Short Regional Runs

[accessmenj]

As good as the Billys become as they mature and gain experience, I do not enjoy the almost-adults playing the part of an eleven year old boy. Part of the power of Billy Elliot The Musical is the extreme youth of the actor playing Billy. Only Europe is doing this training of eleven to twelve year olds. Perhaps they will be available in the future for some of these short regional runs. Sixteen year old boys playing Billy loses something for me.

[Todd]

Part of the power of Billy Elliot The Musical is the extreme youth of the actor playing Billy. Only Europe is doing this training of eleven to twelve year olds. Perhaps they will be available in the future for some of these short regional runs. Sixteen year old boys playing Billy loses something for me.

With the shorter preparation time that they have, I'm guessing that future regional productions will find it easier to go with somewhat older Billys. Since a 14 or 15 year old would likely have more dance training and performing experience, it would make it easier for them to learn the show in a shorter amount of time. While your point about the increasingly young and tiny Billys (and Michaels) in London is well-taken, I've found it to be a bit of a deviation from the original film version (and the first few years of the show in London) where Billy looked to be about 12 or 13, as opposed to looking about 10 or 11 like they often do now.

[ERinVA]

In fact, both George Maguire and James Lomas were older Billys. Liam Mower was 11 when previews began, but turned 12 shortly after the show opened. James had a very short run of only around 3 months, not counting the time he came back to cover Liam's hiatus, and George's run was 6 months. So the idea of very young Billys was not all that important when the original production began. But of course it makes better economic sense for the company to have younger Billys because that means they are not having to find and train as many new Billys as they would if they consistently used older boys.

[kport]

Eleven is also a transitional year in UK education: it is the start of secondary comprehensive school (11-16 or 11-18) and the start of the national Key Stage 3 curriculum (11-14 - Years 7-8-9 - which correspond with Grades 6-7-8). Hence, from a purely educational standpoint, 11 is a good year for a boy to embark on his Billy Elliot career. The Key Stage 3 curriculum ends at fourteen, when boys begin working toward their much more intensive and selective GCSEs.

Hence, the Key Stage 3 period (11-14) is very well suited to a boy's tenure in BETM, as it fits in well with his national curriculum requirements.

[accessmenj]

But it looks like future Billys in America will be around 16 years old. That makes the reverse-bully theme of the ballet girls pushing Billy around kind of silly. It makes Billy look weak. I believe Billy should be played by someone no older than 14.

[kport]

In the short term, need will necessitate older Billys in the US, until it does what the Royal Winnapeg Ballet/Manitoba Theatre Company are doing - training new, age-approprite Billys and Michaels for a period of 18 months for the role. (I note that the RWB is the oldest ballet company in North America.)

From the School's website:

Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School is well known for being the most comprehensive dance training facility in Canada. With more than 1,200 students annually, our multi-level state of the art facility is the home to the Professional and Recreational Divisions. These two divisions provide the highest caliber of training available to aspiring professional dancers, recreational students and professional teachers of dance. Internationally renowned for its exceptional teaching staff and commitment to artistic excellence, the RWB School inspires students of all levels and ages to set and achieve their goals. The School’s proximity to the world-renowned Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company allows us to offer students in both divisions unique performance opportunities alongside RWB Company dancers.

I recall seeing BETM and the VPT when Rachel Mracna came back to fill in as Debbie for a few shows. She was 13 going on 16, if you know what I mean. The Billy - Harrison, I think, or Harris - was 12 going on 12. That made the situation the other way around, and the 'If ye like, I'll show you me f@nny' rather....odd!

[ERinVA]

I think you must mean another Debbie, or another venue. Rachel Mracna was on the Second US Tour.

[kport]

Oops! Sorry. I am sure it was Francesca Mango! It was at the VPT one Thursday; I remember it clearly - if not the name!

She was brought back to fill in the summer of 2013, after previously completing three years in the role. It was Harrison she partnered:

July
13 - (Eve) Harrison/Joe M/Francesca/Joseph Mac/Jude (Last Show for Francesca Mango - 2nd Time Around)

http://www.billyelliottheforum.me.uk/fo ... &start=310

[Todd]

But it looks like future Billys in America will be around 16 years old. That makes the reverse-bully theme of the ballet girls pushing Billy around kind of silly. It makes Billy look weak. I believe Billy should be played by someone no older than 14.

I think the key is how old they look. Myles Erlick isn't much older than Sam Faulkner, but while Myles would have indeed been a stretch to be believable as Billy (had he filled in for Tade in St. Louis), Sam could easily pass for someone several years younger. Though he was taller than most Billys, he still had an unbroken voice and a sense of vulnerability that are both important for the role. I'll be surprised - and disappointed - if future productions cast 16-year-old Billys who look and sound like 16-year-olds.

[atreyu]

So the idea of very young Billys was not all that important when the original production began.

Might the 1 young/2 older Billy combination also reflect the huge question at that time of whether a 12-year-old can carry a show and perform such a demanding role several times a week? Between schooling, rehearsals and performing, it must have been quite the gamble that a bairn could hold up physically and mentally for months on end. We all rejoice in hindsight that it has worked gloriously well, but I wonder if the older original boys were more the result of producers hedging their bet. Just speculating.