Billy Elliot: Adam Vesperman to play title role

13 year old Adam Vesperman from Seattle, USA, will make his West End stage debut in the title role of Billy Elliot : The Musical from 25 Jul 2011, at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Vesperman said "After a few auditions around America, I was the happiest boy on earth when I found out that I would be coming to London and to train to be Billy Elliot. It's so hard being 5,000 miles away from my family and friends for so long, but it's worth it. Being Billy has changed my life so much - the training, experience, and best of all the wonderful people I get to work with. I miss my family a lot, but being in the show keeps us so busy that I don't really think about it too much. I am the sixth American Billy to star in the London production and I hope that I can maintain the high quality shown by my predecessors."

Vesperman joins Ryan Collinson (12 years from Southport), Josh Baker (13 years old from Rochester), Dean Charles-Chapman (13 years old from Romford, Essex) and Scott McKenzie (13 years old from Dumbarton, Scotland) who alternate the role of 'Billy.'

The current cast also features Reece Barrett (12 years old from Exeter), Connor Kelly (12 years old from Scunthorpe), Connor Lawson (12 years old from Shotton, County Durham) and Joe Massey (11 years old from South Wirrell) alternate the role of Billy's best friend 'Michael,' Francesca Mango (11 years old from Northumberland), Emily Smith (11 years old from County Durham) and Emily Williams (9 years old East Wingate, County Durham) alternate the role of 'Debbie.'

They perform alongside Genevieve Lemon (Mrs. Wilkinson), Martin Marquez (Dad), Tom Lorcan (Tony), Diane Langton (Grandma), Chris McGlade (George), Kay Milbourne (Dead Mum), Kevin Patricks (Mr. Braithwaite) and Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy).

Billy Elliot : The Musical opened 11 May 2005, following previews from 31 March, to terrific notices from the popular press: MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "Billy Elliot succeeds brilliantly because Elton John's music and, especially, Peter Darling's choreography enhance Lee Hall's cinematic concept." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Billy Elliot strikes me as the greatest British musical I have ever seen." ALASTAIR MACAULAY for THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, "Elton John's music is too often formulaic but about half of this show achieves dramatic poetry of a kind rare in any kind of theatre."PAUL TAYLOR for THE INDEPENDENT says, "Funny, touching and shamelessly enjoyable staging."

Billy Elliot : The Musical has Book & Lyrics by Lee Hall & Music by Elton John. It is directed by Stephen Daldry, designed by Ian MacNeil, lighting by Rick Fisher, costumes by Nicky Gillibrand, choreography by Peter Darling, sound by Paul Arditti. Produced by Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan co-Chairmen of Working Title Films and theatre impresario Sally Greene, from Old Vic Productions along with Jon Finn.

The story of a boy from a humble Tyneside background, whose mother is dead, and whose father and brother are caught up in the bitterly fought community-splitting miner's strike of 1984. Billy's father wants his son to learn to box, like him and his father before him. But instead Billy becomes fascinated by the grace and magic of ballet. BILLY ELLIOT is about Billy's gritty and determined struggle, at first in secret, but then with the wholehearted backing of his family, to dance his way to the brightest of futures by winning a place at the Royal Ballet School.

The show is currently taking bookings until 15 December 2012.