Corey Snide and Oliver Taylor, both aged 13 years, are the latest boys who have been chosen to play the title role in Lee Hall and Elton John’s award-winning Billy Elliot. Snide received a standing ovation for his debut performance as Billy Elliot on 16 May. Taylor’s first performance will take place later this year.
Snide is a New Yorker, who began dancing at the age of three and trained in tap, jazz, ballet, street dance and contemporary at Eleanor’s School of Dance. He has taken part in competitions all over the U.S., winning many titles and awards. Taylor began ballet training at two years old and is now a mid-associate of the Royal Ballet. Among numerous awards received thus far for his dancing, he competed in the RAD Fonteyn Nureyev Young Dancers Competition for Great Britain and the Channel Islands and came first in his age group.He has performed in local theatre productions in his home county of Devon, playing the Boy in The Snowman, the Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, and Franz in Capelia.
Snide and Taylor will share the role with Leon Cooke, Dean McCarthy, Layton Williams and Travis Yates. Also in the cast are Sally Dexter (Mrs. Wilkinson until 2 June), Jackie Clune (Mrs. Wilkinson from 4 June), James Gaddas (Dad), Chris Lennon (Tony), Ann Emery (Grandma), Trevor Fox (George), Alex Delamere (Mr. Braithwaite), Sara Poyzer (Mum) and Isaac James (Older Billy). Directed by Stephen Daldry,
Billy Elliot is this month celebrating its second birthday, having played to over a million people at the Victoria Palace Theatre since opening in 2005.