Tom Holland is Billy Elliot

[rtm2008]

Tom Holland will be starting as Billy at the Victoria Palace Theatre in the near future, however, he will initially be performing the role of Michael with his first show this Wednesday.

Prior to his role in Billy Elliot, Tom attended the Donhead School which published an announcment of his role in Billy Elliot the Musical here

[Shanana5887]

so is Tom going to play Billy eventually??

[deebeeeff]

He will be the first Michabilly!

[RKBilly]

That sounds fantastic, working in one role than moving onto the role of Billy........

RKBilly

[JJF]

Tom Holland is effing amazing. Brilliant, superb, fantastic, excellent.

[Dancer]

tom goes to school near me!!!
so another londoner!!!!

[deebeeeff]

It has now been announced that Tom will start on September, 8th, 2008.

[gobilly]

I found s few articles on this, but this is the best one..announcing that Tom Holland will start on sept 8 and Tanner Pflueger from the USAwill join the cast on september 29th

http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=31665

Tom Holland (age 12 from Kingston-upon-Thames) and Tanner Pflueger (age 13 from Norfolk, Nebraska, USA) are to join the cast of the Billy Elliot the Musical next month to play the title role following in the footsteps of Jamie Bell who created the iconic role on film, and sixteen other boys who have played Billy on stage at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Having recently celebrated three years in the West End and over 1,400 performances, Billy Elliot the Musical has now played to over 2.5 million people world-wide since its world premiere at the Victoria Palace Theatre in May 2005. On 13 November 2008, Billy Elliot the Musical opens on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre with previews from 1 October. The Australian production premiered at Sydney's The Capitol Theatre last year and will end its year long run in November ahead of a transfer to Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre previewing from 13 December 2008, opening on 31 December 2009.

Billy Elliot the Musical is set in the North East and is a funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of one young boy's dreams. This new staging of Billy Elliot the Musical is an adaptation of one of the most adored British films of the last decade which broke box office records across the world and was nominated for 3 Oscars and 13 BAFTA Awards.

The score for Billy Elliot the Musical has been composed by music legend Elton John, the most celebrated UK singer songwriter of the last 30 years, choreography is by Peter Darling, designs are by Ian MacNeil with sound by Paul Arditti and lighting by Rick Fisher. Billy Elliot the Musical is presented in London by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions in association with Tiger Aspect. Billy Elliot the Musical is based on the Universal Pictures/Studio Canal film.

Tom Holland and Tanner Pflueger join current Billy Elliots Joshua Fedrick (13 years old from Saltash, Cornwall), Fox Jackson-Keen (13 years old from Hornsey, London) and Layton Williams (14 years old from Manchester) who perform alongside principal cast members Jackie Clune (Mrs Wilkinson), Phil Whitchurch (Dad), Chris Lennon (Tony), Ann Emery (Grandma), Trevor Fox (George), Alex Delamere (Mr Braithwaite), Sara Poyzer (Mum) and Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy).

TOM HOLLAND joins cast on 8 September 2008

"I am 12 years old and I live in Kingston-upon-Thames with my Mum, Dad and three brothers, Sam, Harry and Paddy. I started dancing at Lynne Paige's Nifty Feet Dance School in Wimbledon taking hip hop class on Saturdays. Lynne also trained Jamie Bell who played Billy Elliot in the film! I was spotted at a local showcase and was asked to audition for Billy Elliot the Musical. I started to take ballet classes at home in our garage and two years later, after a lot of hard work, I was so excited to be cast as Billy. I have loved my training and would like to thank all my amazing teachers who have taught me everything I know. I can't wait for all my friends from Donhead Wimbledon College Preparatory School to come and see me on stage. My Mum and Dad joke about who I take after - I've seen them both dance and I have to say, there must have been a mix up at the hospital!"

Tanner Pflueger joins cast on 29 September 2008

"I am 13 years old and I live in Norfolk, Nebraska with my Mom Jan, my Dad Marty, my big brother Tyler and my dog Charlie. I love to dance. It all started when I was 7 years old and my cousin Brandi asked me if I wanted to join her classes rather than watch her. Going along to the class was the best decision I ever made. I first danced at Broadway and Main Street Dance Studio followed by four years at Nebraska Dance. I enjoyed my lessons so much. I took classes in a wide range of styles from tap to lyrical. In 2006/07 I was crowned the West Coast Dance Elite Junior Dance Champion as well as being placed first in the Modern category with my solo at the Youth America Grand Prix competition. I have to thank my Mom and Dad who drove me back and forth to my dance lessons which took 2 hours each time, and I also have to thank my big brother Tyler who put up with it! A big thanks also to all my dance teachers - Brandi, Kathy, Stephanie, Tricia, Sally, Sarah, Mary Clare and Kelly - who have all helped me along the way to becoming Billy Elliot!"

[rtm2008]

Another article about Tom can be found here.

New Billy Elliot leaving the garage
8:30am Sunday 31st August 2008

By Alita Howe
The story of a working class boy who preferred ballet to boxing has endeared itself to thousands of theatregoers since Jamie Bell made the role of Billy Elliot famous in the 2000 film.

Now, a 12-year-old Wimbledon schoolboy has been chosen to take up the mantle in the West End after two years of hard work which started with him taking ballet lessons in his garage.

Tom Holland will join Billy Elliot the Musical from September 8 and attends Lynne Paige’s Nifty Feet Dance School in Wimbledon, where he takes hip hop classes on Saturdays.

Tom, a pupil at Donhead Wimbledon College Preparatory School, will rotate performances with four other Billy’s and said he was thrilled at landing the role.

“I was so excited to be cast as Billy,” he said. “My mum and dad joke about who I take after. I’ve seen them both dance and I have to say, there must have been a mix up at the hospital!”

Tom’s potential was spotted when he performed with his dance school as part of the Richmond Dance Festival. As a result, Ms Paige, who also trained Jamie Bell for the film, decided to put him forward for the West End auditions.

She said: “At his audition, Stephen Daldry, director of Billy Elliot the Musical and the film, thought Tom had great potential and was a very natural actor.

“After two years of training and a lot of hard work, I am delighted that Tom will make his debut at the Victoria Palace Theatre.”

[Billy Whiz]

I was fortunate to see Tom make his debut on September 8th and what an impact he made. He is 12 years old and tiny. I can see him being with us for a long time and aren't we the lucky ones for that. I managed to have a word with his father during the interval and asked if I would be able to get a couple of photos after the show before they went to his 1st night party. I managed to grab a couple of shots in the foyer which are below. His father saw me and came over to make sure that I had managed to get the photos that I wanted. With all that was going on around it was really nice of him to remember.




From left to right: Shaun Malone (Michael), Tom Holland, Lewis Cope (Michael)

[Brad]

BW - Tom was supposed to be on Wednesday but didn't show - rumour is he is not well. Hey but thats just a rumour. Hoping he is OK and I get to see him in the next three shows before I go otherwise

[Billy Whiz]

It has been reported that Tom has tonsillitis.

[nickodemus]

Oh no poor tom... hope he gets better soon!

[Brad]

On Monday 15th September I was fortunate enough to see Tom perform in his 2nd show - yes a full week after his first one - what a truely memorable performance.

Tom showed that he has outstanding ability in regards to acting, singing and dancing. While the timing was out a few times it certainly did not distract from the show. In fact, I am sure that those that were seeing the show for the first time would be none the wiser. Those of us who have seen a "few" shows tend to pick up things because we expect what comes next.

What an enthusiastic young man. Probably the outstanding moment in the show was after the audition when Tall Boys attempts to console Billy and Billy drops his blob and slams Tall Boys head into the screen. I could have sworn blind that this actually occured and infact gasped at the action. I looked straight at Tom's face and the look on it was one of "shit, what have I done".

Tom Holland has a big future as Billy Elliot and I dare say beyond. I would love to see him perform again in 6 months time to see how he comes along because he IS going to be awesome - even more so than now.

[gemsag]

Good luck to you Tom, and I hope you make a quick recovery after hurting your knee last night.
It was a spectacular flying leap, and I was very sorry to see you limping off into the cubicle.
Thank you for giving and putting so much into the time you were on stage in that first Act.

I really hope that you'll be back fit and well soon, and that I may see you on stage again before
leaving for home in Sydney.

gemsag

[Billy Whiz]

Tom, Tanner Pflueger and Layton Williams were on UK TV tonight. Here is a link if anybody wants to have a look.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/7e2qcg

[Brad]

Billy Whiz - many thanks for the link. Waiting patiently for the download

[Brad]

Billy Whiz - many thanks for the link. Waiting patiently for the download

OK so it took a while to download - well not really - more time finding a program to play it

Brought back such fond memories of seeing Tom perform in London last September - his second show in fact. What a great young lad. Look forward to seeing him perform with the surprise kid that they talk about on the clip.

It'll be up to you BW if we are to see the next installment Pressures on

[deebeeeff]

Look forward to seeing him perform with the surprise kid that they talk about on the clip.

Huh?

[Billy Whiz]

It'll be up to you BW if we are to see the next installment Pressures on

No worries