Note: Torda Vass’s final performance as Billy in the Hungarian production of Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) was on Sep 21, 2019.
Debut: June 29, 2019 (Budapest, Hungary)
Total Performances as Billy: 5 (No partial shows)
Torda Vass was 10 years old (D.O.B. = 5-Jan-2009) when he made his debut as Billy in the Hungarian production of BETM at the Erkel Theatre in Budapest.
The 2019 season won’t be Torda’s first time performing in BETM on the Erkel Theatre stage. He first appeared in the production in 2017, playing the role of Small Boy. Then in 2018 he was promoted to Michael, with his first performance in that role being on 20-Jun-2018.
Torda will start the 2019 season by performing one more show as Michael and then he will finally get the chance to play the lead role of Billy. He follows in the footsteps of a few previous Billys around the world who have taken the same route to the top of the cast board — Small Boy to Michael to Billy — the first of which was original London cast member Dean-Charles Chapman.
Aside from BETM, Torda has other stage experience, having appeared in the role of Billy (the stylist) in School of Rock at the Madách Theatre in Budapest during 2018.
Here is an interview with Torda where he talks about performing in BETM in Budapest. The interview is in Hungarian, for those readers who speak the language.
Credit: Video by Optimum Solution Enterprise Opso
During the interview Torda mentions that his sister took ballet classes and, after going along one time, he liked what he saw and so started taking classes himself. When Torda first applied to play Billy he was rejected because he was too young but he tried again the next year and was accepted. He also spoke about the flying sequence in the show. At the time of the interview Torda hadn’t had any flying rehearsals for Billy but he had tried it out once when he was still playing Michael and he asked if he could have a go. He talked about how in order for the flying to work you have to use your whole body.
With his debut performance as Billy on 29-Jun-2019, Torda becomes the 272nd actor worldwide to play the role in a professional, regional or community theatre production of the musical.
Credit: Photos in this profile are by István Mága
For more information about Torda visit:
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