Broadway Billy Elliot video

[Chloe]

Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:20pm

I found this via ATC. There's a lot of footage from auditions held over the last few months, and some of the boys are astounding.
Be Billy

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 7:07am

The ballet skills of the kids are quite brilliant. Can't wait to see it on Broadway.

[Chason]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 8:12pm

Is it ever going to be on Broadway? What, exactly, is the hold-up? It's been in London for a couple of years, right?

[Chloe]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 8:17pm

The first preview is Sept. 17, 2008, so it definitely will be here. From what I've heard, the hold up was for two reasons, one being that they needed a theater with a deep enough basement to hold a very tall piece of the set (the Victoria Palace where they are in London actually had to be excavated), and the other being that it takes a considerable amount of time to find and train boys to play the part of Billy. It's not a matter of finding just one either. In London and Australia there are at least four boys now rotating in the part. It's extremely demanding and they don't expect any of them to go on more than two or three times in a week.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 9:20pm

Actually one of the biggest hold ups for this coming from us to the states was that the producers did not want to take it to the states for quite awhile

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 10:59pm

So much talent. I want to actually hear them sing, though...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 10/20/07 at 11:38pm

"Is it ever going to be on Broadway? What, exactly, is the hold-up?"

Thay are trying to re-imagine the whole thing, and cut it down to 90 minutes, just to piss you off.

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 7:17am

When the singing first started I thought "Wow that kid has such a mature voice." Then I realized it was Elton singing… total airhead moment.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 10:42am

Am I missing something? How do they cast kids now for an opening a year from now? These kids all seem on the cusp of puberty- a year from now thye could look like Cheyenne Jackson.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 11:03am

EXCELLENT!



So excited!

[Chloe]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 12:53pm

The casting is a calculated risk. They want to find boys old enough to be able to perform the role. Some London Billys have been fifteen when they left the show. It all depends on their individual growth rates. The American Colin Bates was one of the older ones and is featured in the press kit video.
Video

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:37pm

I met one of the boys in the final running for the role just last week. They have narrowed it down to four boys.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:41pm

How do they cast kids now for an opening a year from now? These kids all seem on the cusp of puberty- a year from now thye could look like Cheyenne Jackson.

They keep them pre-pubescent the same way they keep those Vienna Boys Choir voices so high.

[jake6970]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 2:40pm

Narrowed it down to 4? Won't they be casting like 3 anyway?

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 2:45pm

They are either doing 2 or 3. Most likely two since Child labor laws are different in the US.

[bandit964]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:24am

""Is it ever going to be on Broadway? What, exactly, the
hold-up?"

Thay are trying to re-imagine the whole thing, and cut it
down to 90 minutes, just to piss you off."



OMG, that was the funniest thing ive heard all day. bravo to you.

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 2:07am

WAIT! How has no one else mentioned how creepy it is to see Elton's voice come from the boys' mouths during "Electricity!?"

[sgv123]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:22pm

i think that there will probably be 3 or 4 boys just because of the level of work and energy billy has to do/have. they can't be expected to do that more than 3 times a week. i think that is too much for 11/12 year olds.