#81: Billy Elliot: The Musical with David Leong, Broadway fight director & former VCU chair of theater

Fifteen years ago, "Billy Elliot: The Musical" was all the rage on Broadway. It was a show where hot button social issues -- from labor relations to social mobility to questions about gender expression -- mixed with a searing family drama, plus there was a LOT of really great dancing. Tack on a score co-composed by Elton John and there was little doubt this was going to be a hit.

What's curious is that this story seemed to fade from view in the subsequent years, even though ALL of the social issues continue to be compelling components in the current zeitgeist. As I discuss with the fight director for the Broadway production, David Leong, the ongoing challenge of finding young actors who could portray such a demanding role eventually proved too much for the show and continues to hamper efforts to stage the show.

Not to denigrate fight directors AT ALL but it's worth noting that David Leong is SO MUCH more than a fight director. As chair of the theater department at Virginia Commonwealth University, he helped raise the standards and the overall quality of the program to a nationally recognized level of excellence. He is also a savvy entrepreneur who has leveraged his ongoing involvement in the performing arts into several different companies.

This episode spotlights a lesser known job among those needed to make a Broadway production work, a theme that will continue is several of the next episodes.

Be sure and check out my website at ChasingPhantom.net for more information and video clips related to this show, including the full pro-shot of the London production. For more information on the company David Leong and Patti D'Beck started, check out GoldenAges.net.