Meet Billy Elliot: Faas Jonkers

Note: Faas’s final show as Billy in the Netherlands production of the show was on 6-Nov-2015.

Debut: 28-Jun-2015 (The Netherlands)

Total Performances: 17  (No partial shows)

Faas Jonkers was 10-years-old (D.O.B. = 8-Jul-2004) upon his debut as Billy and lives in Amsterdam with his father, mother and three brothers.

After just a month of attending a local performing arts school, the teachers there told Faas and his parents “you’re a perfect boy to play Billy Elliot”. After researching about the musical and thinking about whether it was something he wanted to do, he decided it was. So he went to the auditions.

After the audition he says that how he heard about the results was “I was home. I was sitting on the couch. And suddenly the telephone rang. I suspected that it was the result (of the audition), but I wasn’t sure. Then my father said that I was Billy and I was really happy and jumped into my father’s arms.”

When asked what he thought the best thing about being Billy was, Faas said “The coolest thing about being Billy is the experience, I think it’s amazing.

With regard to hobbies, Faas plays the violin, starting when he was five.  He also played football (soccer). He said he hasn’t got a lot of time to do either of those any more as “I had to train a lot for Billy.”  

Here’s a video clip in which Faas talks about what it’s like to be Billy.  It’s in Dutch. But for those who don’t speak that language, if nothing else it gives you an appreciation of his personality.  The clip also contains some footage of Faas training to be Billy.

https://youtu.be/z4teG26pSOs

Credit: Video by Stage Entertainment Nederland

For more information about Faas, visit:

Billy Elliot the Forum, BETMNL Website, BETMNL Facebook Page

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