New Broadway Billy from North Bay, Ont.
Last Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2009 | 5:40 PM ET
CBC News
A 14-year-old student from Canada's National Ballet School in Toronto will be making his Broadway debut as Billy Elliot.
Liam Redhead of North Bay, Ont., is one of two young dancers who were announced for the lead role in the hit Broadway production on Thursday.
The other is Dayton Tavares, 13, who has played the character in the musical's Sydney and Melbourne casts.
Both Tavares and Redhead are expected to begin performances in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot the Musical in December, according to Playbill.
Billy Elliot the Musical, featuring music by Elton John, is the story of a miner's son who wants to dance, set amid Margaret Thatcher's battle to tame Britain's miners' unions.
Former Montrealer David Alvarez is one of the boys who debuted the role on Broadway and won a Tony Award for his performance. Alvarez continues to dance in the role.
There are four boys prepped for the demanding job of playing Billy, which involves being on stage for most of the performance.
One of the Billys, Tommy Batchelor, is leaving the Broadway production to play Billy in Chicago.
Cesar Corrales, also a student at the National Ballet School, is also to play Billy in the upcoming Chicago production.
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