FWM Productions

FWM Productions is delighted to announce that they have been chosen to live their very own Billy Elliot dream having been selected to perform an adapted version of the musical at the second Billy Youth Theatre West End Gala which will take place at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre – the home of Billy Elliot - on Sunday 17 July 2011 at 7pm.

The Gala will feature some of this year’s most creative young participants who will come together to perform Billy Elliot the Musical, as adapted for Billy Youth Theatre, under the watchful eye of Billy Elliot’s resident creative team. The selected groups will be put through their paces by the team ahead of their debut performance at the Victoria Palace Theatre, a truly unique opportunity that will give the young performers an incredible insight into the workings of a West End theatre.

Keith Fairley, who is one of the directors of FWM Productions, says: “We are just one week away from the opening night of our own show, so finding out that we have been invited to perform in London has made our last-minute rehearsals even more exciting! There are quite a few children in our cast who come from under-privileged parts of Gateshead, so normally they wouldn’t get the chance to perform on stage in any show, never mind Billy Elliot, and now here we are taking some of them to London so they can perform alongside the West End Billy Elliots!”

“When my production team started this process, we agreed to make our show as professional as possible. I think some people thought we couldn’t achieve it – turning children between the ages of 8 and 16 into professional actors – but we have done!” says Keith. “For that to be recognised by the London producers is overwhelming, and I know that our own Billy has been changed by the experience. He has grown in confidence, and keeps saying that he wants to be a professional actor when he grows up.”

The Gala is the culmination of Billy Youth Theatre 2011 which celebrates the wealth of talent present in schools and youth groups across the country. Some groups taking part in BYT have already performed their own local productions of Billy Elliot and throughout May and June this year four regional theatres – the Poole Lighthouse Theatre, the Sunderland Empire Theatre, the Grand Opera House York and the Milton Keynes Theatre – played host to Billy Youth Theatre regional showcases where participating groups were invited to perform excerpts from their productions. In total, these four showcases featured over 1,000 young performers.

Billy Youth Theatre is an initiative from the producers of Billy Elliot the Musicalproviding schools and youth groups around the country with the opportunity to perform their own productions of the internationally award-winning show. Billy Elliot the Musical writer Lee Hall together with Martin Koch, Musical Supervision and Orchestrations, adapted their original script and orchestrations to produce a shortened version of the show exclusively for groups staging local productions as part of Billy Youth Theatre. Since its launch in 2009 over 10,000 young people aged 10-19 have taken part country-wide.

Lee Hall, who originally conceived the idea behind Billy Youth Theatre, said: “I was completely overwhelmed by the response to our first Billy Youth Theatre and am thrilled that so many young people around the country have had the opportunity to bring the story of Billy Elliot to life in their local communities.  I am very much looking forward to our second West End Gala in July and pass on my congratulations to everyone who has taken part in this year’s Billy Youth Theatre.”

As well as the current London production, Billy Elliot the Musical has performed in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago and Seoul, South Korea, and is currently performing at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway, at the Canon Theatre, Toronto and on tour across North America. Productions are also in the works for Japan, Germany and Holland.

FWM Productions will be presenting their version of Billy Elliot the Musical at Park View Theatre, Chester-le-Street from 22nd -25th June 2011. Tickets are on sale now, and they can be purchased from FWM Productions’ website (www.fwmproductions.com) or by calling the booking line on 0845 557 0492. Special rates and discounts will be offered on group and family bookings by calling the booking line.

For further press information on the
FWM Productions Youth Theatre Production of Billy Elliot – The Musical:

FearWorks Media Ltd.
Producer: Keith Fairley
E-mail: keith@fearworksmedia.co.uk
Telephone: 0800 012 4065

OR

Premier PR
Telephone: 020 7292 8330
Billy Youth Theatre: daniel.macnamara@premierpr.com
Billy Elliot the Musical: Janine.shalom@premierpr.com or esther.beaumont@premierpr.com

FWM Productions is delighted to announce that they will be performing their version of Billy Elliot the Musical at Park View Theatre, Chester-le-Street as part of Billy Youth Theatre 2011. FWM Productions, part of FearWorks Media Ltd., were chosen to participate in the second year of the countrywide scheme which offers schools and youth groups the opportunity to stage their own production of this internationally award-winning show.

Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall, together with Martin Koch (Musical Supervision and Orchestrations), have adapted their original script and orchestrations to produce a shortened version of the show exclusively for groups staging local productions as part of the project. Billy Youth Theatre 2011 involves participants from schools and established youth groups in England, Scotland and Wales, and to performers aged 10-19 years old.

FWM Productions will be presenting their version of Billy Elliot the Musical at Park View Theatre, Chester-le-Street from 22nd -25th June 2011. Tickets on sale now, and they can be purchased from FWM Productions’ website (www.fwmproductions.com) or by calling the booking line on 0845 557 0492. Special rates and discounts will be offered on group and family bookings by calling the booking line.

Keith Fairley, director of FWM Productions, says of the project: “We have quite a few children who come from under-privileged parts of Gateshead, and normally they wouldn’t get the chance to perform on stage in any show, never mind Billy Elliot, and yet now we keep getting asked what show we will do next! This is such an exciting opportunity for the young people of the North East. Billy Elliot is a story close to everyone from around here, as this is where Billy grew up. We are really looking forward to staging Billy Elliot the Musical in June.”

Keith, who is also producing the show, originally worked as a school teacher before setting up his own media business: “I am used to working with young people, and know that they have so much potential – but often they don’t get the chance to show it. I’m passionate about giving young people this chance to take part in a show that comes from London’s West End – and we want to make it just as professional.”

Local singer-songwriter, Katie Doherty, will also be appearing in some of the performances. In 2007, Katie won the Journal Culture Award for Newcomer of the Year, and has performed with other well-known North-East musicians including Kathryn Tickell. She is one of a growing number of performers inspired by the folk tradition, but who also creates her own material. Katie, one of the first students to graduate from Newcastle University with a degree in folk and traditional music, says: “ I am really looking forward to performing and seeing the show.”

Some of the youngsters in the cast recently performed as part of a Billy Youth Theatre showcase at the Sunderland Empire Theatre. FWM Productions were one of six groups chosen from the region to perform excerpts from the show. The showcase featured some of the region’s brightest young stars coming together as one dynamic company. The Billy Youth Theatre project will culminate in some groups being invited to follow in the footsteps of Billy and perform at the Billy Youth Theatre West End Gala at the Victoria Palace Theatre, Billy’s London home, on July 17th 2011.

Lee Hall, who originally conceived the idea behind Billy Youth Theatre, said: “I am fascinated to see what different interpretations emerge. Unlike the show at the Victoria Palace, most people will be doing it without money and resources – and I am looking forward to seeing how creative and imaginative people will be doing it with nothing.”

FWM Productions prides itself on the number of youngsters taking part in the project who would never have joined a theatre or stage school under normal circumstances, but because of Keith’s links with schools and the community, as well as the unique approach FWM Productions has taken towards the project by forming the group especially to stage the show, these youngsters are able to realise their potential.

The show is being directed by Pam Gibb, the musical director is Tony Fairley and overseeing production design is Iain Burdis. The technical aspects of the production are in the hands of technical director Sheriton Swan.

Visit the FWM Productions website for more information: www.fwmproductions.com

For further press information on the
FWM Productions Youth Theatre Production of Billy Elliot – The Musical:

FearWorks Media Ltd.
Producer: Keith Fairley
E-mail: keith@fearworksmedia.co.uk
Telephone: 0800 012 4065

OR

Premier PR
Telephone: 020 7292 8330
Billy Youth Theatre: daniel.macnamara@premierpr.com
Billy Elliot the Musical: Janine.shalom@premierpr.com or esther.beaumont@premierpr.com