The first boy ever, anywhere, on the stage for the show was Dean Charles Chapman. As Small Boy. Originally, the show opened with Small Boy passing through the audience, climbing onto a dark stage, settling with his back to the audience, and then newsreel (“This great experiment in Socialism…”) played on a curtain hanging at the front of the stage.)

Later he played Michael. And eventually Billy. The only boy as of 9/19 to play all three.

He went on to play King Tommen in Game of Thrones. I fear he may have let his dance slide… I was hoping that when the London Revival comes he could play Older Billy.

(For some of the smallest small boys, the distance from auditorium floor to the level of the stage’s floor was greater than their height. There was small a fixed ladder to handle this difficulty.) (Originally posted about 3pm, New York time, 26 Sep 19)

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