Trent in the ballet studio; David and Kiril in their dressing room.   (Photo: Rachel Papo)

The creative team, on the other hand, was dismayed by the choices it had to make, sometimes because a boy’s personality was too shellacked (“Like they were ready to open in Annie tomorrow,” says David Chase, the music director) and sometimes for no better reason than that he was clearly on the verge of puberty. Even Kiril, David, and Trent were a risk. Their voices were evaluated for signs of cracking. Their parents were subtly examined for clues to their eventual stature.

Stephen Daldry, the director of both the original film and the musical, has so far worked with 29 Billys, becoming quite attached to them all. “If you were of this mind,” he says, “which I’m not, you’d calculate frantically what you’re investing in each child—say, $100,000—and you may only get four months out of him. Because of that, you have to make sure that the process is life-enhancing in its own right, not show-dependent, which is why we give them one-on-one training with some of the leading professionals in their fields. It’s one long, extended theater-schooling program. The kids do understand the risk involved, but you have to keep telling them.”

Still, a Broadway show doesn’t take chances. The Billy on the logo is not Trent, David, or Kiril but a boy from the London cast. The Billy standby, Tommy Batchelor, is a young-looking 13, with a lime-green retainer case on a chain around his neck. And Nora Brennan has started another round of auditions, to keep the pipeline of Billys flowing. Amazingly, there are more to be found—a fact that parents of ordinary mortals find hard to believe. Haydn Gwynne, who has played the acidulous dance teacher of ten Billys so far, has sons of her own, ages 8 and 10. “Their greatest ambition right now,” she says, “would be to run a sweetie shop.” She remains astonished by her young co-stars’ drive and focus.

“Maybe it’s because no one makes them do it,” she adds; maybe it’s because no one stopped them either. “All I know is that they don’t seem fucked up. Of course, I’m not going home with them after the show.”

I’m sure my voice will break, but the more you start thinking about it, the more you might make it happen.

Those who do aren’t taking limousines. The Billys earn about $1,700 a week—a little more than Equity minimum. The Coogan Act (named for the child actor Jackie Coogan, whose millions were frittered away by his parents) requires that 15 percent of that salary be set aside in trust. With all the usual deductions then deducted, Kiril’s paycheck is barely enough to cover the rent on the one-bedroom apartment.

“He doesn’t think he sacrifices,” Raisa says, “but I had to totally give up my life. Quit my teaching, move my house, leave my students.” (She has also separated from her husband, who remains in California.) “But you love to sacrifice if only he will be happy. And he is happy. Every night, he come home so inspired. He has no strength to talk, but I see it. He is enriching his personality in an incredible circle that he admires. Stephen Daldry is just genius. He got Oscar!” (Actually, just two nominations.) “I give him in wonderful hands.”

Kiril has wonderful hands, too. Back in the apartment, he plays the Chopin “Fantaisie Impromptu” on the spinet in the corner. Although he negotiates its tricky runs quite well, he stops partway through, dissatisfied. “My suggestion, Kirusha,” Raisa says equably, “is play something slow until your fingers warm up.” But by then Kiril has suddenly switched gears, to the striding swagger of “Ain’t Misbehavin’. ”

* * *

How much allowance do you get?

Kiril: I get maybe $10 a day, but that’s for my food.

David: Zero. No allowance. I’m not like American kids.

Do you consider yourself American?

David: Yes!

Kiril: But for us, instead of football or Disneyland it’s more like you have to get an education, do art. That’s what our parents say.

David: It comes from their not being Americans.

Kiril: It’s very European. They grew up going to the ballet, concerts …

David: See, the arts grew up in Europe. America just started in the 1700s!

Kiril: A lot of kids would love to be good at the arts, but their parents never introduced them to it.

David: American kids don’t have enough to do. But for me, to get what I want I need to step back and see what it takes to get there.

Kiril: My mom says in order for kids not to go bad you should be doing something 24 hours a day.

Why don’t most kids have that drive?

David: They’re lazy maybe? Or they don’t like it?

Kiril: A lot don’t get a chance to try anything new so they don’t know.