Billy Elliot the Musical won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Musical.  It also won nine other Tony’s.  Few would disagree that a major reason for the success of the show has been the extremely talented young men who play the title role.  But who are they and how did they get to be in this musical that has taken not only Broadway, but literally the entire theater world, by storm?

In this article, you’ll be introduced to the young actors who currently portray Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical -- Broadway. The profiles contained in this article will be updated on an on-going basis, to reflect new information and/or graphics. The young men now rotating in the title role are:   Michael Dameski, Alex Ko, Trent Kowalik, Liam Redhead and Dayton Tavares. 

Please note: Two Billys, Kiril Kulish and David Alvarez, recently left the Broadway show.  Their profiles can be found in the Meet the Billys: Profile Archives section of this blog. Tommy Batchelor, who will be portraying Billy in the BETM road show opening in Chicago in March, also recently left the show.  His profile can be found in the Meet the Billys -- Chicago article in this blog.

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Michael Dameski

Following in the footsteps of fellow Australian, Dayton Tavares, 14 year old Michael Dameski debuted on Broadway as Billy Elliot on Sunday January 31, 2010 at the matinee performance. Michael is from Sydney, Australia, where he lives with his mom, dad and two sisters. His friends call him Mickey or Mikey.

For the past four years, his skills have led to considerable success in dance competitions around the world. In 2005, Michael was named a Top 10 Dance Idol finalist by Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art (NDIA). In 2006, he received the Under 13 first place in the Music and Performing Arts Junior Challenge, which is a national talent search in Australia. In 2007, he represented Australia in the world championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. He received gold, there, in all categories, and was named Junior World Dancer.

Michael has also been recognized for his singing ability. In 2007 he was a guest at the Zlatno Slavejce (Golden Nightingale) children’s singing festival in Macedonia, at which he recorded a song written especially for him entitled ‘One Dance’. Here’s a video of that performance, in which a much longer haired Michael showcases his vocal and dance talent:

Credit: Video by bogdanovski1

Michael’s theatrical training has been at Brent Street, Australia’s prestigious school for the performing arts, where his studies have included many dance styles including jazz, tap, ballet, acrobatics, hip hop, contemporary drama and musical theatre, as well as academics. After his stint in Billy Elliot the Musical in Australia, Brent returned to Brent Street. In this video, Michael and his fellow students from Brent Street perform a number they called “A Tribute to Billy”:

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Credit: Video by BrentStreetStudios

In the late Fall of 2009, the BETM creative team realized that potentially they could be down below the minimum number of boys needed to comfortably maintain the Broadway Billy rotation required to do the show eight times per week. They knew that one of the three originating Broadway Billys, Kiril Kulish, was leaving the show in early October, and that another would soon follow (David Alvarez on Jan. 3, 2010). The decision that Tommy Batchelor would star in the BETM road company production beginning in Chicago meant he would be leaving the Broadway show on December 11th to prepare for his debut in the Windy City. Alex Ko had debuted right after Kiril left, but he went down, after just three performances, with a knee injury that would keep him off the stage for an extended period. The next Billy in the pipeline, Liam Redhead, was still in training and not quite ready to debut. And still another Billy-in-training, Jacob Clemente, had just started his training and was even further away from being ready.

So the creative team needed to bring in some additional Billys quickly to fill the temporary void. They turned to Australia, where a very successful run of the production had just finished in June of 2009. Luckily there were a couple of very talented boys who had played Billy in that production, Dayton Tavares and Michael Dameski, who were still of the right age, stature and still had unbroken voices. Most importantly, they wouldn’t require all that much training as they both had already performed the role for several months.

On November 9, 2008, all 8 of the Billys (except Corey Snide) who performed in the Sydney production took to the stage during the finale (including Michael Dameski and Dayton Tavares — first two from left)

Dayton came to NYC in early November and debuted on Broadway on December 19th. Like Tavares, Dameski was one of the five final Australian Billys, joining that cast in Sydney on October 16, 2008. His final performance as Billy in Australia was the next to last show there on June 13, 2009, in Melbourne. Ironically, he arrived in NYC to begin his rehearsals/training for the Broadway show the same weekend Tavares debuted.

Here’s a glimpse of Michael as Billy, performing “Angry Dance” from the Australian show:

Credit: Video by elliotfan1

Michael has a three month contract, a time frame that includes both pre debut rehearsal/training and actual performance time. That would take him to approximately the end of March. Conceiveably, the contract could be renewed if the creative staff feels it’s necessary and if Michael and his parents agree. Like his friend, Dayton, for however long his stay on Broadway, Michael wants to make it memorable and show America the skills that Aussie fans of the musical have raved about during the show’s run there. With his talent, there’s no doubt he’ll represent his country well.

For more information about Michael Dameski visit:

Wikipedia, Billy Elliot the Forum, Friends of Billy Elliot

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 Alex Ko

Born on February 3, 1996, 14 year old Nicholas Alexander Ko  (who goes by Alex because his Dad liked the sound of that name better), has been dancing since he was a five year old kindergartener.

The Iowa City, Iowa boy began his local dance training at the National Academy of Dance and Nolte Academy and gymnastics at the Iowa Gym-nest. Alex later registered for the Dance Forum, the University of Iowa’s community outreach program and subsequently enrolled in the University’s Advanced Ballet Class, which is a class normally full of college-aged students. He is the youngest ever to be accepted to that program. Alex has also studied with George de la Pena at both UI and the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC.  He was a soloist in the UI Youth Ballet’s “Swan Lake” and “Nutcracker” productions, and was featured in a youth ensemble of the UI Dance Gala.

In 2007, Alex began taking private ballet lessons from UI Assistant Professor of Ballet & Choreography, Eloy Barragan, whom Alex now considers a mentor.  Barragan soon realized that his new student possessed star potential. “Iowa City has a lot of talent, young talent”, he said. “But Alex has something very unique, he has maturity and dedication and is committed to what he wants…. Alex has something really special. There’s a soul to his dance and that is what people notice.”

The close relationship that developed between the two led Alex to ask Barragan to create a solo in memory of his father, Sam, who had recently died of cancer. The result can be seen in this brief video:

Credit: Video by BigDanceFan

In 2008, instructor and protege traveled to New York City where Alex participated in a 10-day dance instruction program at the prestigious Steps on Broadway. As fate would have it, one of Alex’s teachers there, Peter O’Brien, brought Alex to the attention of the Steps on Broadway director.  The director offered Alex a full scholarship to study at the school’s six-week summer intensive in July and August. With that scholarship to Steps on Broadway came vocal lessons and training with one of the choreographers from Billy Elliot The Musical. He was subsequently invited to audition for the musical, which he did in October, while the show was still in previews before it’s official Broadway opening on November 13th.

Alex was accepted into the “Billy School” in NYC, where he began the intense training program that all Billys go through on their way to playing the role.  Here’s an interview in which Alex talks about the role and what is required to prepare for it:

Credit: Video by ckalex1996

 The culmination of that training was his debut in the show on October 6, 2009, as the replacement for departed original Broadway Billy, Kiril Kulish. The creative team behind the musical is committed to diversity in the cast and Alex becomes the third boy with an Asian heritage to play the role of Billy (the others being Matthew Koon  and Hogan Fulton who were in the London production).  Another Billy-to-be in Chicago, J.P. Viernes, is of Asian heritage as well.

Picture above: Cast Board in Imperial Theatre Lobby on Alex Ko’s Opening Night

After just three performances as Billy, for which Alex received rave reviews, he sustained a serious knee injury and has been out of the rotation since. The rehabilitation of his knee has taken longer than even he expected, a setback that would be devastating to any young person, but especially to one who has just attained a dream he’s pursued since he began to dance.  But during his rehabilitation, Alex has shown the determination and committment that he’s applied every step of the way as he’s prepared to be Billy and he’s maintained a positive and upbeat attitude while doing so. 

Today he is reported to be making good progress and is in full rehearsals preparing for his return to the Imperial Theatre stage. That return is expected in the very near future.

In November of 2009, Alex and the rest of the cast and crew celebrated the Broadway show’s first anniversary with an after show party. Pictured here at the party are Alex and Keean Johnson who, until recently played Billy’s best friend Michael, on Broadway, and who will soon be originating that role in the new road company version of Billy Elliot the Musical opening in Chicago in March.

 Alex and fellow Billy, Trent Kowalik, appeared on Rosie O’Donnell’s Sirius Radio show in early January, 2010.  In a far ranging interview, they talked about how they each got the role and what life is like as a Broadway Billy. 

Here is Part 1 of that interview:

Credit: Video by qsaco1

Part 2 & Part 3 of the Rosie O’Donnell interview.

Many repeat theater-goers of Billy Elliot the Musical, who have seen all the current Broadway crop of Billys, ranks Alex very high. After Alex’s opening week of performances, one such critic said “I think it’s very, VERY clear, we don’t just have a new Billy, we have a new star on our hands!!!”

For More Information on Alex Ko visit these websites:

Alex Ko, Wikipedia,  Billy Elliot the Forum and  Friends of Billy Elliot

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Trent Kowalik

Fourteen year old Trent Kowalik is one of three boys who originated the role of Billy on Broadway (along with Kiril Kulish and David Alvarez.).  Trent was the first of two boys who have played the role both in the West End and on Broadway (the other being Tanner Pflueger). Born on February 22, 1995, Trent is a native of Wantagh, Long Island, New York.

Trent’s path to playing Billy was in some ways similar to, but also very different from, that of the other boys who have played the role. Like most of the others, Trent started dance at an early age – three years old. He learned tap and ballet and, later, jazz and hip-hop.  But at age four, he began instruction in Irish step dancing at the Inishfree School of Irish Dance.  By age six he was competing at the highest level and by age 13 he was a five-time undefeated North American Champion and a World Champion – the youngest American to ever win the World Championship.

Casting agents for “Billy Elliot” had their eye on Kowalik since 2005, when they first inquired with Inishfree about boys who might one day fill Billy’s agile shoes. He had auditions in New York in November, 2005 and November, 2006. Then in June of 2007,  when the nationwide search for boys to play Billy on Broadway narrowed down to 15 boys, Trent was among that group.

But on the way to becoming a Broadway Billy, a funny thing happened. Though asked, in July of 2007, to play the Broadway part, Trent was asked to play Billy in the West End of London until the NY rehearsals began in June of 2008.  He debuted in London December 17, 2007, at 12 years old, and played the role at the Victoria Palace Theatre until a final performance on June 7, 2008, after he had been announced (on April 22, 2008) as one of three boys who would originate the role of Billy on Broadway.

After spending the summer and early Fall of 2008 rehearsing with the Broadway cast, Trent portrayed Billy on the Imperial Theatre stage for the first time during previews of the show on October 8, 2008 and had the honor of being Billy on the official Opening Night of the show on November 13, 2008. A video showing highlights of Trent Kowalik as Billy Elliot can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3pWOIOXy54

The three originating Broadway Billys (Trent, Kiril Kulish and David Alvarez) went on to win an historic joint Tony for Best Actor in a Musical on June 7, 2009. On that night , Trent performed “Angry Dance” from the musical, before a Radio City Music Hall crowd filled with luminaries from the entertainment business and a national TV audience.

Credit: Video by buttertartlover

Now, over two years since he first performed as Billy at the Victoria Palace Theater, with his time spent in the role in London and on Broadway, Trent has again made history. He has eclipsed both the record for an actor with the most performances as Billy (200) --  a record that was  held by former London Billy, Leon Cooke — and the record for longest chronological time in the role of Billy Elliot,  which had been held by Layton Williams.  Layton was Trent’s roommate when they both starred as Billy in the West End and lived in the “Billy House” together and currently co-stars in the British TV series — Beautiful People.

 It has been announced that Trent’s last performance as Billy will take place on Sunday, February 21, 2010, the day before he turns 15 years old.  On that day, just short of three years since he began his quest to be Billy Elliot, the last of the originating, Tony Award winning actors will close out an era in Billy Elliot the Musical history.  Trent has said in recent interviews that he misses the traditional school environment, so expectations are he’ll return to Wantagh for school and will continue his dance training, perhaps again taking up the Irish Step dancing he so loves and has excelled at for so long.  But one thing is for sure, with his dancing acumen, along with his acting and singing abilities, it will not be surprising to see Trent back on Broadway someday soon.

For more information about Trent Kowalik visit these websites:

Trent Kowalik, the Billy Elliot the Musical- Broadway, Billy Elliot the Forum, and Friends of Billy Elliot

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Liam Redhead

Born June 8, 1995, Liam Redhead, 14, made his Broadway debut on Wednesday, December 23, 2009.  He is from North Bay, Ontario, Canada.

Like others playing the role,  Liam got involved with dance because his sister was.  At the age of seven, he began going to hip hop classes with her at the Barbara Treleaven School of Dance in his hometown. He liked it so much that he started studying jazz and tap and then, at age nine, he joined the school’s competitive group and was introduced to ballet.

Over the next three years, Liam competed in Canada as well as in New York, Atlantic City and Las Vegas — where he won the national title of Mr. Pre Teen with Dance Educators of America as well as the President’s Cup for the highest mark at the competition.

In the summer of 2007, Liam received a scholarship to attend the Young Dancer Summer Workshop at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theater in New York City. Then, in the Fall of that year, he moved to Toronto to attend the prestigious National Ballet School (NBS). He says it was while he was at NBS that he developed a passion for classical dance.  As a result of his work at NBS, Liam starred in the role of Misha in the James Kudelka version of  The Nutcracker with The National Ballet of Canada in December 2007 and 2008.

Unlike some who have played the role of Billy Elliot, world-wide, the time between Liam’s being “discovered” by the BETM team and actually being told he had the role was very short.  He auditioned in Toronto in June of this year, while he was still attending NBS. After a couple of callbacks there, he went to New York for the final auditions and to meet the creative team. At the end of that week of auditioning in New York, Liam was told he got the part. He then went home for the month of August, before heading back to the Big Apple to began rehearsals and training for the role in early September.

There are many stories about how the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical represents a second family to the actors who portray the roles in the show.  This is especially true of the younger cast members, of which there are currently 26 on Broadway and many times that number in London (as the West End show employs multiple casts in most of the younger cast member roles -- including three separate casts of ballet girls).  Upon his arrival in New York, Liam was immediately included in all the activity surrounding the show and was embraced by his fellow Billys, both offstage and in official show milestones and publicity. This picture (above) of Liam watching Trent work a Rubik’s cube was taken by the Kowalik family at  fellow cast member Trevor Braun’s birthday party and was published originally on Trent’s popular blog*.  To catch a glimpse of more behind the scenes life with the Billys, go to Trent Kowalik’s blog and browse the many pictures there, including several more of Liam.

As he prepared for his debut, Liam appeared on Good Morning America (GMA) with fellow Billys Alex Ko and Dayton Tavares, donating warm coats for the needy. It was during this appearance that GMA new anchor, Juju Chang, announced the date of Liam’s debut:

Credit: Video by qsaco1

Right after the calendar turned to 2010, Liam was interviewed by his hometown newspaper, the North Bay Nugget.   In the article, he talked about his debut and said, while nervous, how thrilled he was to finally be on the Imperial Theater stage after all the months of hard work preparing for it.  He said, “I had to portray mean and angry when I just really wanted to smile.  Things worked out better than I expected,” he said in describing his first show, “Everyone’s so nice and the crew is so supportive.” 

In his first month as Billy, Liam’s main emphasis was on building the  stamina the arduous role requires.  While his current contract runs through June,  there’s a possibility his stay on Broadway may be extended through August.  However, he fully expects to be back home in Canada and at the National Ballet School again in September.

While preparing for her own Broadway debut, BETM star Kate Hennig, who is also Canadian and who plays Billy’s ballet teacher in the show, did some work with NBS.  In her popular backstage blog on the official site of BETM -- Broadway, Kate writes about meeting and observing Liam at NBS before he was even chosen for the role of Billy.  You can read her complete comments in the blog’s November 9th entry: http://www.billyelliotbroadway.com/blog/.  Just a bit of what Kate writes regarding Liam’s getting ready for his debut … “bit by bit he learns to move these enormous dances from solo sessions in the rehearsal hall, to the raked stage, the company, and all lighting, sound, set and costume elements. Undaunted. With his gorgeous hair, and winning smile, and this great unconscious habit of standing on pointe in his tap shoes.

Here’s to Liam Redhead. God love ya, kid.”

For more information on Liam Redhead visit these websites:

Billy Elliot the Musical -Broadway, Billy Elliot the Forum, Friends of Billy Elliot

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Dayton Tavares

Dayton Tavares comes to Broadway from Australia.  And while he’s new to the Imperial Theatre stage he’s not new to the role, having previously played Billy in both the Sydney and Melbourne productions of Billy Elliot the Musical.  He is the youngest Australian ever to play a lead role on Broadway.

Born on March 10, 1996, unlike most of the other boys who have played Billy world-wide, 13 year old Dayton didn’t begin taking dance lessons at an early age.  In fact, he’s only been dancing for four years, since the age of nine, when he began performing thanks to his sisters.  “I wasn’t going to dance, I was playing soccer at the time and my sisters had changed dance schools and there was a boys’ class on, they’re like, ‘Oh just try it’,” Tavares said. “So I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll just try it’.” And the rest, as they say, is history.

Not only did he like dancing, he excelled in it — winning the 2007 Australian Dancer of the Year title and representing his country at the World Dance Championships in Las Vegas. He has been compared  to talented Australian, Hugh Jackman.  Oh and, by the way, don’t get on his bad side because he is also a black belt in the martial art of Taekwondo.

In a recent interview with news.com.au , Dayton said he couldn’t believe he had been selected for the dream part in the Broadway production, “I had my last show in Melbourne and I thought that was it for Billy and then all of a sudden we got this big call saying, ‘We want you to go New York’, and it all just went from there,” Tavares said.

Nora Brennan, the US Casting Director for the show, said in an interview in Australia’s Herald Sun, “He was so outstanding and beautiful as Billy that when an opening came up here (in New York) they wanted to give him that opportunity. They just loved everything about him, to be honest.”

After it had been announced that Dayton would be playing Billy on Broadway, a popular TV program in his native Australia, Today Tonight, did this report on him:

Credit: Video by davidxxxxq

Once Dayton arrived in the States in early November, it was a whirlwind of activity for him.  Though he spent a year playing the role in Australia (first show: May 24, 2008; last show: June 13, 2009), Dayton had a schedule that included rehearsing almost non-stop, pausing only to sleep, study and eat. “I know most of the show, it’s just getting used to some of the little changes they have here,” he said at the time.

After being stateside for a few weeks, Channel 7 in Australia did a follow-up report about his intensive rehearsals and life in the Big Apple:

Credit: Video by davidnosmoke

Dayton has readily fit in with the younger cast members who  include five other Billys or Billys-to-be.  They ranged from Tony award winners David Alvarez and Trent Kowalik, to veteran Tommy Batchelor (who will be originating the role of Billy in Chicago beginning in March), to  Alex Ko (who recently debuted in the role himself but was sidelined with a knee injury) and Dayton’s fellow newcomer, Liam Redhead.

In addition to all the rehearsals, Dayton was invited to the 12th birthday party for Trevor Braun (who plays Billy’s best friend in the show, Michael) and took part in the Billy Elliot the Musical -- Broadway 1st Anniversary cast/crew party which took place on November 13th, after the milestone performance that evening. Pictures from those events can be found elsewhere in this article and also on Trent Kowalik’s blog and at broadway.com . The picture to the right of Dayton, Liam and Trent was taken by members of the Kowalik family and originally published on Trent’s blog*.

Dayton made his Broadway debut on December 19, 2009 — a snowy night in NYC.  Later in the week, after his second show as Billy, he commented to freezing fans at the Stage Door that he was having another new experience.  He had never seen snow before and was loving it! 

Just before the calendar turned to a new year, Dayton was interviewed by Steve Liebmann on 2ue 95.4 radio in his native Australia:

Credit: Video by markmichaelwong

Dayton will play Billy until at least May, 2010, at which time it’s conceivable, given his relatively small stature, that his contract might be renewed for another six months.  However long his stay, Dayton is determined to make his mark on Broadway.  There’s no doubt he is already the pride of his Australian countrymen.

For more information on Dayton Tavares visit these websites:

Billy Elliot the Musical -- Broadway, Billy Elliot the Forum and  Friends of Billy Elliot

* Pictures from Trent Kowalik’s blog used with permission by the family.

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On Sunday, January 24, 2010 Billy Elliot the Musical -- Broadway celebrated 500 performances at the Imperial Theatre with a cast/crew afterparty at the Glass House Tavern restaurant in Manhattan.  At the party, the five current Billys, as well as ballet teacher Mrs. Wilkinson and Billy’s dad, were captured around the cake in this photo by photographer Brian Estrada.

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The Imperial Theatre: Home of Billy Elliot the Musical -- Broadway, NYC

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In other articles in the Billy Elliot the Musical section of this blog, see profiles of all the other Billys currently performing the role world-wide.   The boys playing Billy in the UK are profiled in Billy Elliot the Musical: Meet the Billys — London’s West End.  Profiles of those who will be playing the role in Chicago beginning in March, 2010, can be found in Billy Elliot the Musical: Meet the Billys — Chicago.There are also profiles of Billys of the recent past, who have left the show since September, 2009, in Billy Elliot the Musical: Meet the Billys — Profiles Archive.

Note:  If you have found these profiles enjoyable to read and/or useful, your comments (below) would be very appreciated.