West Potomac production of Billy Elliot The Musical starts next week

West Potomac High School’s Beyond the Page Theatre Company will begin an eight-show run of the musical drama Billy Elliot The Musical next week.

Based on the 2000 film of the same name, Billy Elliot debuted in England in 2005 and showed on Broadway from 2008-2012, where it won 10 Tony Awards.

The musical tells the story of a boy growing up in England during the national coal miners strike of 1984-1985. Billy is the young son of a widower coal miner who realizes he has a love for ballet. The boy quits boxing to purse a career in dance, clashing with his blue-collar family along the way.

Billy Elliot’s score was written by Elton John, with lyrics by playwright Lee Hall, who also wrote the screenplay.

Three of the cast members in West Potomac’s production, including the title role, are children from the local community. Franco Cabanas, a 12-year-old student at Lane Elementary School, will play Billy Elliot. Grant Hamilton, a 13-year-old student at Carl Sandburg Middle School, will play Elliot’s friend and 6-year-old Micah Griffin will play the role of a small boy.

Franco Cabanas, Micah Griffin and Grant Hamilton. (Lily Vita photo)

This is the Beyond The Page’s third production of the 2016-2017 school year following School of Rock in the fall and Night of the Living Dead in the winter.

Billy Elliot will premier April 27 and finish its run May 6. Tickets can be purchased in advance at westpotomactheatre.org. 

Assigned seating is $12 for students and $15 for adults. Tickets can be purchased online until two hours before each performance. Any remaining seats, as well as general admission seating, will be available at the door an hour before show time.

Full list of showtimes:

Thursday, April 27 – 5 p.m.*
Friday, April 28 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 29 – 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 4 – 5 p.m.
Friday, May 5 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 6 – 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.*

*There will be Talk Back opportunities with the cast following the April 27 and May 6 performances.

Cast

Franco Cabanas as Billy
Jonathan Barger as Dad
Adrianna DeLorenzo as Mrs. Wilkinson
Kendall Grady as Mrs. Wilkinson (understudy)
Grant Hamilton as Michael
Tony Lemus as Tony
Frankie Mananzan as Grandma
Kat Amato as Dead Mum
Sophia Farino as Dead Mum (understudy)
Josh Stein as Mr. Braithwaite/Older Billy
Micah Griffin as Small Boy
Charlie Ruppe as Tall Boy/Posh Boy (Kevin)
John McFarlane as George/Miner
Ballet Girls
Natalie Edwards as Debbie Wilkinson
Madison Harden as Alison Summers
Paige Edwards as Keeley Gibson
Halley Roy as Angela Robson
Anna Penkiunas as Karen Davidson
Lindsay Johnson as Amanda Davidson
Helen Kitrosser as Sharon Percy
Grace Perkins as Margaret Gormley
Hannah Nobles as Tina Harmer
Madison Eaton as Tracey Atkinson
Willa Denton as Susan Parks
Emily Madden as Camilla Hardy
Sheridan Phalen as Chatelle Fava
Jade Han as Jodi Raynes
Hannah Roverse as Kirsty Sparks
Miners and Ensemble
Doug Black (Pit Supervisor), Max Marshall (Mr. Wilkinson), Declan Boyle (Scab/Posh Dad), Sam Davidson (Big Davey), David McFarlane, Mike Auld, Casey Long (Lesley), Luciana Ducceschi (Clipboard Woman), Isabella Danyluk, Katie Portillo, Kendall Grady, Sophia Farino, Emily Atkinson, Alyssa Phillips, Julia Barva, Dabney Murphy, Logan Claussen, Will Schless