Note: Dex Drewitz’s final performance as Billy in Theatre Calgary’s production of Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) in Calgary, Alberta was on May 11, 2019.
Debut: April 9, 2019 (Calgary, Alberta)
Total Performances as Billy: 17 (No partial shows)
Dex Drewitz was 10 years old when he made his debut as Billy in Theatre Calgary’s production of BETM. He is in Grade Five at École Percy Pegler in Okotoks. Outside of dance his other interests include hockey, and he plays for the Atom AA Green in the Okotoks Minor Hockey League.
Dex’s dance training has taken place at Drewitz Dance Productions, a dance school in Calgary that is owned and run by his parents — Scott and Leslie, who have both had long careers in musical theatre. For the past two years Dex has achieved the title of Mini Overall Dancer at competition.
Dex is returning to Theatre Calgary after previously playing Tiny Tim in their 2016 production of A Christmas Carol. He really enjoyed performing with the company and wanted to come back and take on a bigger role, which is what led him to audition for Billy.
His other theatre credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cinderella Kids, and junior productions of Peter Pan and Singin’ in the Rain.
The following video shows Dex at his audition for BETM and also the moment when he found out that he had been cast in the lead role:
youtube.com/watch?v=cjq5_ykMlbs
Credit: Video by TheatreCalgary
The rehearsal process for BETM has been intense, consisting of eight hours per day, six days per week for four full weeks. Dex has found that having the other Billy, Rhett Udsen, alongside him during this process has helped push him. “We’re pretty competitive with each other,” he said.
Unlike the character of Billy, whose family didn’t approve of him dancing, Dex has not only always been fully supported by his parents, but they are in fact the driving force behind why he dances. As Dex puts it, “My family owns the Drewitz School of Dance so you could say I fell into dancing like everyone else in my family. For me, my rebellion was wanting to play hockey, which I also do. Just because dance has always been a part of my life doesn’t mean I necessarily want it as a profession.”
With his first performance as Billy on 9-Apr-2019 Dex becomes the 265th actor worldwide to play the role in a professional, regional or community theatre production of the musical.
For more information about Dex visit:
______________________________________
To The Theatre Calgary Main Page
To A Complete Listing of All BETM Articles
