Year 8 student Rafferty on starring as the titular role in Billy Elliot the Musical
Year 8 student Rafferty will star in Billy Elliot the Musical, which returns to the stage after 10 years this November. In February, the musical’s casting team hosted a workshop and audition at White Lodge, a featured location in the iconic story.
Rafferty was interviewed in ‘The Search for Billy Elliot‘ YouTube series, showing the behind-the-scenes of the global audition process. He was one of four boys selected from across the world to play the iconic ballet dancer, who was previously played by Spider-Man actor Tom Holland. Rafferty reflected on the whirlwind process and shared what this opportunity means to him.
‘It’s been my dream role since I first saw the movie when I was younger. I can really resonate with the character, Billy, as my dad wasn’t keen on me doing ballet because he wanted me to continue playing football,’ he shared. He will share the role with Noah, William and Spencer, who is an International Scholar with the School.
‘The audition at White Lodge was really fun! The Billy Elliot team came into school to audition the Year 7 and 8 boys for the role of Billy. We had a ballet class, and then we learned part of the choreography. After that, we got to improvise to the music and do a mini-interview where they asked us a couple of questions and to tell a joke. My favourite part of the audition at school was when we got to showcase our own abilities during the improv and everyone was cheering each other on. Next, the audition process for me continued at other venues for a few weeks. The last 10 Billys in the process got to attend a two-week ‘Billy School’ during Easter for the final round of auditions, which I really enjoyed.’
Set in the north of England during the 1984/5 miners’ strike, the show follows Billy’s journey from the boxing ring to the ballet class. The actors playing Billy must be proficient in ballet, tap, acrobatics, singing, acting to perform the challenging role. After weeks of training and auditioning, Rafferty finally got the big news during class.
‘I was taken out of my History of Ballet lesson to attend a Zoom call with the casting directors. I was really nervous as I had no idea what was going to happen. When they told me they were delighted to be offering me the role of Billy, I couldn’t believe it. I gasped and couldn’t stop smiling. I just said, ‘Yes please!’
The three other Billys are so lovely. We are really good friends already and are so grateful to be on this amazing journey together. We have had a lot of fun. Meeting Elton John at the press event was the most incredible and exciting experience ever, especially as we got to go to his house for afternoon tea! He was really nice when we chatted with him.’
Over the past several weeks, Rafferty has been in rehearsals with Noah, William and Spencer preparing for the long run of shows. They will alternate performances throughout the show’s run.
‘We wake up at 7.45 and have breakfast at 8.30, then at 9, we travel across London for rehearsals from 10.00-16.00. We have varied classes throughout the week. We do acting, ballet, tap, singing, skipping, acro and dialect classes, too. We are also learning to fly, which is so much fun! During term time, we have longer days, as we also have four hours of academics to do before rehearsals begin. I would say the biggest challenges are remembering all of the intricate details for the whole show. Now that we are piecing the show together with all the cast and set, it is becoming much more real and exciting.’
Rafferty’s family is supportive of him during this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for such young person. ‘As his parents, we are immensely proud of Rafferty for landing the role of Billy Elliot. Attending The Royal Ballet School was always his ultimate dream, so to see him achieve that and now take on this iconic role is truly beyond anything we could have imagined. Rafferty pours his heart into his training every single day, and seeing his talent, fierce dedication and relentless hard work recognised in this way is incredibly moving for us,’ his parents shared.
Rafferty is ready to take on the challenge of leading such a renowned show across the country. ‘I am so excited to go on tour and perform in front of audiences in places I’ve never been to before,’ he said. ‘I will get to explore new cities with the Billy family, making amazing memories across the UK. I cannot wait for Billy to return to London in February, where I’ll get to perform on the West End stage with my family and friends in the audience. I cannot wait for it to begin!’
Photo credit: Justine Matthew.
Catja Christensen is the Marketing and Communications Executive at The Royal Ballet School and joined the School in 2025. She enjoys interviewing students, staff and guest artists for news stories and crafting eye-catching newsletters.
