2009 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Billy Elliot Electrifies Minneapolis, Dec. 16, 2010-Jan. 9, 2011

2009 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Billy Elliot
Electrifies Minneapolis, Dec. 16, 2010–Jan. 9, 2011

MINNEAPOLIS—Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions, in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment, bring the 2009 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Billy Elliot the Musical to Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Orpheum Theatre Dec. 16, 2010–Jan. 9, 2011. Based on the international smash hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim on Broadway including 10 Tony Awards. It is part of the 2010/11 Broadway Across America-Minneapolis Season and will be included in season ticket packages available in April, along with information about other productions for the Broadway season. Single tickets will go on sale at a later date. Further information will be posted on www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

Billy Elliot the Musical is the funny, heartwarming tale of a young boy with a dream and a celebration of his triumph against the odds. Set against the historic British miners’ strike of the 1980s, the story follows Billy’s journey as a boy in a small mining town who, after stumbling across a ballet class while on his way to a boxing lesson, realizes that his future lay not in the boxing ring, but on stage as a dancer.

In addition to the prestigious Tony Award for Best Musical, Billy Elliot the Musical received the award for Best Book of a Musical (Lee Hall), Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish), Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Gregory Jbara), Best Direction of a Musical (Stephen Daldry), Best Choreography (Peter Darling), Best Orchestrations (Martin Koch), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Ian MacNeil), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Rick Fisher) and Best Sound Design of a Musical (Paul Arditti).

The production was the recipient of 35 awards including being named Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle.

Ben Brantley of the New York Times says that Billy Elliot “Sends audiences into a mass swoon!” Time Out says it’s “The most electric and passionate show in years.” The Daily News calls Billy “So exhilarating that you feel like leaping!” The New York Post says Billy Elliot is “The best show you will ever see!” Liz Smith calls the show “Absolutely awesome,” the New York Observer raves that Billy is “The best thing to happen to Broadway in a long while,” and WOR’s Dave Richardson cheers, “All I can say is WOW!

Billy Elliot the Musical is produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Jon Finn and Sally Greene. Angela Morrison and David Furnish are Executive Producers. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch.

Additional information about Billy Elliot the Musical is available at www.BillyElliotBroadway.com.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the four-week engagement of Billy Elliot the Musical will be included in Hennepin Theatre Trust’s season ticket packages that will be available in April, along with information about other productions for the Broadway season. Further information will be posted on www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org, or you can join the Trust’s email notification list by signing up at the website. *Contains mature language.

Billy Elliot the Musical will run Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010 through Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011 at Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Avenue, Mpls., 55403. A full performance schedule will be announced at a later date.

HENNEPIN THEATRE TRUST, owner of the historic State, Orpheum and Pantages Theatres, is a non-profit organization devoted to enriching the vibrant cultural atmosphere of the Twin Cities. The Trust’s activities include Broadway touring productions, concerts, comedy, speakers and other variety entertainment plus educational initiatives including the SpotLight Musical Theatre Program for high schools, Critical View student reviewer program, Teen Ushers, the Access Program and Kids’ Night. For more information, go to HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA (Producer) is owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman). Broadway Across America presents first-class touring musicals and plays across 40 North American cities. Under the supervision of Beth Williams (COO & Head of Production), Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse theatre. Recent productions include Hair, West Side Story, Memphis, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and the West End production of Breakfast At Tiffany’s. Upcoming Broadway productions include Promises, Promises, Million Dollar Quartet and Minsky’s. Touring productions include Dreamgirls and Nickelodeon's Storytime Live. Please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES STAGE PRODUCTIONS is the theatrical production unit of the world-famous motion picture studio. Universal’s stage credits include the acclaimed worldwide productions of Wicked and Billy Elliot the Musical and licensed productions including Cry-Baby and Xanadu. Universal Pictures’ upcoming films include It’s Complicated, a comedy starring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin; The Wolfman, a reimagining of the Universal classic film starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins and Emily Blunt; and Despicable Me, a 3D CGI-animated feature starring Steve Carell.

WORKING TITLE FILMS has been co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner since 1992. Between them, the pair has produced over 90 feature films which have amassed more than $4.5 billion at the box office worldwide. To date, their films have won 6 Academy Awards, 26 BAFTA Awards and won prestigious prizes at the Cannes and Berlin film festivals. The company's commercial and critical hits include Frost/Nixon; Burn After Reading; State of Play; Atonement; Hot Fuzz; Pride & Prejudice; Mr. Bean’s Holiday; About a Boy; Notting Hill; Elizabeth; Fargo; Dead Man Walking; High Fidelity; Johnny English; Billy Elliot; Four Weddings and a Funeral; Bridget Jones’s Diary; Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason; O Brother Where Art Thou?; Love Actually; Shaun Of The Dead; Nanny McPhee; and United 93. Forthcoming releases include The Green Zone, directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear and Amy Ryan; Paul directed by Greg Mottola and written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost; Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang directed by Susanna White and written by and starring Emma Thompson, alongside Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maggie Smith, and Ralph Fiennes.

OLD VIC PRODUCTIONS is a producer of Billy Elliot the Musical worldwide, including productions in London, on Broadway and recently in Sydney and Melbourne. Created by Sally Greene, and run by Sally and executive producer Joseph Smith, OVP has co-produced or partnered in more than 70 productions in the West End and on Broadway, winning numerous awards. Productions include Taking Sides; Cyrano de Bergerac; The Reduced Shakespeare Company; The Vagina Monologues (London); The Weir; Car Man; Medea; Life (x) 3; Benefactors; Elaine Stritch: At Liberty; Macbeth; Sexual Perversity in Chicago and Hamlet. OVP is a major partner in Kevin Spacey’s first five seasons of the Old Vic Theatre Company and continues to have a creative and commercial association with the company most recently with the hit revival of Speed the Plow starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum and the groundbreaking production of The Norman Conquests presented in the round. Sally Greene is chief executive of London’s Old Vic Theatre, the Criterion Theatre and Greene Light Films. She also owns two London restaurants: the award-winning Cheyne Walk Brasserie and the Waterloo Brasserie. She is proprietor of the world famous jazz club Ronnie Scott’s.