BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL Dances Into Budapest

BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL will open at the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest on August 23 and run until the 27. The show will be performed in Hungarian, with English supertitles. BILLY ELLIOT is based on the 2000 film of the same name, with music by Elton John and a book and lyrics by Lee Hall, who also wrote the screenplay for the film.

The show takes place in 1984 and follows Billy, an eleven year-old living in a mining town in England. The townspeople are protesting, trying to fight for better lives for themselves. Billy's brother and father have joined the picket line, and so Billy follows in their footsteps and takes up boxing. He is quick to learn that the violent sport does not suit him and stumbles across the girls in their ballet class. Billy immediately finds he has a connection with dance, though pursuing his dream is easier said than done.

BILLY ELLIOT opened on Broadway in 2008 and ran until 2012, during which time it was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards and won ten, including Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical. It includes unforgettable songs like "Electricity," "Angry Dance," and "Expressing Yourself."

The full cast includes: Aron Vizlendvai as Billy, David Borka as Michael, Judit Ladinek as Mrs. Wilkinson, Andras Stohl as Father, Eszter Csakanyi as Grandmother, Balazs Csemt as Tony. Boglarka Simon as Mother, Balint Ekanem as Mr. Braithwaite, Vivienne Csokan as Odette, Andras Szego as Prince/ Grown-up Billy, and Levente Bajari as Rothbart. The ensemble includes Daniel Bacsur, Attila Barat, Bernadette Dobra, Istvan Fillar, Veronika Foki, Petra Hovanyecz, Gabor Jenei, Zoltan Kiss, Kamill Kokeny-Harmori, Andras Korosi, Gyongyi Molnar, Daniel Mate Pal, and Zsofia Kira Pal.

The production also features soloists of the Hungarian National Ballet, the Children's Choir of the Hungarian State Opera, and the students of Madach Art School.

Original direction by Stephen Daldry, translation by Puller Istvan and Barany Ferenc, direction by Tamas Szirtes, choreography by Akos Tihanyi, set design by Istvan Szlavik, costume design by Yvette Alida Kovacs, lighting design by Janos Madarasz, tap choreography by Boglarka Szikora, with Edit Rujsz as the Ballet Master.

For more information on this production of BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL click here!

Photo: David Scheinmann

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