Chicago, meet your 'Billy Elliots'

Posted September 10, 2009 11:00 pm

By Scott C. Morgan

Mexican native Cesar Corrales of Montreal is one of three boys who will be playing the title role of "Billy Elliot The Musical" when it comes to Chicago in March 2010.

Chicago can now put faces to "Billy Elliot The Musical."

Producers announced Thursday that Tommy Batchelor, 14, Guiseppe Bausilio, 12, and Cesar Corrales, 13, will be sharing the title role of the 10-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical when it begins its March 2010 Chicago engagement at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre.

Batchelor is a native of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and currently rotating in "Billy Elliot" on Broadway. Bausilio is from Switzerland and has performed in ballets with the State Theatre of Bern. Corrales was born in Mexico, but now lives in Montreal where he is a student of Canada's National Ballet School. More than 1,500 boys auditioned for the role.

Of course, this "Billy Elliot" casting could change if any of these boys' voices break or if they grow too tall.

Which could partially explain why "Billy Elliot" producers are holding a local casting call this weekend for kids at the Lou Conte Dance Studio, 1147 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. Boys ages 9-12 audition at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, while girls ages 9-12 audition to play Billy's dance classmates at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13. Visit bebilly.com for more audition information.

Cesar Corrales, Guiseppe Bausilio and Tommy Batchelor are set to play the title role of "Billy Elliot The Musical" in Chicago.

Cesar Corrales, Guiseppe Bausilio and Tommy Batchelor on stage of the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre. These three boys are set to play the title role of "Billy Elliot The Musical" when it opens in Chicago in March 2010.

Giuseppe Bausilio of Switzerland is one of three boys who will be playing the title role of "Billy Elliot The Musical" when it comes to Chicago in March 2010.

Florida native Tommy Batchelor is one of three boys who will be playing the title role of "Billy Elliot The Musical" when it comes to Chicago in March 2010.

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