A production of Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) will be presented at the Teatro Alfa in São Paulo, Brazil, with performances beginning on March 15, 2019. The initial run was booking until April 28, 2019 and has subsequently been extended until June 30, 2019.
This is not the first time that BETM has been performed in Brazil — the North American Tour concluded with a three week run in São Paulo back in August 2013. However, it is the first time that Brazilians will be able to watch the show in their own language, Portuguese, as in 2013 it was performed in English.
The creative team in São Paulo has a couple of very experienced members within its ranks. Both undertaking the role of International Associate Choreographers are Nikki Belsher and Barnaby Meredith. Nikki has served as Associate Choreogapher in multiple productions of BETM worldwide including West End, Broadway and South Korea, and Barnaby played Older Billy in London for many years and then was Ballet Resident on the UK/Ireland Tour.
Casting for the role of Billy began in September 2018 and was followed by a four month training period to especially improve their acting and singing, because they mostly had some dance experience but little or no prior experience in these two disciplines.
In January 2019 the Billys were chosen and announced. The three boys who will take to the Teatro Alfa stage as Billy are Tiago Fernandes, Richard Marques and Pedro Sousa.
The following video shows the moment that the Billys and Michaels were told that they had been cast in the production:
youtube.com/watch?v=153K8MPZ30o
Credit: Video by Atelier de Cultura
Here is a press video of the Brazilian cast performing Solidarity. In this clip the role of Billy is played by Pedro Sousa:
youtube.com/watch?v=yx1y-cjyQ4o
Credit: Video by Cena Musical
To learn more about the São Paulo Billys, click on the Billy Profiles button (below) to be taken to their detailed profiles.
To see a complete listing of the rest of the São Paulo cast, just click on the Cast Information button.
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