Test your knowledge and see how well you know the musical Those Bells with these fun trivia facts! Based on the 2000 film, Billy Elliot: The Musical features music by Elton John and explores a young boy's love for ballet amidst the 1984-1985 miners' strike in North East England. Premiering in 2005, the show became a worldwide hit, with productions across several countries and numerous awards. How much do you know about its opening night, historical backdrop, and award-winning performances?
International Productions
- On June 1, 2016, Billy Elliot premiered in Israel with a cast that included Daphna Dekel as Mrs. Wilkinson and Avi Kushnir as Billy's father.
- On February 13, 2016, Billy Elliot premiered in Malmö, Sweden at Malmö Opera.
- The Melbourne production of 'Billy Elliot' was nominated for twelve 2008 Green Room Awards and won six, including Best Production Music Theatre.
- Billy Elliot premiered in Italy at Il Sistina in Rome on May 5, 2015, where Billy was alternately played by Alessandro Frola and Simone Romualdi.
- The first non-English language production of the musical opened in Seoul on August 10, 2010, with previews starting on August 14 at the LG Arts Center.
- The original German-language production of 'Billy Elliot' premiere in November 2024 at the Maag Music Hall in Zurich.
- The Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest debuted its first Hungarian language production of the musical on July 29, 2016.
- The Billy Elliot production in Madrid became the third longest running production worldwide, after London and Broadway, playing 1,166 performances before closing in May 2022.
- Tony award-winner David Alvarez from the original Broadway cast reprised his character in an adult version for the Mexican production of 'Billy Elliot'.
- Billy Elliot's first Spanish language production opened in Mexico City on 14th February 2017.
Musical Composition
- Billy Elliot: The Musical is based on the 2000 film of the same name, with music by Elton John and book and lyrics by Lee Hall, who also wrote the film's screenplay.
- The miners' annual Christmas show in the musical includes a satirical number called 'Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher,' showing the miners' animosity towards the then Prime Minister.
- The musical's opening song pays homage to A.J. Cronin's 1935 novel 'The Stars Look Down', which similarly focuses on a miners' strike.
Notable Tours
- The Curve in Leicester presented a new UK production of Billy Elliot in July and August 2022, marking the first full-scale UK staging since the original.
- Ben Cook was a Billy replacement in the tour that played its final North American performance in Hartford, Connecticut on June 23, 2013.
- The tour marked its debut in a Latin American country with a limited engagement at the Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil from August 2 to August 18, 2013.
- A live version of the musical, 'Billy Elliot the Musical Live', was broadcast to cinemas and topped the UK and Ireland box office during its release weekend in September 2014.
- The actors playing the role of Billy in 'Billy Elliot' were the first to win the Laurence Olivier Award in a shared capacity.
Production Facts
- Billy Elliot, set during the 1984-85 coal miners' strike in County Durham, portrays a young boy's struggle and passion for ballet amidst harsh socio-economic conditions.
- The character of Billy stays behind after a boxing class to give keys to Mrs. Wilkinson, inadvertently discovering a ballet class that captures his interest.
- Billy Elliot's interest in ballet is contrasted with the violent reality of the coal miners' strike, where his father and brother are actively involved.
- Liam Mower, at age thirteen, was the youngest actor to win a Laurence Olivier Award, which he won for his role in 'Billy Elliot'.
- The six juvenile principals in 'Billy Elliot' received an honorary Young Artist Award as Outstanding Broadway Musical Ensemble.
- The Grandstreet Theatre in Helena, Montana became the first American non-professional theatre company to stage 'Billy Elliot' in May 2016.
- The Stratford Festival's production of 'Billy Elliot' in 2019 was the first time the show was performed on a thrust stage, with audience seating on three sides.
- The Broadway production of 'Billy Elliot' recouped its original investment of $18 million in just 14 months.
- The original three boys who played the lead role in the Broadway production of 'Billy Elliot' jointly won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.
- The Broadway production of 'Billy Elliot' tied with 'The Producers' for the most Tony Award nominations ever received by a Broadway show, with fifteen nominations in 2009.
- The musical features choreography by Peter Darling, who also choreographed the original film.
- Elton John participated in the final performance of the West End production in April 2016 and performed on stage.
- The New York production of Billy Elliot won ten Tony Awards and ten Drama Desk Awards, mirroring its success in London.
- The musical won four Laurence Olivier Awards in 2006, including Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, which was jointly awarded to the three boys who originally played Billy.
- Billy Elliot: The Musical premiered in London's West End at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 2005 and ran until April 2016, delivering over 4,600 performances.
- The story of Billy Elliot is set against the backdrop of the 1984-1985 miners' strike in County Durham, North East England.
