THEATRE NEWS: Canucks join Billy Elliot cast
8 JUN/11

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

TORONTO - After three months on the Toronto stage, Billy Elliot The Musical is making a few Toronto friends. In cast changes announced Wednesday, it seems five familiar Toronto actors are preparing to join the cast of the hit musical.


First and foremost is 12-year-old Julian Elia, a dancer from Markham who will be taking his place as one of the production's four Billys, replacing J.P. Viernes, and keeping the Canadian quotient in the Billy club at a comfortable 75%. Meanwhile, local actor David Keeley is no doubt brushing up on his Geordie accent as he prepares to step into the role of Billy's dad, at about the same time fellow Canuck Jake Epstein steps into the role of Billy's older brother, Tony.


Toronto's Kate Hennig, who just won a Toronto Theatre Critics' Award for her performance as Billy's teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson, will have some Canadian company in her ballet school soon too, with Salvatore Scozzari prepping to step into the role of Mr. Braithwaite, the school's accompanist. The Canadian content of the chorus/ensemble will be enriched too, with the inclusion of yet another Torontonian, albeit one transplanted from Newfoundland, as Jillian Rees-Brown prepares to join them. Billy Elliot continues its run at the Canon Theatre.