Audition notice: Billy Elliot the Musical

Ethno-cultural casting statement

Neptune Theatre seeks to promote equity, inclusion, and access by amplifying voices and stories that have been historically marginalized or underrepresented, and we factor this into every decision we make. We encourage submissions from artists of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and identities, and will give scheduling priority to those who self-identify as IBPOC, LGBTQ2S+, d/Deaf, living with disabilities, and/or facing other systemic challenges in our industry.

Applying artists should be aware that Neptune does not tolerate any form of harassment of its employees, clients, volunteers, or any persons visiting or spending time on its premises.

Neptune Theatre is seeking THREE actors to join the pre-existing cast of BILLY ELLIOT on the Neptune MainStage (Fountain Hall) as part of our 22-23 Season.

Millions of fans... thousands of standing ovations... ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical.... This is Billy Elliot The Musical, the spectacular show with the heart, humor and passion to be named TIME Magazine's "Best Musical of the Decade!" Based on the international smash-hit film, and featuring a score by music legend Elton John, Billy Elliot is an astonishing theatrical experience that will stay with you forever.

Set in a northern English mining town against the background of the 1984 miners' strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of a young boy's struggle against the odds to make his dream come true. Follow Billy's journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and community... and changes his life forever.

Material

Actors are asked to submit a headshot and resume, any available recording of them singing, dancing &/or acting. Sides will be provided to selected artists 1 week before the audition date.

Those artists selected to audition will be asked to prepare sides for an in-person audition in either Toronto or Halifax. For artists outside those two centres, the creative team are willing to arrange a Zoom audition to coincide with planned audition dates.

Important Note

Please submit through our Submissions Portal and NOT by email. Many thanks.

AVAILABLE ROLES

Billy Elliot

Eleven-year-old Billy is an aspiring ballet dancer who comes from a tough mining community in Northern England. No working-class Englishman is going to be happy to hear that their son wants to do something stereotypically effeminate, and Billy's widowed father, Jackie, does not approve of his son's interest.

But Billy is passionate about dancing—so passionate that he continues to dance even when strictly forbidden to do so. Even though he is surrounded by no male dancer role models, he believes that dancing is what he is meant to do. As he says at the end of his audition for ballet school, the feeling of dancing is like "electricity." Billy is understanding, sensitive, and imaginative, even though he is surrounded by violence and difficulty. Sometimes the anger and violence that surrounds Billy bubbles up in him, and he can become enraged and destructive. Ultimately, however, Billy is a sensitive and deeply feeling individual, a boy who wants to escape the roughness of the world through self-expression and movement.

Age: 10 to 13

Vocal range top: C5 

Vocal range bottom: E3

Michael

Michael lives in Billy's neighborhood and is his best friend. Early in the film, Billy sees him dressing up in women's clothing, and later in the film, Michael comes out to him as gay, and as having a crush on Billy. Billy accepts him, and his admission does not hurt their friendship. In fact, Billy takes Michael to the ballet studio, gives him a tutu and shows him how to dance. He is one of Billy's champions and his closest friend.

Age: 10 to 13

Vocal range top: B4

Vocal range bottom: A#3

Debbie Wilkinson

The ballet teacher's daughter. A bit stand-offish and argumentative, her childhood crush on Billy leads her to constantly discourage him. 

Age: 9 to 12