Three Actors to Share Lead in Billy Elliot Musical

The three boys who will rotate in performances as the title character in Billy Elliot - The Musical have been announced. Fourteen-year-old James Lomas, 13-year-old George McGuire and 12-year-old Liam Mower will all play the young dancer.

The boys were chosen from an open casting call that was held in all of the United Kingdom's major cities. Around 3,000 boys attended the casting calls. All the children who made it through the first stage of the audition process were offered classes to help improve their individual skill base in tap, ballet, street and acrobatics as well as singing, in addition to training at The Billy Elliot School in Leeds. From that process, these boys were selected.

Lomas is from Sheffield and has been doing gymnastics and karate since he was six. He is a member of the Sheffield Youth Theatre, where he has participated in numerous productions. McGuire is from Stanford-Le-Hope, loves sports and plays the drums. He started singing lessons when he was 11 and has participated in some concerts for charity. Mower is from Hull and began dance school at the age of eight. He was a member of the Northern Theatre Company, successfully auditioned at the Urdang Academy and gained a place at the Royal Ballet Mid Associates.

Billy Elliot tells the tale of a boy torn between his love of dance and his family. The movie was nominated for three Golden Globes, three Oscars and 13 Baftas. The film's major creative forces--director Stephen Daldry, writer Lee Hall and choreographer Peter Darling--are all working on the stage show, which features a score by Elton John.

Billy Elliot - The Musical will begin previews at the Victoria Palace Theatre on March 24 and open on May 11.