to Toronto. The production its self isn't really big scale, it is mostly a unit set, Billy's house comes on and off from the wings, and the unit set goes off to the wings for the flying dance number.

[THDavis]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 5:48pm

Yeah, it seems pretty easy to move on and off and was almost disappointing after having viewed the London set, but that's to be expected. As of now, is it to be assumed that much of the Chicago cast will transfer to Toronto as well?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 6:21pm

The physical production in Chicago will indeed move to Toronto, but it will technically be a different company, though it is possible that some of the current cast will be a part of that company. After Toronto it will move to San Francisco.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 11:18pm

Michael Dameski? I assume his family is permanently relocating to the states then? Cause you know, Australia's far...

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 1:12am

I believe the plan is to have most of the cast go to Toronto with the production. Skinner is going to Broadway so that a Canadian native can take on the role there, which is all well and good, and they will lose a Billy or two, but it has been my understanding based on the Chicago area publicity, that everything is moving. Of course, i could have misunderstood.

[dontevenstart]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 11:16am

The Chicago production is technically the 1st National tour. It sat down in Chicago for an extended amount of time. The majority of the cast will continue to Toronto, as TO is considered the 2nd city on the 1st National tour. It will sit down there for several months before moving onto San Fran. The cast with Faith Prince is the 2nd national tour and will go to "smaller" cities and play anywhere from 2-6 weeks in a city.

In regards to smaller scale, the Chicago/1st National is now the mold for all future productions that will occur. So any new sit down productions that open or any more tours that go out will be based on the design of the current Chicago/1st National set. The only sets that will have the house that comes from the floor is Bway and London.

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 2:41pm

I can't wait for it to get to Cleveland. This is by far the show I'm most looking forward to seeing next season.

[raker]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 2:44pm

Faith Prince would make a perfect Sally in Follies.

[BwayBoundJoe]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 10:34pm

I think she'll do just fine on the tour.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/27/10 at 12:15pm

Faith doesn't have the high notes Sally needs for "Too Many Mornings" amd "In Buddy's Eyes".

[raker]

Posted: 8/27/10 at 4:52pm

I love Dorothy Collins's low-register voice on the original cast album. Faith Prince sings beautifully and I think she should put across Sally's vulnerability and sadness very well.