Note: Bennett DaMetz will be appearing as Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) in Shawnee, Kansas, presented by Music Theatre Kansas City (MTKC), from April 11-20, 2025.
Debut: April 11, 2025 (Shawnee, Kansas)
Total Performances as Billy to Date: 0 (As of 31-Mar-2025)
Twelve-year-old Bennett DaMetz became the 378th young performer in the world to portray the title role in Billy Elliot The Musical when he debuted in the Music Theatre Kansas City production of the musical.
Bennett, who resides in Overland Park, Kansas with his mother, father and younger brother, is starring in his first big role in musical theatre and is a true triple threat performer.
As have others who have played Billy on stage, Bennett says starring in BETM is a dream come true. And no wonder. It is acknowledged as the most challenging role a young boy who has triple threat talent could hope to play on stage. The original director of BETM, Stephen Daldry, has described the role as “playing Hamlet while running a marathon”. He’s on stage for the entire show except for a very few scenes — singing, dancing and delivering a performance that’s very impressive for his young age.
Interviewed by local TV station KMBC9, Bennett gave his impression of working on this show: “I’ve never been like a lead role, and it’s just helped me a lot develop as an actor because I’m doing a lot more things”. He went on to say “This is probably the most professional show I’ve ever done.”
Bennett credits the show’s Director and Choreographer, David Grindrod, who has done much work in professional theatre in London and on Broadway among other places, with being very helpful in Bennett’s bringing Billy Elliot to life in the production.
David told him “I’m not going to treat you like a kid. This is a professional show. You have to hit your marks. You have to say your lines. You have to hit your dances steps.” But David also has shown Bennett that “this is the best place in the world, being on stage.”
As mentioned earlier, the morning of the production’s opening, local ABC television affliate KMBC aired this story announcing Bennett’s debut that evening in the MTKC production of Billy Elliot The Musical. In addition to interviewing Bennett, David Grindrod and Julie Danielson, this clip provides the reader with a look at Bennett’s dance talent.
For more information about Bennett, visit:
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