Billy Elliot The Musical Tickets On Sale Monday, June 7th At DPAC, DURHAM Performing Arts Center

(Vocus) May 25, 2010 -- Billy Elliot the Musical will be the season opener of Durham Performing Arts Center’s “Third Spectacular Season” from October 30- November 14, 2010. Individual tickets go on sale beginning June 7, 2010, with two easy ways to purchase at DPAC (http://DPACnc.com) or 919-680-2787.

Time Magazine’s “Best Musical of the Decade,” Billy Elliot the Musical is brought to life by a phenomenal cast of 45 and the Tony Award-winning creative team – director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling and writer Lee Hall – along with music legend Elton John, who has written what the New York Post calls "his best score yet!"

Billy Elliot the Musical is the joyous celebration of one boy's journey to make his dreams come true. Set in a small town, the story follows Billy as he stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class, discovering a surprising passion that inspires his family and his whole community.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions will be holding open auditions in Raleigh on Saturday, June 5, and Sunday, June 6 to find boys and girls ages 9 through 12 to play the roles of ‘Billy’, ‘Michael’ and the ‘ballet girls’ in the North American companies of Billy Elliot the Musical.

The auditions will take place at the Carolina Dance Center (9101 Leesville Rd) in Raleigh. Boys’ auditions will take place on Saturday with sign-up at 11am. Girls’ auditions will take place on Sunday with sign-up at 10 am. Audition requirements are listed below. All ethnicities are encouraged to attend. All must bring photo, resume, sheet music to sing, as well as ballet, tap and jazz shoes.

Boys audition requirements are as follows:

• For the role of Billy, boys should be ages 9-12, strong dancers, especially in ballet. Maximum height is 4'10”. Unbroken voices.

• For the role of Michael, boys should be ages 9-12, a natural actor with a strong singing voice. Funny, a real kid. Tap skills are a plus. Maximum height is 4'10". Unbroken voices.

• Boys should bring a recent photo, resume and sheet music to sing.

• They should wear comfortable clothes and sneakers.

• They should bring ballet shoes, jazz shoes and tap shoes, if they have them.

• All ethnicities are encouraged to attend.

• This audition is free, there are no fees involved.

Girls audition requirements are as follows:

• Maximum height is 4'10”.

• Strong tap, good ballet and singing.

• Variety of sizes, shapes and types with expressive character and lots of personality are being sought.

• Girls should bring a recent photo, resume and sheet music to sing..

• Girls should wear dance clothes.

• They should bring ballet shoes, jazz shoes and tap shoes.

• All ethnicities are encouraged to attend.

• This audition is free, there are no fees involved.

Billy Elliot the Musical opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre (240 West 45th Street) on November 13, 2008 to extraordinary critical acclaim. Billy Elliot was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Lee Hall), Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish), Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Gregory Jbara), Best Direction of a Musical (Stephen Daldry), Best Choreography (Peter Darling), Best Orchestrations (Martin Koch), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Ian MacNeil), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Rick Fisher) and Best Sound Design of a Musical (Paul Arditti)

In addition to the Broadway production, two additional North American productions will be on stage in 2010. The first launched at Chicago’s Ford Center for the Performing Arts on March 18, 2010, and the second launches in Durham in November 2010.

Billy Elliot the Musical, based on the beloved 2000 film, which garnered three Academy Award nominations and three BAFTA awards, opened at London’s Victoria Palace in May 2005 to unanimous critical acclaim. The Mail on Sunday wrote, “Truly electrifying…this heart-stopping show is a must-see.” The Sunday Express raved, “Pure magic.” And The Daily Telegraph proclaimed it simply, “The greatest British musical I have ever seen.” The production went on to sweep London’s nine awards for Best Musical, including the Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. It celebrated its anniversary in May 2010.

Billy Elliot the Musical next opened to equal acclaim at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia in December 2007. The Australian wrote, “Billy Elliot should come with a warning: abandon cynicism all ye who enter. Open your heart, get out the tissues and surrender.” The Sydney Morning Herald raved, “Joyously entertaining, Billy Elliot bursts into starry-eyed showbiz magic … A rapturous pinnacle of self-expression and fulfillment.” The Sunday Telegraph called it, “Bloody brilliant! Funny, exuberantly rude and heartbreakingly moving.” The production transferred to Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on December 31, 2008 where it was met with equally acclaim. The Australian production was honored with 12 theatre awards, including Best Musical (Helpmann Awards, Sydney, and Green Room Awards, Melbourne).

Billy Elliot the Musical opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre 240 West 45th Street) on November 13, 2008 to extraordinary critical acclaim. Billy Elliot was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Lee Hall), Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish), Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Gregory Jbara), Best Direction of a Musical (Stephen Daldry), Best Choreography (Peter Darling), Best Orchestrations (Martin Koch), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Ian MacNeil), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Rick Fisher) and Best Sound Design of a Musical (Paul Arditti)

Globally, Billy Elliot the Musical has now played to more than 4 million people, with a number of new productions in the works. New international productions are scheduled for Korea (August 2010), Japan (Summer 2011) and productions are in the works for Germany and Holland.

Billy Elliot the Musical is produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Sally Greene. Angela Morrison and David Furnish are Executive Producers. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, the associate director is Julian Webber, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch. Nina Lannan and Devin Keudell of Nina Lannan Associates are the general managers for the North American productions.

For additional casting information, please visit the casting website at Be Billy (http://www.bebilly.com).

Billy Elliot the Musical will open the Second National Tour in the Triangle as part of Durham Performing Arts Center’s 2010/2011 SunTrust Broadway Series. Performances begin on October 30th run through November 14th . Billy Elliot the Musical is currently on sale as part of the season ticket package. Individual tickets for Billy Elliot the Musical will go on sale Monday, June 7th. Visit DPACnc.com for more information on how to be the first to purchase tickets to the Second National Tour Debut of Billy Elliot.

Editor’s Note: Boys auditions on Saturday are closed to media. Media are encouraged to cover the Sunday ballet girl auditions from 10am until noon. (Sign-up from 10am-11am followed by first hour of auditions from 11am-noon). Casting director Nora Brennan will be on hand for interviews between 10am and 11am.

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