Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

[pli1018]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:16pm

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119499.html

So much for the Beth Leavel rumours!
Either way the cast sounds great!

[azeller]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:17pm

I'm so happy to hear Greg Jbara will be back in NY!

[winter_sky]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:18pm

AW Grant Turner! Yay.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:20pm

So happy they ACTUALLY got Carole Shelley!!!!!!!!!!!

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:21pm

BOY are you guys lucky to have Haydn Gwynne recreate Mrs Wilkinson.
Worth traveling from the UK to see again is that performance!

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:24pm

DAVID LARSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This makes my day!

Yes.

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:24pm

I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited that Haydn will be playing Mrs.Wilkinson. This is like a dream come true!

[B3TA07]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:24pm

I was actually hoping this would be Beth Leavel's next gig as Mrs Wilkinson...or Andrea Martin, but I'll be really excited to see the original actress as she sounds fantastic on the CD.

Holla for Carole Shelley too.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:24pm

Glad Haydn Gwynne is coming over to re-create.

I love Carole Shelley!!!

[Weez]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:25pm

WELL! Have fun with this one! Good cast! ^_^

[pli1018]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:25pm

I'm really glad Hadyn's coming over as well! When I saw it she was fantastic! Did she at least get nominated for an Olivier for it?

[splendoris]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:31pm

I am really excited Hadyn Gwynne is recreating Mrs. Wilkinson!

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 1:31pm

Hope its reviews like this!!!!
Carole shelley will be FANTASTIC as Grandma , just a shame they didn't take Anne Emery from the London production- a classic stage comedy performance!

[Scripps2]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:07pm

"I'm really glad Hadyn's coming over as well! When I saw it she was fantastic! Did she at least get nominated for an Olivier for it?"

She was nominated, alongside Jenna Russell (for Guys and Dolls) and Julie Walters (for Acorn Antiques), and they all lost out to Jane Krakowski (Guys and Dolls).

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:08pm

"DAVID LARSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This makes my day!

Yes."


Mine too. I am so freaking excited! Long live the GOOD VIBRATIONS cast members!!!

[WOSQ]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:12pm

Once more, I have to register a dissent.

Hadyn Gwynne is too pretty, too thin and too young. I felt she was the wrong type in London and she's hasn't gotten any better--that is to say worse--in the past three years.

Mrs. Wilkinson needs mileage on her tires. Billy is her last chance to make something of her life. He gives her a reason. She's got to look a bit washed-up. Ms. Gwynne doesn't have that extra something.

If you've got to import someone, why not Genevieve Lemon from Sydney?

[jewishboy]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:15pm

That may be what it is like in the movie version, but on stage the role has been cast on the younger/attractive side. An I find no problem with that. I'm very glad for this cast!!

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:18pm

WAT, are you making fun of me?

I truly think he's an awesome performer.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:23pm

Merle Louise is freakin' back on the boards, baby!!!!!!!

[Mamie]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:33pm

Greg Jbara! I wasn't going to see this but now I'm sure I'll be there more than once. Fantastic news!

[logan0215]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:48pm

I saw the show on the West End before returning to the States in May and absolutely fell in love with it.

I'm sort of torn on this cast. I love each of them as performers but am having trouble picturing them as these parts...

Carole Shelley I've only seen in Wicked where she plays a regal and mostly "stand-still" part, whereas Grandma literally stomps and hoots and hollers through her song so I hope shes up to it. Wasn't she having issues with Wicked as a result of the raked-stage? We'll see how she fares...

I love Greg Jbara and have put him down as my "nicest Broadway star" in every thread thats come up, but I feel like he's just that: too nice. Dad is a sour and surly broken man who has lost his wife and is unable to love his son for what he is. I've only seen Greg in comedy and hope that he has the hard edge to pull it off.

Santino Fontana also has quite the "nice guy" look to him whereas Brother is just as, if not more, surly and horrible than Dad. Ideally my choice was Aaron Lohr.

My own selfish desire was that Lisa Brescia would play "Mum" as the part, as I saw it on the West End, was played by someone the age of his mother when she died (much younger looking than Hocking). I'm sure Hocking will be able to pull off this heart-wrenching ballad but I would love to see Brescia do it (if they don't give her the ****ing LEAD in Wicked after she gets back from Chicago, that is).

My fear with this transfer was that it'd lose its grittiness and edge. The show had people of all ages seeing it when I was in London, but they did not sensor out any of the "****"'s or adult themes and I hope the same treatment is used here. If they change them all too "bloody" then I'd consider that acceptable, but just hope they don't lose the darkness of this amazing musical.

Updated On: 7/15/08 at 02:48 PM

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:59pm

logan, I can understand your concern if you've only seen Greg in comedic roles, but trust me, he is also a wonderful dramatic actor, and he will do the role of "Dad" proud. I absolutely have NO doubt whatever about that. He's going to be fantastic! - Barb
Updated On: 7/15/08 at 02:59 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 3:02pm

I assume Merle Louise's main function in the ensemble is to understudy Grandma.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 3:04pm

I know an actor who was in at least 5 or 6 times for the role of the father. It's disappointing that they put someone through that and then went for a "name" ("name" is relative in this case, I realize, but still).

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 3:10pm

ITF, I am not making fun of you...I jsut never thought he would work again after that fiasco...glad to see he is still in the business!