Will Chase to Play "Tony" in "Billy Elliot" Starting July 7
Will Chase to Play "Tony" in "Billy Elliot" Starting July 7
PiraguaGuy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/10/08
#1Will Chase to Play "Tony" in "Billy Elliot" Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 1:57pm
Formerly SirNotAppearing - Joined 3/08
#2re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:01pmBilly's MUCH older brother, that is.
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
#2re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:06pm
Billy's MUCH older brother, that is.
Yeah really.
Um, at least this show won't close after he enters.
AndAllThatJazz22
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/08
#3re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:06pm
I actually like that choice a lot. Will Chase is very masculine and he has a good voice... so I think it has potential to work. As for age, all that matters is that he can convince us that he is younger, but my god I hope he doesn't look bored of his a$$ like he did in Rent.
"There's nothing good on. The media hates Christmas. The media loves vampires, though. Maybe they will show a Twilight Christmas."
-Danmeg's 10 year old son.
Updated On: 6/24/09 at 02:06 PM
-Danmeg's 10 year old son.
#4re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:18pmThis is fantastic news. I am so glad he will be in a hit show.
#5re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:20pmHe'll be excellent in the part.
PiraguaGuy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/10/08
#6re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:20pmHe's also 9 years younger than the man playing his father.
Formerly SirNotAppearing - Joined 3/08
#7re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:49pmWill Santino's last perfromance be July 5th or will he leave early and have understudies do it until Will comes?
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#8re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:49pmAnd Phylicia Rashad's black. Big deal.
LesMizazz
Stand-by Joined: 5/22/04
#9re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:59pm
Although Will Chase does seem a bit old for the character, I think this is the type of casting that they wanted for this role of Tony.
Joe Caffrey, the current Dad in the London Cast was the original Tony when the show opened there in 2005 so obviously the age difference in the actor doesn't matter very much in casting.
Though on the other hand, the current Tony in London is Craig Gallivan who is in his mid-late 20's and one of the Broadway understudies is David Larsen who is in that same age range. Definitely a few years younger than Will Chase.
"And suddenly I'm flying flying like a bird, like electricity, electricity, sparks inside of me, and I'm free, I'm free" -Billy Elliot
#10re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:04pm
It's called acting.
In related horrifying news: Juliet is rarely played by a teen!
#11re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:08pmYeah, I was going to say that Will and Gregory should be brothers, not father and son. I guess it's not a HUGE deal for an 11-year old boy to have a brother in his 40s.
". . . POP . . ."
#12re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:10pmWell, he won't seeing how TONY is not in his 40s...
#13re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:17pm
Excuse me . . . 38 and turning 39 in September. Sorry.
". . . POP . . ."
Updated On: 6/24/09 at 03:17 PM
#14re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:18pm
Who cares how old Chase is? How old is TONY? And can Chase play that age?
Yes.
AndAllThatJazz22
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/08
#15re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:19pm
Juliet is never played by a teen.
None of the kids in Spring Awakening were 14-15.
Coraline was played by a woman in her 50's
I don't think age is THAT big of a deal.
"There's nothing good on. The media hates Christmas. The media loves vampires, though. Maybe they will show a Twilight Christmas."
-Danmeg's 10 year old son.
Updated On: 6/24/09 at 03:19 PM
-Danmeg's 10 year old son.
WiCkEDrOcKS
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
#16re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:20pmIt's about time he's in a show that he'll get to play more than 20 performances in. Good for him!
#17re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:25pmHmmmm Maybe I will need to go see this after all.
#18re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:27pmWas Santino fired? What happened? Just curious...
#19re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:30pmHe's going to be in Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound @ the Nederlander Updated On: 6/24/09 at 03:30 PM
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#20re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:33pmI just watched the Rent DVD and I didn't think he looked bored off his ass.
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ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."
#21re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 3:53pmyea, from seeing will chase quite a few times in rent myself, he was definitely not bored.
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#22re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 4:16pmWhile I don't doubt that he'll act the role fine, the idea that he is going to be Greg Jbara's son is laughable.
#23re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 4:20pm
Let's also hope they hire Abigail Breslin to be Grandma. She's an AMAZING actress, and I'm SURE she'd be believable!
In my opinion, it's not about his ability as an actor, it's more the appropriateness of the choice. Is there not an actor the appropriate age to cast in the role of Tony? I somehow doubt it.
". . . POP . . ."
#24re: Will Chase to Play 'Tony' in 'Billy Elliot' Starting July 7
Posted: 6/24/09 at 4:22pm
I saw Will Chase in AIDA, HIGH FIDELITY, and RENT. The only role I liked him in was RENT, and even then I wasn't crazy about him. There's something about his natural facial features that doesn't make me take him seriously as a character.
But, I admire the man, his artistry, and his passion. It's not his fault I don't believe his face! :-P
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
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