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L-R - Rhys Kosakowski, Lochlan Denholm, Nick Twiney & Rarmian Newton. Photo - James Morgan

After an exhaustive six-month audition process, Director, Stephen Daldry announced today the four young Australians who will alternate the title role in Billy Elliot the Musical, which opens in Sydney on December 13, 2007.

Lochlan Denholm (Melbourne), Rhys Kosakowski (Newcastle), Rarmian Newton (Melbourne) and Nick Twiney (Sydney) will share the role of Billy Elliot and begin the rehearsal process in early July.  

Daldry said, ‘Performing the role of Billy is like playing Hamlet whilst running an Olympic marathon. The creative team have been constantly astounded by the level of talent in Australia and are delighted with the stamina, energy, charisma and total star quality of the four extraordinary young lads who will open the show Down Under.’

Australia’s Billys begin rehearsals in July, with the full company joining them in August in advance of the first public performance on November 13.

Billy Elliot the Musical opened in London in May 2005 to extraordinary reviews, has broken UK box office records and is still playing to capacity houses at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Set in the North East of England it is a funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of one boy’s dreams set against the historic British miners’ strike of 1984/85. The story follows the journey of a young boy raised in a small mining town who, after stumbling across a ballet class while on his way to a boxing lesson, realises that his future lays not in the boxing ring, but on stage as a dancer.

Directed by Stephen Daldry with book and lyrics by Lee Hall and choreography by Peter Darling, Billy Elliot the Musical was developed for the stage by the same multi-award winning creative team behind the film Billy Elliot which captured hearts and minds the world over when it was released in October 2000. Nominated for 3 Academy Awards and 13 BAFTAs, this poignant film broke box office records across the world.

The score has been composed by music legend Elton John, the most celebrated UK singer songwriter of the last 30 years. Set design by Ian MacNeil, costumes by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Paul Arditti and music supervision by Martin Koch.

Billy Elliot the Musical is based on the Universal Pictures/Studio Canal Film and is produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jon Finn and Sally Greene for Universal Pictures, Working Title and Old Vic Productions.

Executive Producers are David Furnish and Angela Morrison and Executive Producer (Australia) is Louise Withers.


BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
From November 13 2007
Australian Premiere December 13 2007
Capitol Theatre | Haymarket, Sydney