Rhys Kosakowski
Rhys Kosakowski is the youngest of the four Australian boys currently holding the lead in Billy Elliot the MusicAL in Sydney. The 13-year-old Newcastle-based lad, a dancer since the age of 5, has performed with the Queensland Ballet Company. Before Billy, he attended St Philip's Christian College in Waratah, Newcastle. Rhys was chosen to play Billy at both the first public showing at Sydney's Capitol Theatre (13 November 2007) and the official Media Premiere one month later (13 December).
Rhys's mother, Allison, was a ballet dancer, but admits "I did all the dance competitions and all the exams and I know the scene. But I don't know the Billy Elliot scene because it's just overwhelming." His father works in the coal industry in Newcastle; like its namesake in the north of England, Newcastle was a coal mining town (it's a city now).
People who know Rhys describe him as 'full of energy' and a as a 'fantastic young performer'! He lives with his parents, sister and Grandma in the coal mining region of Newcastle, NSW (how appropriate).
The other three Australian Billy Elliots are Lochlan Denholm, Rarmian Newton and Nick Twiney.
References
Billy Elliot the Musical official site