The Youngest Ever Billy Elliot Takes on Role
April 6, 2010
There’s always a new reason to want to buy Billy Elliot tickets and this time it involves the title role of Billy himself. The latest in the string of child actors to play Billy Elliot will be Jacob Clemente, who is the 9th “Billy” so far.
Clemente, at age 12, is the youngest Billy Elliot of them all on Broadway, and fittingly Clemente grew up in a coal mining family in upstate New York. Clemente has appeared on Broadway before, in the production Gypsy. He has also earned several dance honors such as the 2007 Junior Mr. Starquest and the 2008 National NYCDA Mini Outstanding Dancer. It will be interesting to see how Clemente’s joining the production affects Billy Elliot ticket sales. The exact date in the Billy Elliot Broadway schedule when Clemente will join the show will be announced soon.
Among Clemente’s alternate Billies are actors Alex Ko, Liam Redhead, Michael Dameski and Dayton Tavares. The role of Billy’s teacher Mrs. Wilkinson is being played by Kate Hennig, and Philip Whitchurch is fitting in very well after joining the production as Billy’s dad.
Set in a northeastern English mining town, Billy Elliot tells the unlikely tale of the lad who goes to a ballet class and rides his passion all the way to the bright lights of London. Elton John’s musical score and brilliant choreography by Peter Darling took Billy Elliot all the way to 10 Tony Awards in 2009, a formidable achievement.
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