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| Billy Elliot the Musical |
[Goyang (Gyeonggi)=TV Daily reporter Hwang Seoyeon] Touted as one of the warmest musicals on stage, Billy Elliot has begun preview events ahead of its fourth Korean run. On the 10th, a Show & Tell for Billy Elliot was held at Goyang Aram Nuri in Goyang, Gyeonggi. Attendees included Kim Seung-ju, Park Ji-hu, Kim Woo-jin, Jo Yun-woo, Choi Jung-won, Jeon Su-mi, Park Jeong-ja, Lim Seon-woo, as well as international collaborators: director Ed Burnside, choreographer Tom Hodgson and music director Stephen Amos. They gathered to talk about the production. The musical, which premiered in Korea in 2010, is set in a mining town in northern England during the miners' strike of the 1980s. It follows a boy, Billy, who discovers a hidden talent for ballet while training as a boxer. The story tracks his refusal to give up on dance despite harsh realities and social prejudice, and it traces his family's evolution and eventual reconciliation. Before the Q&A, the cast presented key scenes. Jo Yun-woo’s Billy performed \"Shine\" and the \"Angry Dance.\" Kim Seung-ju’s Billy performed \"Solidarity.\" Park Ji-hu’s Billy sang \"Expressing Yourself.\" Kim Woo-jin joined Lim Seon-woo, the adult Billy, for the \"Dream Ballet.\" The sight of Lim — who originally played Billy 16 years ago and has returned as a professional adult ballerino — dancing alongside Kim Woo-jin was especially moving. During the subsequent Q&A, the cast and creative team reflected on the production with roughly a month to go before opening. ◆ Four extraordinary boys as Billy — more than a year of intensive training means a special production Director Ed Burnside described the four young actors who share the role of Billy as extraordinary and outlined the rigorous casting and preparation. Auditions began in September 2024 and drew hundreds of children. The role demands acting and singing as well as tap, jump-rope, and flying work — it’s extremely demanding, he said. A film director once likened playing Billy to \"running a marathon while performing Hamlet.\" To meet those demands, the boys have been undergoing intensive training for more than a year. \"We don't try to teach the kids who come in,\" he added. \"All four have already developed into fine performers who understand and express human emotion. We treat them as professionals, and they've risen to the level we expect.\"
The four boys also shared their thoughts. Park Ji-hu said she was nervous before going onstage but found the performance exhilarating. Jo Yun-woo said he was frightened at first, but the audience’s applause gave him strength. Kim Woo-jin said he felt nervous at the start, but once he was onstage he was simply happy. Kim Seung-ju admitted he was very anxious beforehand, but settled in and enjoyed the show once it began. ◆ Choi Jung-won: After 30 years onstage, this show still thrills · Park Jeong-ja: A role that restores my original impulse Choi Jung-won, who plays Mr. Wilkinson, returns to Billy Elliot for a third time. He called the show \"the warmest musical\" and described the transformative effect performing has on him. \"When I go onstage, it feels electric — I disappear and someone else takes over. After 30 years onstage, it's a blessing to feel that again,\" he said. \"These boys are especially inspiring this season. I can't wait for audiences to see them fly.\" New to the production this season in the same role, Jeon Su-mi expressed deep affection for the show. \"This musical moves me so profoundly I tear up at every scene, though the character doesn't allow for crying. Being part of Billy Elliot has reminded me how precious it is to stand onstage,\" she said. Veteran cast member Park Jeong-ja, who has long played the grandmother, did not participate in the scene demonstrations but joined the Q&A to offer encouragement. \"Some of Billy’s family and the actors’ families came today — I think many people cried,\" she said. \"As one of the world's most moving musicals, it will have a strong emotional impact on audiences.\" She added that working with child actors brings her back to the beginning of her career. \"It always feels like a fresh start.\" Then, turning to the young Billys, she asked impromptu, \"How's Grandma?\" The boys responded enthusiastically in unison, \"She's the best!\" to laughs from the room.
◆ Original Billy Lim Seon-woo returns after 16 years — a trip down memory lane This season has drawn particular attention for the scheduled return of Lim Seon-woo, who played Billy in Korea's 2010 premiere. Lim now dances as a soloist with the Universal Ballet and recently received the Danseur Noble Award at the 30th Korea Ballet Association Awards. Lim said, \"I'm grateful to return to this show after realizing my dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer. Every rehearsal brings back memories from 16 years ago — it really feels like a trip down memory lane.\" He added, \"Watching the current Billy actors makes me feel proud and affectionate, like they're my younger brothers. It still doesn't feel real since the show hasn't opened, but when the lights go down and the Dream Ballet begins, I'll be backstage holding a chair and watching — and I'll be happy.\" The Billy actors who will dance the Dream Ballet with Lim shared their resolve with about a month left until opening. Kim Seung-ju said, \"Over the next month, I'll do everything I can to give a performance with no regrets.\" Kim Woo-jin added, \"I'll practice harder and deliver a great show.\" Jo Yun-woo joked, \"We've prepared through blood, sweat and tears — I'll make sure it wasn't for nothing,\" prompting laughs. Park Ji-hu said, \"It feels like I auditioned just yesterday. Now we're here. I'm nervous, but I'll give it my all.\" Billy Elliot's fourth season runs April 12 through July 26 at Blue Square Woori Bank Hall in Yongsan, Seoul. [TV Daily reporter Hwang Seoyeon news@tvdaily.co.kr / Photo credit=Shinshi Company] |
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