Pictured from second left, Kiril Kulish, Elton John, Trent Kowalik and David Alvarez, appear on stage in tutus for the curtain call at the Broadway opening of "Billy Elliot The Musical," in New York, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008.
The three actors who play the role of Billy Elliot during different performances, Kiril Kulish, left, Trent Kowalik, center, and David Alvarez, right, appear on stage for the curtain call of the Broadway opening of "Billy Elliot The Musical," in New York, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008.
Trent Kowalik, who played the role of Billy Elliot on opening night, is hoisted aloft during the finale of the Broadway opening of the Elton John musical, in New York, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008.
Musician Elton John, right, poses with the actors who will alternate playing the part of Billy in "Billy Elliot" the musical, in New York, April 22, 2008. From left, Trent Kowalik, 13, of Wantaugh, N.Y., David Alvarez, 13, of New York, and Kiril Kulish, 14, of San Diego. The musical is based on the successful 2000 movie about a young boy who longs to dance but lives in the bleak coal-mining area of Northern England.
Musician Elton John, right, poses with the three actors who will play the part of Billy in "Billy Elliot" the muscial, from left, Trent Kowalik, 13, David Alvarez, 13, and Kiril Kulish, 14, at the media launch in New York, Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Set against the 1980's British mining strike, the musical tells the story of a young boy with a dream to dance and is a celebration of his triumph against the odds.
Musician Elton John, right, poses with the three actors who will play the part of Billy in "Billy Elliot the Musical" from left, Trent Kowalik, 13, of Wantaugh, N.Y., Kiril Kulish, 14, of San Diego and originally from Ukraine, and David Alvarez, 13, of New York, at a media launch in New York, Tuesday, April 22, 2008.
Elton John is shown on stage during the media launch of "Billy Elliot" the musical, for which he composed the music, in New York, Tuesday, April 22, 2008. The show opened in London in 2005 to rave reviews and has been running there ever since.
"Billy Elliot" composer Elton John, right, poses with, from left, Trent Kowalik, 13, of Wantaugh, N.Y., Kiril Kulish, 14, of San Diego, and David Alvarez, 13, of New York. The three young men who will alternate as the stars of the musical were introduced April 22, 2008, by John in the auditorium of New York's Professional Performing Arts High School.
Director Stephen Daldry, second from left, talks to, from left, Trent Kowalik, 13, of Wantaugh, N.Y., David Alvarez, 13, of New York, and Kiril Kulish, 14, of San Diego, after they performed a number from the musical "Billy Elliot" the musical during the show's media launch in New York, Tuesday, April 22, 2008. The boys will star, one at a time, in the musical scheduled to open in the fall on Broadway.
Elton John says he first saw the film "Billy Elliot" at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000. "I was completely wiped out," he said. "I had to be helped out sobbing from the screening because it mirrored, in a way, my personal journey and my professional journey ... my father really never approved of what I was going to do either.
Director Stephen Daldry, left, talks to musician Elton John, and the three boys who will star as Billy Elliot, in "Billy Elliot" the musical, during a press launch for the upcoming Broadway show in New York, April 22, 2008. The award-winning show has sold over a million tickets, and currently has productions in both London and Sydney, Australia.
Director Stephen Daldry gestures as he describes how he brought "Billy Elliot" the musical to Broadway, including auditioning youngsters from across the nation, during its press launch in New York, Tuesday, April 22, 2008. Daldry directed the film version and also brought the award-winning musical to London.