Tommy Batchelor

We're feeling electricity because we're looking back at the 2009 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Billy Elliot! Take a look at the show's opening night at Broadway's Imperial Theatre with the show's stars David Alvarez, Gregory Jbara, Santino Fontana, and more! Be sure to check out all the footage!

Billy Elliot o Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Elton John, and the book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around Billy, a motherless British boy who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes. The story of his personal struggle and fulfillment are balanced against a counter-story of family and community strife caused by the 1984-85 UK miners' strike in County Durham, in North Eastern England. Hall's screenplay was inspired in part by A. J. Cronin's 1935 novel about a miners' strike, The Stars Look Down, to which the musical's opening song pays homage.

Members from the former Broadway, National Tour and Chicago productions of Billy Elliot the Musical came to the July 10th performance of Ogunquit Playhouse production. Among the cast members pictured from Ogunquit's production are Noah Parets (Billy), Sam Faulkner (Billy), Anastasia Barzee (Mrs. Wilkinson), Armand Schultz (Dad), Joel Blum (George), Dale Soules (Grandma), Stephen Hanna (Older Billy), and Anthony Festa (Tony). The honored guests pictured are Tony Award Winner, Trent Kowalick (original Broadway Billy Elliot) Tommy Batchelor, (Billy, Broadway and the National Tour), Thommie Retter (Mr. Braithwaite, Broadway), as well as Broadway cast members Brianna Fragomenti, Kara Oates, Annabelle Kempf and Chicago's Small Boy, Mark Page.

I love the Short North Stage for several reasons. First, they have boldly devoted themselves to resuscitating the nearly flatlined Short North theater scene, saving an iconic historic theater in the process. Second, more often than not, they embrace the eccentric, edgy flavor that makes the Short North remarkable, rather than conforming to traditional theater fare. That's where "The Who's Tommy" gets it right- it is edgy, fierce, and at times, electric. The rock opera, which premiered in 1983 with lyrics and music by The Who's Pete Townshend is a virtually dialogue free story of a 4 year old boy who becomes essentially catatonic after witnessing his presumed dead father kill his mother's lover upon returning unexpectedly from WWII. Young Tommy (played by an adorably wide-eyed, but obviously inexperienced Christian Giannone) becomes an accidental sensation once he discovers his talent for pinball.

Tommy Batchelor, who starred in the Tony Award-winning musical Billy Elliot on Broadway and in the First National Tour will join the cast of Short North Stage's upcoming production of The Who's Tommy as a featured dancer. The musical is the inspirational story, based on the classic 1969 rock album by The Who, about a deaf, dumb and blind boy who becomes a celebrated pinball wizard. This rock opera is a perfect fit for the energetic and spontaneously creative young man, whose explosive style mirrors the driving rhythms and passion of The Who's music.

The deadline is almost here! Monday, December 20, 2010, is the final date you can cast your vote for the first ever Theatre Fans' Choice Awards from BroadwayWorld Chicago. We're honoring productions which opened between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010 with awards in 25 categories, all voted on by you!

BroadwayWorld, the biggest theater site on the web, today announces nominations for the Chicago Theatre Fans' Choice Awards! The 121 nominees in the 25 categories are all listed below, representing 57 different theater productions in the Chicago area which opened between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010. These productions were mounted by 33 separate theaters or companies.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment are thrilled to announce, with Broadway In Chicago that Billy Elliot the Musical, currently playing at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph), is extending its run in Chicago by fifteen weeks through October 24, 2010.

Billy Elliot the Musical and Broadway In Chicago have joined with other special partners to create an exciting series of events to ring in the Back to School season.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment are thrilled to announce, with Broadway In Chicago, the addition of Myles Erlick and Marcus Pei to the cast of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL in the role of ‘Billy,' and Dillon Stevens in the role of ‘Michael.'

Broadway In Chicago is working with Comcast to create BROADWAY IN CHICAGO BACKSTAGE, an exclusive new program that features in-depth conversations with cast and creative team members from major Broadway In Chicago productions.

Billy Elliot the Musical and Broadway In Chicago have joined with other special partners to create an exciting series of events to ring in the Back to School season.

Broadway In Chicago is working with Comcast to create BROADWAY IN CHICAGO BACKSTAGE, an exclusive new program that features in-depth conversations with cast and creative team members from major Broadway In Chicago productions.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment are announcing, with Broadway In Chicago, that tickets for the finAl Block of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL in Chicago will go on sale Friday, July 16, 2010. After a successful 10-month run, BILLY ELLIOT will play its final Chicago performance on January 15, 2011. This finAl Block of performances runs from October 26, 2010 through January 15, 2011 and includes popular holiday performances.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment are announcing, with Broadway In Chicago, that tickets for the finAl Block of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL in Chicago will go on sale Friday, July 16, 2010. After a successful 10-month run, BILLY ELLIOT will play its final Chicago performance on January 15, 2011. This finAl Block of performances runs from October 26, 2010 through January 15, 2011 and includes popular holiday performances.

The young stars of BILLY ELLIOT were cheering on the Blackhawks last night! The ‘Hawks won just in time for Tommy Batchelor to come out for his final bow with his Blackhawks Hat on, too!

On Friday, April 16th, Billy Elliot the Musical will be featured on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' Composer Elton John will be Oprah's guest, and the stars of Billy Elliot in Chicago, Tommy Batchelor, Giuseppe Bausilio, Cesar Corrales and J.P. Viernes will also make an appearance.

On Friday, April 16th, Billy Elliot the Musical will be featured on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' Composer Elton John will be Oprah's guest, and the stars of Billy Elliot in Chicago, Tommy Batchelor, Giuseppe Bausilio, Cesar Corrales and J.P. Viernes will also make an appearance.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment are thrilled to announce, with Broadway In Chicago that Billy Elliot the Musical, currently playing at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph), is extending its run in Chicago by fifteen weeks through October 24, 2010.