Billy boys aside, Maria, Annelise and Claire are part of the demanding cast of children who sing, twirl and leap in unison; the ballet girls help to make the wholesome fun of Billy Elliot absolutely contagious. Don’t be surprised if you skip all the way home with a glint in your eye and a gleeful smile that won’t stop. Did that man in the car just give me the finger? WHO CARES! I love life, I just saw Billlllllly Elliot! 

Before the interview, I got a rare peek into how these young stars prep for a show. My niece and I sat in the balcony of the Canon Theatre as twenty-two kids whizzed around: up the stairs, across the top row, thump-thump-thump, around and around they went. My neck hurt.  

During each lap, they would make a different sound, sometimes they warbled like birds and other times buzzed like a cell phone symphony. Publicist Sue Toth asked if I wanted to join, and I imagined myself as an asthmatic long-limbed Gumbi flopping around in circles, attempting to keep up with ten year olds half my size. “Looks fun but no thanks,” I politely declined.  

Getting down to business, I asked the three lovely ladies some revealing questions to get the inside scoop on the city’s top show: 

How did you girls prepare for the show? Have you been dancing your whole life? 
Maria: I had never taken ballet before when I got in, but I always loved to sing and act in the theatre in my hometown.
Annelise:  I went to dance school and public school but I’ve been going to dance school pretty much my whole life.  My sister also danced and now she is a dance teacher, so she got me into it.
Claire: I’ve been dancing at my studio and my sister danced too. When I watched her dance I kind of wanted to do that too. 

CUTE! Are you three from Toronto?
Maria: Ohio.
Annelise: Michigan
Claire: London, Ontario 

Is that what you want to be when you grow up – dancers? 
“YEP!” They say in unison with big smiles.  

What do you admire most about Billy Elliot?
Maria: I’d probably say, he keeps trying even though his Dad told him not to.
Annelise: I love that he follows his dreams of being a dancer.
Claire: I love that he doesn’t stop even though his Dad and brother say he shouldn’t do it He does it because he loves it. 

There are some great life lessons in this musical!  

What do you guys do on a day off?
Maria: Sometimes my Dad will let me go home on Sunday nights and then I’ll come home Tuesday mornings…otherwise I try to catch up on school work or I’ll hang out with the other kids.
Annelise: I take some dance classes and hang out with a bunch of kids.
Claire: I like to hang out, go for walks and spend it without trying to be too athletic. With this schedule, you don’t want to overdue it.

*Sometimes they also go bowling with all the other small cast members. 

If you could share the stage with ANYONE be it a dancer, musician, imaginary character, like, Bart Simpson or Elmo, who would you dance with? 
Maria: Um, I would probably say Fred Astaire because I grew up watching  musicals a lot and he just does things that most people don’t.
Annelise: Lea Michele, because she was on Broadway and TV and I want to be a Broadway dancer when I grow up. She was in Les Miserables.
Claire: Probably Elton John. He is amazing and he does so many things that hardly anyone does.  

I was secretly hoping they’d all say Justin Bieber. Apparently, these girls are more serious than I.  

So, what is the most fun part about being in Billy Elliot? The costumes? The music? Dancing? Meeting Elton John? Being a part of history? Bowing for your adoring fans? 
Maria: We always have handshakes and things we do backstage before the show. Even the adults will join in sometimes.
Annelise: Hanging out with every kid is amazing because they are all so great and the handshakes, it’s hilarious.
Claire :The fun part is the handshakes and getting to talk to everyone backstage, getting pumped up for a show, getting it all ready. 

You only wish you knew their secret handshake! YOU WILL NEVER EVER KNOW! 

Why should everyone go and see Billy Elliot?
Maria: To me, I think it’s neat to see, like, young people dancing. It’s inspiring too. 
Annelise: A lot of kids are kind of getting mean about boys and girls dancing and singing and it would be inspiring to them.
Claire: It’s an amazing play and you’ll be touched by it. It’s an inspiration.  

Take it from me or take it from them, this is definitely a feel-good musical that is a crowd pleaser, whether you are twenty-two and too cool for school or ninety! (My Nana is gaga for Billy.) 

We especially think your mom will love, so buy her a ticket for Mother’s Day! DO IT! A new block of tix just went on sale and they are selling faster than you can say, DANCE BILLY, DANCE!  

Tickets here.