This news follows Billy Elliot The Musical's recent extension to 16th May 2015 and the release of over 570,000 new tickets. The popular musical will celebrate ten years in the West End during its new booking period.
From this week the ballet girls, aged between 10 and 16, will be played by: Niamh Ashley, Niamh Bennett, Macy Dyason, Morgan Hartley, Lauren Henson, Lydia Kalian, Darcey Littlefield, Natasha Pye, Caitlin Rosendale and Sophie Smart; Samantha Allison, Holly-Marie Davenport , Holly Duke, Ella Forman, Summer Jones, Eliza Love, Kiara-Jaide Mandoza, Emily Miles, Georgia Prentice, Lily Sitzia; and Chorlène Biron-Monnier, Samantha Delaney, Sophie Green, Esa Halil, Taila Halil, Allanah Martin Judge, Ellie Munden, Ellis O'Neill, Charlotte Ross-Gower and Brooke Wolpert.
Anna Jane Casey, who plays Mrs Wilkinson, said: “We are all looking forward to welcoming our new Ballet Girls to the Victoria Palace Theatre. I am particularly looking forward to keeping them on their toes at each performance as they join Billy on stage in Mrs Wilkinson’s unique and especially energetic ballet lessons - I know they will give us ‘the old razzle-dazzle’ in their fabulous pink tutus!”
'Based on the Oscar nominated film, Billy Elliot the Musical is an inspirational story of one boy’s dream to realise his ambitions against the odds. Set in the North East of England against the background of the historic 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid disapproval of his struggling family.'
Billy Elliot features music by Elton John and book and lyrics by Lee Hall. The show, which has now been seen by over 4 million people in the West End and over 9 million people worldwide, is one of the longest running and most popular musicals in the West End at the moment. Billy Elliot has won five Olivier Awards and has now played over 7000 performances globally.
Productions of Billy Elliot the Musical have been staged on Broadway, as well as in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, Toronto, Seoul, South Korea and a North American tour which recently travelled to São Paulo, Brazil. Further international productions are planned for Holland and Germany.
[Andrew Tomlins]