RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina Theatre, the region’s premiere nonprofit professional regional theatre producing professional Broadway musical revivals, announces the full cast of its third production of the 2014/15 season, Billy Elliot, playing February 10 to February 15, 2015 at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Raleigh’s own Ira David Wood, III will play Billy’s father. Wood is Founder and Executive Director of Raleigh’s Theatre in the Park and a leader in the Raleigh Arts Community. Wood has previously appeared at NC Theatre in many productions including Man Of La Mancha (Don Quixote), Peter Pan (Captain Hook), La Cage aux Folles (Georges), Oliver (Fagin), The Wizard of Oz (Wicked Witch), The Full Monty (Harold), and The Sound Of Music (Captain Von Trapp).

Janet Dickinson will play Mrs. Wilkinson after previously playing the role on tour with Billy Elliot. Dickinson was most recently seen in the world premiere production of Little Dancer (Mary Cassatt) at the Kennedy Center in DC. Dickinson’s Broadway and tour credits include Bullets Over Broadway, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Happiness at Lincoln Center and 9 to 5 The Musical. Janet received a 2008 Drama Desk Award for her role in the off-Broadway production Forbidden Broadway’s Rude Awakening and a 2011 NYMF Award for Best Individual Performance in Madame X.

Sam Faulkner, a Charlotte, NC native, will step into the role of “Billy” after previously appearing as “Billy” this past summer at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Most recently, Sam was seen in NYC readings of the Broadway-bound revival of The Me Nobody Knows and appeared as “Ralphie” in A Christmas Story the musical in Chicago. Sam was recently awarded the title of Teen Mr. Dance of North Carolina 2013-2014.

Also appearing is Jen Neuberger as “Grandma,” Ira David Wood IV as “Tony” and Maximilien Baud as “Older Billy.”

Billy Elliot will be directed by Eric Woodall, a Resident Director of Broadway’s Mamma Mia! and a casting director with Tara Rubin Casting. Some of Eric’s work on Broadway shows and national tours include: Bullets Over Broadway, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Big Fish, Aladdin, Young Frankenstein, and Phantom of the Opera. Woodall returns to North Carolina Theatre for the third time after previously directing Driving Miss Daisy and Steel Magnolias, as well as Theatre Raleigh’s August: Osage County. Choreography for the show will be based on the original by Peter Darling, recreated and adapted for this production by Adam Pelty.

Rounding out the cast is Paul Aguirre, David Bartlett, Will Coombs, Conor DeVoe, Benny Elledge, Addie Ruth Fornes, Emma Rae Fornes, Nyah Gantt, Emily Gardenhire, Parker Garrison, McLaurin Hull, Bryan Thomas Hunt, Shari Jordan, Brooke Lezli Kirk, Evan Lennon, Dirk Lumbard, Charles Machalicky, Michael Mendez, Harris Milgrim, Lauren Elizabeth Neely, Joel Newsome, Marina Redlich, Adam Sarette, Rachel Skergan, Blue Tartevet, Cady van Venrooy, Kelsey Walston and Christopher Brian Williams.

About Billy Elliot:

Based on the award-winning film and with a spectacular score by Elton John, Billy Elliot 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 on his way to a boxing lesson, that his future is best realized as a dancer on the stage, not a boxer in the ring. The Broadway production of Billy Elliot ran from 2008 – 2012 and received 10 Tony Awards including “Best Musical” and was named Time Magazine's "Best Musical of the Decade." Billy Elliot first opened in the London’s West End in 2005 and continues today.

For tickets to NC Theatre’s production of BILLY ELLIOT, visit www.NCTheatre.com or call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. For groups of 10 or more, call 919-831-6941 x5204. Also coming up this season: PETER AND THE STARCATCHER March 10-15, NEXT TO NORMAL May 1-10 and THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY July 21-26, 2015.

Photography: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/odaxouincsqm7c0/AAAWbsB324Df8u077eH17F8-a?dl=0

B-roll video: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/odaxouincsqm7c0/AAAWbsB324Df8u077eH17F8-a?dl=0