Julian Elia Will Make His Broadway Debut as Title Star of Billy Elliot

Broadway's Tony-winning musical Billy Elliot is welcoming a new actor to the title role, 13-year-old Julian Elia. Elia will alternate with current cast members Tade Biesinger, Joseph Harrington, Peter Mazurowski and Myles Erlick. Current star Giuseppe Bausilio will play his final performance as Billy on November 6. Elia’s first performance date has yet to be announced.

Elia, a veteran of the Toronto production of Billy Elliot, has trained since the age of six and dances competitively in Jazz, Tap, Acro, Hip Hop and Contemporary. When not dancing, he and his sister Rosie are co-hosts of the Gemini Award-nominated television series Are We There Yet? World Adventures. Most recently he appeared in a recurring role on the upcoming Canadian television series The Yard.

Elia joins a cast that includes Emily Skinner as Mrs. Wilkinson, Daniel Jenkins as Dad, Katherine McGrath as Grandma, Patrick Mulvey as Tony, as well as Jack Broderick and Cameron Clifford alternating the role of Michael.

Billy Elliot is the funny, heartwarming tale of a young boy with a dream, and a celebration of his triumph against the odds. Set against the historic British miners’ strike of the 1980s, the story follows Billy’s journey as a boy in a small mining town who, after stumbling across a ballet class while on his way to a boxing lesson, realizes that his future lay not in the boxing ring but on stage as a dancer.

Featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot opened at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre on November 13, 2009, and has announced a closing date of January 8, 2012.