The MAAG Halle in Zürich, Switzerland first hosted a production of Billy Elliot The Musical (BETM) from Oct 27, 2024-Jun 15, 2025. While Italian tours of BETM have stopped in Switzerland in the past, this was the first production mounted by a Swiss company and presented in German. A second season of BETM has been announced for October 24, 2025 to February 15, 2026.
The MAAG story begins with one man — Max Maag (1883–1960), an innovative mechanical engineer and organ builder, who took over the halls of the liquidated automobile factory “Safir” in Zürich West in 1913 and founded the Max Maag Zahnradfabrik (later Maag-Zahnräder AG).
Maag was one of the world’s leading suppliers of gearboxes for gas turbines, compressors, ships and cement factories. The building complex was the site of Gebr. Maag Maschinenfabrik AG until 2001. Since the end of the 1990s, an urban living, working and leisure space has developed on the Maag site in the industrial district of Zürich-West. MAAG Music & Arts AG took over the buildings on the MAAG site in 2002.
That’s when MAAG Music & Arts AG began operating the non-subsidized MAAG Halle in Zürich where this production of BETM is being held. The theater seats 930 and is also available for rental. There are several other facilities managed by MAAG including the Lichthalle MAAG (for up to 1000 people), Härterei Club (up to 700 people) and the Fabrikbeizli Bistro k2 (50 seats) with the adjacent Bistro Lichthalle (75 seats). In Zurich-Oerlikon they also operate the event location Halle 622 (up to 3,500 people).
Billy Elliot The Musical
The original Zurich production of BETM was announced in September 2023. Soon afterwards, they launched their search to find the young actors who would take on the lead roles in the show. Auditions began in January 2024 and took place over a couple of months. Over 100 boys aged between 8 and 14 attended the auditions.
The following video gives a glimpse into the audition process for the roles of Billy and Michael:
In May 2024, it was announced that the search for the first Zurich Billys was over. Three Swiss boys — Moritz Fischli, Leo Lemmerich and Nevio Reymond — would be taking on the lead role of Billy.
The adult cast featured some well known Swiss actors — musical actress Isabelle Flachsmann, who has years of Broadway experience, would play Mrs Wilkinson. And the Swiss film and TV actor Pasquale Aleardi, who has also appeared on Broadway, would play Billy’s father.
On February 27, 2025 a fourth Billy was added to the Billy rotation, debuting as Billy in that evening’s performance. His name is Noe Keller and he had been with the production from the beginning playing the role of Tall Boy/Posh Boy previous to his being named to the title role.
The second season of BETM in Zurich would feature several new cast members, including a new Billy. Moritz Fischli and Nevo Reymond have left the cast and joining Leo Lemmerich and Noe Keller for Season 2 would be Laris Emino Tamarut in the title role.
To learn more about the Swiss 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 Zurich cast, including the new cast members for Season 2, just click on the Cast Information button.
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