It’s a given that shows that have been around for a while will undergo various changes, to cast and other aspects of the show.  Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM) is no exception.  The next few weeks will be especially momentous within the  BETM community, for a variety of reasons.

Note:  This story was updated on Tuesday, 23-Aug-2011 at 12:00 pm EDT.

Tour to Go on Hiatus

Several weeks ago, it was first announced that the BETM US Tour would be closing four weeks earlier than originally scheduled on its San Francisco stop (on August 21, 2011 — original end date was September 17, 2011).

Since then, it was learned that, after San Francisco, the current production of the Tour would close down, the show will be recast and its script tweaked and set revamped — all in an effort to streamline costs for the show which, by all accounts, is especially expensive to produce.  This is mostly due to the large cast — about half of which consists of child actors and all the support (tutors, training, guardians, etc) that they necessitate, and to a fairly elaborate set, which currently needs 15 trucks to transport.

Without getting too technical, sources close to the show have indicated that when the production reopens in St. Louis on November 1, 2011, it will be as a SETA Equity show , rather than the full-blown Equity tour it started out as — and the set will be pared down to save on transportation and “load in/out” costs.  These changes will take place during a two-month hiatus.  It is believed that the reconstituted cast will consist of current Tour cast members, as well as members of the present Toronto BETM cast.  Additional actors from outside the BETM community will also be auditioned for and added as needed.

In the meantime, tour stops previously scheduled on the show’s itinerary for September and October, for Madison and Appleton, Wisconsin and for Columbus, Ohio, have been postponed and are expected to be rescheduled.  The skykid.com will have more about these changes as further information becomes available.

Toronto Production to Close

When BETM Toronto was first established as a “stand alone” production (that is, not part of a tour), tickets went on sale for shows  through July 10, 2011 at the Canon Theatre.  Due to the production’s popularity there, it was extended through the summer, with an announced closing date of September 3rd.

When the show closes there, the production will be disbanded.  Some cast members, many of whom have been with the show since it originally opened in Chicago in March of 2010,  may be absorbed into other productions of the show if openings are available.

Produced by Mirvish Productions in Canada, the show will have played just under 250 performances before appreciative Toronto audiences when it comes to a close.

Other Changes

The good news is that both of the “flagship” productions of the show, in London and on Broadway, continue to play to near capacity audiences. But there will be several very notable changes even within those hallowed productions of the show. All these cast changes will occur on the same weekend — September 3 & 4, 2011.

First, at the 7:30 pm performance on Saturday September 3rd, Scott McKenzie, the second most senior Billy in London, will be leaving the show.  Scott will have performed almost 100 times as Billy since his debut on 6-Sep-2010.  Like all the boys who have played the role, Scott is a true triple threat (acting, singing, dancing) and has proudly worn the mantle of his Scottish heritage to make his unique mark on the role — from the Scottish burr  that sometimes creeps into his voice, to the little “jig” moves he adds at times to his dance numbers.

This young man is brimming with talent and, while he will definitely be missed at the Victoria Palace Theatre, there is no doubt his future is very bright and one shouldn’t be surprised to see him on the entertainment scene again very, very soon.

And then on Sunday evening September 4th, original cast member and originator of the role of “Jackie Elliot (Dad)” on Broadway, Gregory Jbara,  winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for that role, will play Billy’s Dad for the final time. Greg’s stabilizing influence on the cast, especially on his young “sons” (the Billys), will certainly be missed.  But while he’s done most of the over 1100 shows on the Great White Way since BETM opened at the Imperial Theatre, he’s also been away from his own young sons and family much of the time over the past three years.  He hopes to find work near his Los Angeles home, where he has done much TV and cinema work in the past.  With his credentials, he will surely be sought after.

On that same night, BETM Broadway’s original Grandma and its original George the boxing coach and MC at the Christmas party, will also depart the show. Carole Shelley (Grandma), much beloved by the cast and especially by her “grandsons” (the Billys), was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance.  Joel Hatch (George) provided comic relief in the show with his antics as the boxing coach trying to make Billy and his friend Michael into competent boxers.  Joel made his Broadway debut in Billy Elliot the Musical.

With the leaving of Greg, Carole and Joel, only two remaining original Broadway cast members in principal roles remain ( Thommie Retter and Stephen Hanna).  Their Billy Elliot family will wish them well with the singing  of “Happy Trails” as the final curtain comes down on this trio’s wonderful contributions to Billy Elliot the Musical.