Overview
Synopsis
Billy Elliot tells the story of a young boy from a coal mining village in northeast England who transcends class and circumstance to become a ballet star. The musical is set against the backdrop of the 1984-5 miners strike, which tragically affects the whole village. Billy is looked after by his father, brother, and grandfather, after his mother’s death a few years earlier. They are not well off and have no experience with, or tolerance for, the arts. His dad and brother are totally against the idea of him learning to dance but Billy finds himself drawn towards the ballet world. As a result, Billy is forced to take his boxing lesson money and use it secretly for dance lessons from local dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson. She quickly notices that Billy is a prodigy and takes him under her wing. Soon, despite his family’s resistance, Mrs. Wilkinson manages to get Billy an audition with The Royal Ballet School in London. The village learns to overcome their ill-founded prejudices and, along with Billy’s father, come around to support Billy's dream to become a dancer as Billy defies the odds and is finally accepted into The Royal Ballet School.
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Context
Billy Elliot is based upon the successful 2000 film of the same name. With music by Elton John, the musical opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London in 2005. It ran until April 2016 and was nominated for 9 Olivier Awards, winning the award for Best New Musical. In 2014, a live recording of the musical was released on DVD, with Ruthie Henshall playing Mrs. Wilkinson and featuring a special finale with all the previous Billy's performing an awe-inspiring routine. In 2007, the show opened
to read the context for Billy Elliot and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
It is 1984 and the miner’s strike has just begun in the northeast of England. In a small village, the miners and their families are gathered together discussing the strike (“The Stars Look Down”). Later, eleven-year-old Billy Elliot finishes his boxing class in the community center but is required to stay behind to pass the keys on to the ballet teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson, who has the next class. Before he leaves, he is intrigued by the dancing and ends up joining in with a routine
to read the plot for Billy Elliot and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
Showing 8 of 11 characters
Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Billy Elliot.
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Songs
Act One
The Stars Look Down - Ensemble
*Shine - Mrs. Wilkinson, Mr. Braithwaite, Billy & Ballet Girls
Grandma’s Song - Grandma
*Solidarity - Ballet Girls, Mrs. Wilkinson, Police, Miners
*Expressing Yourself - Billy, Michael
The Letter (Mum’s Letter) - Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy, Mum
*Born To Boogie - Mrs. WIlkinson, Mr. Braithwaite, Billy
*Angry Dance - Billy, Ensemble
Act Two
Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher - Tony, George, Ensemble
Deep Into the Ground - Jackie
*Swan Lake [Dream Ballet] - Billy, Older Billy
He Could Be a Star - Jackie & Tony (*He Could Go and Shine in US and UK tour productions)
*Electricity - Billy
Once We Were Kings - Ensemble
The Letter (Billy’s Reply) - Billy, Mum
*Finale - Ensemble
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher