Ian MacNeil News

Today, 14 July 2014, twelve year old Ollie Jochim from Chelmsford, Essex gives his first performance in the title role of the internationally award winning Billy Elliot the Musical. Ollie joins a cast lead by Ruthie Henshall who plays Mrs Wilkinson, Billy's dance teacher, and becomes the thirty-eighth boy to perform the iconic role at the Victoria Palace Theatre and the seventy-fifth boy to perform the role world-wide.

On Sunday 28 September 2014, Billy Elliot the Musical is set to bring cinema goers to their feet when the global stage phenomenon is broadcast live from the West End to cinemas across the UK and around the world. Check out a first look at the trailer below!

On Sunday 28 September 2014, Billy Elliot the Musical is set to bring cinema goers to their feet when the global stage phenomenon is broadcast live from the West End to cinemas across the UK and around the world.

Today we continue the 2014 edition of our annual BroadwayWorld feature series spotlighting the very best Tony Awards-related moments of all time with a special focus on one of the most recent big battles for Best Musical with BILLY ELLIOT versus NEXT TO NORMAL.

Drama Desk and Tony Award winner Laura Benanti ('The Sound of Music Live!', Gypsy, Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) will host the 59th Annual Drama Desk Awards tonight, June 1, 2014 at 8:00 PM at The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd Street). BroadwayWorld will be updating you with winners throughout the night. Check back later for the full list!

The Almeida Theatre today announces its body of work for the autumn: a World Premiere of a new work by Alecky Blythe will be directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins and the London Premiere of David Cromer's acclaimed production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town.

From the controversial and crass to the inspiring and romantic, the past decade's Tony winners for Best Musical delighted us then and continue to captivate us as they play in productions across the country and around the world. And what better way to refresh and prep for this year's big award than to relive the stand-outs from the last 10 years on Broadway? Scroll down to learn more about the winners since 2004, and be sure to tell us which musical gets your pick for 2014!

Eligibility and award category designations for the productions under consideration this season were determined by the Drama Desk board of directors with recommendations from the nominating committee. Because of the abundance of great work throughout the season, the Board also authorized the increase in the number of nominees allowed in select categories.

Olivier award-winning actor Ruthie Henshall is to join the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical to play Billy's dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson. Henshall's first performance will be 12 May 2014, nine years to the day sinceBilly Elliot the Musical officially opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre. The internationally celebrated show which has now been seen by over 9.5 million people worldwide is currently booking to 16 May 2015and features music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall. Stephen Daldry directs with choreography by Peter Darling.

The cast has been announced for Simon Stephens' new play Birdland at the Royal Court Theatre in London (3 April to 31 May - press night 9 April), which looks at fame, money and an out-of-control front man. The full cast is Nikki Amuka-Bird, Daniel Cerqueira, Yolanda Kettle, Alex Price, Charlotte Randle and Andrew Scott.

Featuring Hattie Morahan as Nora--the archetypal desperate housewife--for which the rising star was awarded both the Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Award for Best Actress, the Young Vic's production of Ibsen's A Doll's House arrives at BAM this spring on a tide of rapturous reviews, two sold-out runs, and a West End transfer in the UK.

Featuring Hattie Morahan as Nora--the archetypal desperate housewife--for which the rising star was awarded both the Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Award for Best Actress, the Young Vic's production of Ibsen's A Doll's House arrives at BAM this spring on a tide of rapturous reviews, two sold-out runs, and a West End transfer in the UK.

Below, BroadwayWorld marks this closing night by bringing you photos from the show's trip to Broadway. The cast began rehearsals back in June, and you can check out photos from inside the rehearsal room below!

Beginning January 2014, auditions for the children's cast of Billy Elliot the Musical will take place countrywide to find young boys and girls to join the internationally acclaimed show which is now in its ninth year at the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End. 2014 auditions take place on 11 January in Leeds, 1 February in Newcastle, 15 March in London, 26 April in Bristol and 17 May in Manchester.

Today, 9 December 2013, 13 year old Mitchell Tobin from Florida, USA, will become the thirty-sixth boy and the eighth American to play Billy Elliot in the West End, having previously played the title role in the North American touring production. Billy Elliot the Musical is now in its ninth year at the Victoria Palace Theatre where it is currently booking to May 2015. Having now been seen by nearly 9.5 million people worldwide,Billy Elliot the Musical has been the recipient of over 80 major international awards.

According to the New York Post, Broadway's Betrayal ran into technical issues over the holiday weekend when automated set changes failed to work properly on Saturday night. An audience member told Page Six: "A black screen came down. After 15 minutes, Craig and the rest of the cast came out, and said they were having problems with the stage, but they were going to 'give it a shot,' and continue with the performance. They started to applause, but between each scene, the curtain came down, and the set was manually changed, which took a lot of time. By 9:30 p.m., they had only got through a few more scenes, and - while the actors made a valiant attempt to continue - some in the audience became restless and left."

Toronto – Soprano Karine Bocher from Quebec City took home first prize and the Audience Choice Award at the Canadian Opera Company's third annual Ensemble Studio Competition on November 26, 2013, at the

On Friday 22 November 2013, 18 year performing arts student Rebecca White from Croydon will join the cast of Elton John and Lee Hall's Billy Elliot the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End. By answering what does it feel like when you are dancing?, the question asked of Billy Elliot in his audition for the Royal Ballet School, Rebecca was chosen from over 1600 competition entries to perform as part of the internationally award-winning show.

Today, 13 November 2013, 11 year old Bradley Perret from Juan les Pins, France will become the thirty-fifth boy to play Billy Elliot in the West End and the first French-born boy to play the title role. Also joining the cast today will be 11 year old, Freddie Butterfield from West Yorkshire, as Billy's best friend Michael. Check out the photos below!

Let's see what the critics had to say...