Too many Billys?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 4:55pm

I understand the role is demanding, but do they really need 5 of them? That means 2 of them are only performing once a week. According to the Playbill article announcing David's replacement (Michael Dameski), the other Billys are Alex Ko, Trent Kowalik, Liam Redhead and Dayton Tavares. Even 4 seems like a lot. 3 seemed the perfect number. Why so many Billys?
Broadway's Billy Elliot to Welcome Australian Star

[willep]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:05pm

I would assume that Michael is going to be Trent's replacement and that means Trent is leaving sometime in the next couple months. I agree that 3 seems like a good number, but they like to have 4 and give each kid two shows a week.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:07pm

Also, keep in mind Alex Ko was injured and hasn't been performing for months.

[sgv123]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:07pm

Well, with all of the injuries that have occurred over the past year (and currently)I really do think that 4-5 is suitable.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:08pm

The role is not even THAT demanding.


And is it the casting director's role to cast children who are a part of a minority and look nothing like anyone else in the show?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:11pm

They Shoot Billys, Don't They?

[sgv123]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:12pm

I really do not think that the minority of the child matters. As long as they have got the talent and they want to do it, I really think that they should be given the opportunity.

Also, the role is demanding and when someone gets injured or is unable to preform it comes to the point where the Billy's are doing every other performance....that is very demanding. With multiple Billy's it makes the demanding aspect less demanding.


Updated On: 12/28/09 at 05:12 PM

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:12pm

^ ^
I find that partially offensive. I believe they cast whomever they thought had the greatest potential to be Billys and trained them.

[winston89]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:17pm

Considering that the role must be a tough one to cast, I am sure that they have to take every race into consideration.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:18pm

^^^ (Directed to Alffie)
That's what SGV said.

Updated On: 12/28/09 at 05:18 PM

[g4rat]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:21pm

Yeah I'm sure they need every Billy they have, with injuries being so common. I'm glad that they don't discriminate against minorities and really look for the talent, and man are those boys talented.

Posted: 12/28/09 at 5:27pm

I remember seeing an interview with Elton John where he mentioned that it was important to have Billys of various ethnic backgrounds, and that they were casting with that idea in mind.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 6:16pm

David's leaving next week and Trent's leaving in February.

[JP2]

Posted: 12/28/09 at 6:19pm

The Billy's have to compete with the Sherrie's.

[sking]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 4:20am

There has been so many times they have been down 2 Billys that 3 isnt enough anymore so they need at least 4 and even 5 isnt a horrible idea though I doubt that it will be that many very often. As too picking minority Billys I see NO indication they are even paying attention to that...they are picking the best of the best and its also very possible that immigrant parents push their kids harder and are also over represented in dance percentage wise, at least here in the USA and Canada. So far the Billys have been one hell of a melting pot Race AND Nationality and I find that refreshing. Maybe we will get more boys into Ballet now like it did in the UK but I doubt it, Billy Elliot was a cultural giant hit in the UK...verrrry niche here.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 9:26am

They age quickly.

And casting is decided by the producer, the director and the authors, not the casting director.

And what's with the disgusting racism in this thread?

Is it so impossible for you as an audience member to watch a talented dancer with green skin?

Sheesh.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 9:35am

The role is not even THAT demanding.

Your are an absolute MORON, DCR. The role is incredibly demanding. He almost never leaves the stage in a 3 hour long show that is highly dance intensive. Just having to do BOTH Angry Dance and Electricity in the span of an hour and a half is demanding.
Updated On: 12/29/09 at 09:35 AM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 10:09am

Considering they had already been down to 2 Billys in like the 2nd week of previews due to illness (and that was definitely not the last time that happened), it's better for them to have 4 Billys rather than 3.

Also...really, Chita? The role is incredibly demanding...the boys hardly ever leave the stage, there are several large numbers that they dance in per act, two of them largely on their own, etc. The boys get put through at least 6 months of training for a reason.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 10:14am

I second that the role is incredibly demanding and must be exhausting. It's definitely more demanding than Karen Olivo's sleepwalk through America.

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 12:15pm

Not to mention, theyre doing all that dancing & tumbling on a raked stage.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 12/29/09 at 12:59pm

So much ignorance.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/30/09 at 3:25pm

" It's definitely more demanding than Karen Olivo's sleepwalk through America."

I thought you never saw Olivo in the role?

[turquoisefish]

Posted: 12/30/09 at 5:18pm

I haven't seen Billy Elliott but 3 Billys always seemed too few to me. If one gets ill or goes on vacation then they are down to 2 straight away then if one of those gets injured they have only one. It could happen quite easily.
When the tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang came to Southampton I think they had 5 sets of Jeremy and Jemimas with 3 sets of understudies too.

Are there understudy Billys too?

[yankees1253]

Posted: 12/30/09 at 6:50pm

Four is fine as a rotation of Billy. It has come down two Billy's because of two were injuried, those two healthy Billy's did four shows each. Once Trent did three and Kiril did Five since it was his last week, plus David/Tommy were injuried.

It is fine with Two Michael's, One Debbie(one or two understudies), Two Small Boys, One Tall Boy/Posh Boy also is an understudy for Michael if one goes on IR or Vacation.
One Set of Ballet Girls(11 counting Debbie) and they have three Ballet Girl Swings. Spilt up into Small, Medimum and Tall Ball Girls. Small-Angela Robson,Alison Summers,&Keeley Gibson. Medimum-Karen Davidson,Sharon Percy & Julie Hope. Tall-Margret Gormley, Tina Harmer,Tracy Atkinson, & Susan Parks(Spaz Starfish).

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/30/09 at 9:15pm

You also have to assume it is insurance against that life event we call puberty. With boys that age you can be fine one day and then two weeks later have to replace them because they are suddenly six inches taller.