Billy Elliot: Julian Elia to be Broadway's 16th Billy

13 year old Julian Elia will join the cast of the 10-time Tony Award-winning Billy Elliot - The Musical, in the role of 'Billy,' becoming the 16th boy to perform the role on Broadway. Elia has previously performed the lead role in the Toronto production of the musical.

Elia will replace Giuseppe Bausilio who will play his final performance on 6 Nov 2011.

The role of 'Billy' is currently alternated between Giuseppe Bausilio, Myles Erlick, Tade Biesinger, Joseph Harrington and Peter Mazurowski.

Billy Elliot - The Musical currently features cast also features Emily Skinner (Mrs. Wilkinson), Daniel Jenkins (Dad), Katherine McGrath (Grandma), Patrick Mulvey (Tony), Jack Broderick and Cameron Clifford (Michael).

As previously announced Billy Elliot - The Musical will play its final performance at Broadway's Imperial Theatre on 8 Jan 2012. When the musical closes it will have played 40 previews and 1,304 regular performances.

The musical, now in its 3rd year, opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre on 13 Nov 2008, following previews from 1 Oct 2008.

Billy Elliot - The Musical opened to excellent reviews: "Everything about this production is remarkable."
(newyorktheatreguide.com); "Enduring appeal" (NY Times); "Irresistible new show " (NY Daily News); "Head and toe-shoes above every other show this season" (NY Post); "As seriously thrilling as it is deeply lovable" (NewsDay); "Tough, intelligent, exuberant, electric, politically savvy, and fun" (Back Stage).

Billy Elliot The Musical is created by the same team that made the multi-Oscar-nominated film: writer Lee Hall, director Stephen Daldry, and choreographer Peter Darling. The musical's score is by Elton John, who also composed the music for 'The Lion King,' 'Aida' and 'Lestat.'

The Musical was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including: Best Musical; Best Book of a Musical (Lee Hall); Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish); Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Gregory Jbara); Best Direction of a Musical (Stephen Daldry); Best Choreography (Peter Darling); Best Orchestrations (Martin Koch); Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Ian MacNeil); Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Rick Fisher); Best Sound Design of a Musical (Paul Arditti).

Set in England's North East against the background of the miners' strike - Billy Elliot The Musical is the tale of a motherless boy whose father wants him to take up boxing. Instead, the boy discovers a love for ballet that leads him from secret lessons to a place at the Royal Ballet School.

Based on the beloved 2000 film, which garnered three Academy Award nominations and three BAFTA awards, the world premiere production of Billy Elliot - The Musical is still playing at London's Victoria Palace Theatre where it opened on 11 May 2005. The London production won Three Olivier Awards: Best New Musical, Best Actor and Choreographer. It also won the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical. A production of the show opened in Sydney in Dec 2007.

The Broadway production features the same creative team as the London production: Ian MacNeil (sets), Nicky Gillibrand (costumes), Rick Fisher (lighting) and Paul Arditti (sound).

The musical is produced on Broadway by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment.