Woodland Opera House Interior
Photo by Brian Baer
Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) is being produced at the historic Woodland Opera House (WOH) in Woodland, California (a landmark venue in the Sacramento area). Scheduled show dates are May 1-16, 2026, which seats 446 audience members.
Built in 1885, the original Opera House burned down in a 1892 fire that destroyed much of downtown Woodland. It was rebuilt on the same site, using some of the remaining foundations and bricks from the walls, reopening in 1896. Over 300 touring companies had appeared on its stage by 1913 when the opera house, due to the encroachment of motion pictures in the valley and partly as a result of a lawsuit over an injury, was closed and remained boarded up until 1971. The Yolo County Historical Society purchased the building in 1971 to ensure that it did not fall to the wrecking ball and bulldozer. Declared a state historical park in 1976, the Historical Society gave the property to the State of California in 1980, and in 1981 the restoration began.
The building reopened in January of 1989 after a seven-year, $2,000,000+ restoration project. For the first time in nearly eight decades, the Theater began to offer live entertainment on a year-round basis. From its first season beginning in the fall of 1989, the WOH mounts 5 Mainstage productions from August to June, a youth theater camp in August, and the Theatre for Families program throughout the year, with each production running from 2 to 4 weekends. To see a complete listing of past shows since the Theater’s beginings, go here.
The 2025-2026 Season
Hadestown Teen Edition
Into the Woods
<Beetlejuice JR.
A Christmas Carol
The Little Mermaid
<Magic Tree House: The Knight at Dawn KIDS
<Magic Tree House: Pirates Past Noon KIDS
The Crucible
Billy Elliot
< = Rising Stars productions
Billy Elliot The Musical
On January 12, 2025, the Theater had its “Big Reveal”, announcing the 2025/26 season, with BETM listed as the final show of the season.
On December 23, 2025, a call went out via the Theater’s social media platforms for video submissions for young people looking to be cast for child roles in the show, including Billy Elliot, with a submission deadline of January 5, 2026.
Live auditions were held on February 16 & 17, 2026. A 24 member cast was announced on February 21, 2026 and rehearsals began on March 2, 2026. Rehearsals for the show were held five days per week, leading up to “Tech Week”, April 26-30, 2026.
“This story holds a very special place in my heart,” says director Andrea St. Clair. “At its core, Billy Elliot is about discovering who you are at a pivotal moment in life, and having the courage to stay true to that, even when the world pushes back. It’s also about the people who shape us, and what it takes to support someone when their path doesn’t look like what you expected.”
In the lead role of Billy Elliot is the young Bay Area performer, Keenan Moran, who has an extensive previous performance resumé. To learn more about Keenan, click on the Billy Profiles button (below) to be taken to his detailed profile.
To see a complete listing of the rest of the Woodland Opera House cast, just click on the Cast Information button.
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