Photo Flash: Berkeley Playhouse Presents East Bay Premiere of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL

Berkeley Playhouse continues their ninth season of professional theater for family audiences with the East Bay premiere of Elton John's Tony Award-winning musical, Billy Elliot the Musical. The company's first staging of the musical adaptation of the 2000 hit film includes thirty actors under the age of fifteen in two separate casts working alongside a company of professional adult actors.

Check out photos from the show below!

Two young actor / dancers-Matthew Dean and Parker James Fullmore-who have donned the ballet slippers as the title character in previous U.S. regional theater performances, will share the role of Billy. Billy Elliot the Musical begins performances February 16, 2017, with performances running through March 25, 2017 at the historic Julia Morgan Theater in Berkeley. When 11-year-old Billy Elliot stumbles into a ballet class, his spirit of creativity and expression is awakened. Set amongst a working-class town facing a miners' strike in 1980s Britain, Elton John's Tony Award-winning musical about following your passion, and challenging expectations-from parents, friends, and community-is for anyone who has dared to dream, if even for a moment, that they could dance. The original 2009 Broadway production won ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Orchestrations.

Tickets (ranging from $22--$40) are available by calling (510) 845-8542 x351 or by visiting online at www.berkeleyplayhouse.org. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

Photo credit: Ben Krantz Studio

Ken Sonkin and ensemble
Taylor Bartolucci
Parker James Fullmore and David Rukin
Parker James Fullmore
Billy Raphael and ensemble
Matthew Dean and Danila Burshteyn
Matthew Dean and Ken Sonkin
Matthew Dean
Ken Sonkin, Mary Gibboney, Zachary Padlo, and Matthew Dean