Billy Youth Theatre comes to Edinburgh
Billy Two Productions…
By Thom Dibdin
Billy Elliot the Musical is coming to Edinburgh with two productions of a shortened, youth version of the show being staged in April and June – and a further showcase of youth groups at the Royal Lyceum in June.
The Lothian Youth Arts & Musicals Company are staging the first production from April 20-24 at the Church Hill Theatre. The makers of the Edinburgh Gang Show are teaming up with the Manor School of Ballet and the Festival City Theatres Trust to stage their version at the Festival Theatre on June 4-5.
The productions and showcase are part of Billy Youth Theatre, a GB-wide event launched by the producers of Billy Elliot the Musical. Writer Lee Hall and Musical Supervisor Martin Koch have adapted their original script and orchestrations to produce a shortened version of the show.
The inspirational story of one boy’s dream to realise his ambitions against the odds, Billy Elliot is set in the North East of England against the background of the miners’ strike of 1984/85. Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid the disapproval of his struggling family.
A total of 115 schools and youth organisations have taken up the challenge. All participants have to be aged between 10 and 19 on March 19, 2010. Representatives of each participating group attended a workshop weekend in London in December, hosted by the Billy Elliot creative team.
Selected groups will be invited to perform excerpts from their productions at seven showcases held at major regional theatres between April and June 2010 – including the Royal Lyceum on June 8. A few of these groups will go on to performa at the Billy Youth Theatre West End Gala at the Victoria Palace Theatre, Billy Elliot’ss London home, on July 11.
Tickets for the LYAMC production are available through the contact page on the LYAMC website.
Tickets for the Gang Show production go on sale from Monday 1 March from the Festival Theatre.
ENDS
