Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.

Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

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

"Let's admit one thing right upfront: With the possible exception of Bernadette Peters, not everyone stays young and cute forever." (NYPost 2/2/05)

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

AW Grant Turner! Yay.

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

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

"He found something that he wanted, had always wanted and always would want— not to be admired, as he had feared; not to be loved, as he had made himself believe; but to be necessary to people, to be indispensable." -F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

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

This makes my day!

Yes.

[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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.

-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

Glad Haydn Gwynne is coming over to re-create.

I love Carole Shelley!!!

#10

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

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

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

#11

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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?

#12

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

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

#13

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!

#14

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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).

#15

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!!!

#16

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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?

"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable." --Carrie Fisher

#17

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!!

#18

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

WAT, are you making fun of me?

I truly think he's an awesome performer.

[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.

#19

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

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

Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you. --Cartman: South Park ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."

#20

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!

www.thebreastcancersite.com
A click for life.
mamie4 5/14/03

#21

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

#22

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

#23

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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

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

#24

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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).

Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson

#25

re: Billy Elliot Casting Complete!

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!

← Back to Message Board

View all Videos

Tickets From $59

Tickets From $71

Tickets From $95