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    Meet Billy Elliot: Mauricio Arriaga

    Note: Mauricio Arriaga’s final show as Billy in the Mexican production of Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) in Mexico City was on October 28, 2017.

    Debut: February 11, 2017 (Mexico City)

    Total Performances as Billy:  50  (Includes two partial shows credited @.5 each)

    Mauricio Arriaga was 13 years old (D.O.B. = 31-Mar-2003) when he debuted as Billy in the Mexican production of BETM.  He is from Mexico City, and was the only one of the five original Billys to be performing in his home city. Mauricio attends Centro de Educación Artistica Infantil (CEA), which is a performing arts school.

    When Mauricio first heard about the BETM auditions, he didn’t initially know exactly what the story was about, but he was attracted by the challenge of singing, dancing and acting all at the same time.  He has embraced that challenge so much that he now wants to do musical theatre for many years to come.

    When he went to his first audition in Mexico City in February 2016 Mauricio had not danced before, but had done a bit of singing and acting.  He was successful in that audition and was invited to a callback in March, where he was then chosen to attend the Billy Elliot School.

    Mauricio (back row, second from right) with all the boys who won a place at the Billy Elliot School in March 2016

    After auditioning, Mauricio watched the original Billy Elliot movie and loved it because, “Billy was a kid who didn’t give up and teaches people that right at the moment you lose is when you have to get back up.”

    In January 2017 the five Mexican Billys were announced at a press event.  Mauricio performed a section from Angry Dance at this event:

    Video by Prensaescenario 

    Mauricio’s debut performance as Billy was on 11-Feb-2017, and this made him the 185th Billy in the world.

    For more information about Mauricio visit:

    Billy Elliot the Forum

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