BILLY ELLIOT KICKS OFF DRURY LANE’S 2015-16 SEASON

Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, presents the regional premiere of the international smash hit musical BILLY ELLIOT, previewing April 9, opening April 16 at 8 p.m. and running through June 7, 2015.  Multi-Jeff Award winner Rachel Rockwell (Les Misérables, Ragtime, The Sound of Music,Sweeney Todd, and Oliver! at Drury Lane Theatre) will Direct, with Musical Direction by Jeff Award-winner Roberta Duchak (Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd, Miss Saigon, Singin’ in the Rain and Ragtime at Drury Lane Theatre, and vocal coach for Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman for the Academy Award-winning film Les Misérables).

One of the most celebrated musicals on stage today, BILLY ELLIOT has been dazzling London’s West End since 2005, and has captivated over 9.5 million theatergoers around the world. The production is the winner of 10 Tony Awards and 10 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical, and features an explosive score by Elton John (The Lion King, Aida) and Book and Lyrics by Lee Hall, who wrote the screenplay for the Academy Award-nominated film that inspired the musical. BILLY ELLIOT is “Thrilling!  Impossible to resist!” (THE NEW YORK TIMES); “A triumph!  The #1 show of the year!” (TIME); and “One of the century’s most thrilling pieces of musical theater!” (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE).

Set during the 1984-85 U.K. miners’ strike in a small working class town in the English countryside, young Billy discovers a passion for ballet and trades in his boxing gloves for dancing shoes. As he struggles against the odds to make his dream of becoming a dancer come true, Billy inspires his family and whole community, changing their lives forever.  This joyous celebration of one boy’s journey defying convention to follow his heart is a must-see theatrical experience.

The performance schedule for BILLY ELLIOT is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. ($45), Thursdays at1:30 p.m. ($45) and 8 p.m. ($55), Fridays at 8 p.m. ($60), Saturdays at 5 p.m. ($60), and 8:30 p.m. ($60), and Sundays at 2 p.m. ($60), and 6 p.m. ($55). Lunch and dinner theatre packages are available. Tickets for Senior Citizens start at $40 for matinees and $55 for a luncheon package. For groups of 20 or more 630. 570.7272. For individual reservations, call the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111, call TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or visit www.drurylane.com.