However, Armand and the rest of the Billy Elliott cast haven't had much free time. Last week, they completed their 100th performance of the Tony Award-winning musical. Armand, who appears with Angelina Jolie in the new movie "Salt," plays the working-class father of Billy, a young boy who wants to be a ballet dancer, not a boxer or coal miner. The musical written by Sir Elton John and Lee Hall takes place in County Durham in northern England during the mid-1980s. It depicts a life-shattering Miners' Strike that starkly contrasts with Billy's peaceful ballet classes.
Choreographed by Peter Darling and directed by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre on November 13, 2008; the show won 10 Tony Awards. Now Billy Elliott, his eccentric family and blue-collar neighbors are making themselves at home at the Ford Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph, Chicago through January 15, 2011. The final block of tickets go on sale this Friday, July 16.
Tickets are available at all Broadway In Chicago Box Offices (24 W. Randolph St., 151 W. Randolph St. and 18 W. Monroe St.), the Broadway In Chicago Ticket Line at (800) 775-2000, all Ticketmaster retail locations (including Hot Tix and select Carson Pirie Scott, Coconuts and fye stores), and online at www.BroadwayInChicago.com. For groups of 15 or more, call (312) 977-1710.
Rush tickets ($25) go on-sale at 10 a.m. the day of each performance (11 a.m. on Sundays). A minimum of twelve (12) seats to as many as forty (40) are available at the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre box office (24 W. Randolph) only. Additional seats, subject to availability at select performances, may be made available day-of show at the box office or online at BroadwayInChicago.com. Limit two (2) tickets per patron; seats are limited view.
For information on Billy Elliot the Musical, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.BillyElliotChicago.com
STUFFED FRENCH TOAST WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
- 1 loaf white sandwich bread
- 10 eggs, beaten
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 1/2 C half and half
- 1/4 C maple syrup
- 8 T butter, melted and cooled
Lightly grease a 9X12 inch pan
Cube bread
Scatter 1/2 of the bread cubes into the pan
Cut cream cheese into small cubes
Scatter cream cheese cubes over the bread
Cover with remaining bread cubes
Mix together: Eggs, half and half, syrup and melted butter
Pour egg mixture over bread cubes
Press bread down slightly to absorb eggs mixture
Cover and refrigerate overnight
Bake uncovered, 350 degree oven, for 40-50 minutes.
Cut into portions, tops with strawberry sauce and serve.
Strawberry Sauce
- 2 C strawberries, sliced
- 2 C strawberry preserves
Mix strawberries and preserves together
Heat in saucepan or microwave.
- (12 oz serving)
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 6-7 oz Skim milk
- 3 strawberries
- 1 banana
- Ice
Pour simple syrup and skim milk in blender. Add strawberries and banana -- for better consistency, use a frozen banana.
Take a 12 oz cup and fill with ice, leaving just a little room at the top, then add to blender.
Blend until smooth.
- 3 Eggs
- Diced Ham
- Mushrooms -- chopped or sliced
- Pepper Jack Cheese -- shredded or grated to preference
- Olive Oil
Begin heating pan on low heat, coat with olive oil. In a bowl, beat 3 eggs together until there is a thorough consistency. Once the eggs are beaten, pour over coated pan -- you should hear a nice sizzling sound. Add in mushrooms, then ham, then cheese. Let it all heat up for a minute or so, and then fold the omelet with a spatula. Press down to seal it, and after another moment, flip the omelet so that it browns evenly.
Remove from pan and serve.
ABOUT ARMAND SCHULTZ
Armand Schultz is currently in Chicago, on tour with the 1st National Tour of Billy Elliot -- The Musical, in the role of "Dad". He can be seen in the soon to open film, SALT and can be heard on the recently released audio book of best selling author Brad Thor's, Foreign Influence.
Schultz' Broadway credits include Frost/Nixon (Tony Nomination for Best Play), The Herbal Bed, A View From the Bridge and The Secret Rapture.
His Off-Broadway credits include: Our Town (Barrow Street Theatre), The House in Town (Lincoln Center Theatre); Stuff Happens (The Public Theatre); The Spitfire Grill (Playwrights Horizons); Y2K, Seeking the Genesis, Sight Unseen (Manhattan Theatre Club); Cyrano de Bergerac (Roundabout Theatre Company); Hotel Universe (Blue Light Theatre); Oedipus, Major Crimes (The Actors Studio); King Lear, Richard III, Coriolanus, Titus Andronicus (New York Shakespeare Festival).
Schultz has appeared in leading roles at The Guthrie Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Barrington Stage Company, George Street Playhouse, GeVa Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Westport Country Playhouse, Olney Theatre Center, Fort Worth Shakespeare Festival, Artpark, and O'Neill Playwrights Conference.
Television credits include: guest starring roles on Life on Mars, Gossip Girl, The Practice, Law and Order, Third Watch, Law and Order: SVU, Strong Medicine, Star Trek: Voyager, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Chappelle's Show, Trial By Jury and The Cosby Mysteries.
His film credits include SALT, Burn After Reading, The Happening, Cold Souls, The Messenger, Fields of Freedom, Vanilla Sky, Bamboozled, Malcolm X and Revolution #9.
He has been seen and heard in hundreds of television and radio commercials, as well as Audio Books for Simon and Schuster and Random House.
He is a recipient of a Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble Performance in Stuff Happens and The Patrick Crean Award from the Society of American Fight Directors. Schultz holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from The Catholic University of America and a Bachelor of Arts in English/Communications from Niagara University. He is a Member of The Actors Center and he is a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio.
