Mark Ballas

Come behind the scenes of Mark Ballas and BC Jean as they work on new music in New York City where Mark is starring in Kinky Boots!

Mark Ballas talks about taking on the role of Charlie Price in Kinky Boots.

Emmy-nominated and two-time Dancing With the Stars champion Mark Ballas will take over the role of Charlie Price in the Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre beginning on September 11. He succeeds David Cook, who will play his last performance on September 9. Ballas will play a limited run through November 4.

Ballas most recently performed on Broadway as the final Frankie Valli in the Broadway run of Jersey Boys. He returned to the role at the Muny in St. Louis this past summer.

The winner of six 2013 Tonys, including Best Musical, Kinky Boots features a Tony- and Grammy Award-winning score by Cyndi Lauper, a book by Tony winner Harvey Fierstein, and direction and choreography by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell. Kinky Boots tells the tale of Charlie Price, a young man reluctantly taking over his family's struggling shoe factory and looking for a fresh idea. Charlie meets and finds inspiration in Lola and together, they discover that it takes a good friend to make a great pair.

Along with Cook, the current Broadway cast of Kinky Boots includes J. Harrison Ghee (as Lola), Carrie St. Louis (as Lauren), Daniel Stewart Sherman, Caroline Bowman, Marcus Neville, Callan Bergmann, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Blaine Alden Krauss, Kyle Post, Charlie Sutton, Joey Taranto, Corey Mach, Natalie Joy Johnson, Jennifer Perry, Adinah Alexander, Eugene Barry-Hill, Meryn Beckett, Stephen Berger, Damien Brett, Justin Colombo, Alfred Dalpino, Holly Davis, Jesus Del Orden, Stephane Duret, Christy Faber, Mia Gentile, Blair Goldberg, Cooper Lantz, Eric Leviton, John Jeffrey Martin, Julia McLellan, Michael Milkanin, Connor Mills, Christian Mullins, and Nathan Peck.

The design team for Kinky Boots includes Tony Award nominee David Rockwell (scenic design), Tony Award winner Gregg Barnes (costume design), Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner (lighting design), Tony Award winner John Shivers (sound design), Josh Marquette (hair design), Randy Houston Mercer (makeup Design), Telsey Company (casting), with musical supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Tony and Grammy Award winner Stephen Oremus.

For tickets: https://www.broadway.com/shows/kinky-boots/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwzK_bBRDDARIsAFQF7zOxgKkz5VNWlq-srzjbfxd38FlesKYpPB6pBr_TfWZNVtIt3ZM_HDQaAuwFEALw_wcB

This piece of music has been special to me for a few years. BC & I tried writing to it, but it always felt like an epic piece of music verses your typical pop/rock song. So when we met Lindsey Stirling last year the light bulb 💡 went off. We are so happy this collaboration came together to add another layer. To top it off- having my beautiful wife’s soaring Chant like vocals on the “choruses” made it even more special. 
It’s flamenco like/aggressive nature makes me think of my grandmother Bi Bi Ballas. I know she would’ve been proud of this one. I hope you all enjoy it.
Written by: all of us. Produced by: me Engineered by: Joseph McQueenrecorded at: BC & I house 😬

Video is coming soon 🖤🤘🏼✨

AVAILABLE NOW FOR DOWNLOAD & STREAM

<LINK> https://apple.co/2xUhfNw
<SPOTIFY> https://spoti.fi/2MbRrzC

In a tradition that started in 1978 with Frankie Avalon, the Toronto production of Grease: The Musical announced today four special cameo appearances by four surprise teen idols: Mark Ballas, George Canyon, Logan Henderson and Drake Bell - in the iconic role of 'Teen Angel'.

A highlight of both the theatrical and film versions of Grease, the 'Teen Angel' cameo includes the song Beauty School Dropout, a fan favourite. The role was originated on Broadway by Alan Paul, later a member of The Manhattan Transfer, and was recorded by 50s teen idol Frankie Avalon for the 1978 film adaptation of Grease.

"We asked legendary casting agent Robert Ulrich (Glee, The Glee Project) to find us a heartthrob to appear as the 'Teen Angel' for a week of shows. Instead, he found us four!" says David Galpern, Producer of Grease: The Musical.

This is the second Toronto run for Grease: The Musical. It follows a sold-out 10-week run at the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre Centre in Fall 2017. Janel Parrish (The Perfectionists, Pretty Little Liars) reprises the role of 'good girl gone bad' Sandy. In this new production, she will be joined onstage by newcomer Matthew Helfer (How To Be A Vampire) as Danny, and supported by a young, energetic cast of Pink Ladies and T-Birds.

Mark Ballas, a veteran of 18 seasons of NBC's Dancing with the Stars, is also a choreographer, actor, singer and musician. He's appeared on Broadway in Jersey Boys.

George Canyon, is a two-time Juno Award winner and winner of 8 Canadian Country Music Awards. His new album, Southside of Heaven releases on May 25.

Logan Henderson rose to fame in 2009 with the Nickelodeon pop band and TV series Big Time Rush. After three successful singles, he is currently on a U.S. concert tour and has just released his latest solo album Echoes of Departure and The Endless Street of Dreams - Pt. 1.

Drake Bell, star of the hit TV series, Drake & Josh, Fairly Odd Parents and The Amanda Show, released his debut pop album Honest in 2017 and is currently touring the United States.

Performances of Grease: The Musical run Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; matinees are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at The Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre Centre, 189 Yonge Street. Ticket prices range from $29 - $199 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.ca, www.greaseonstage.com/tickets, by phone at 1-855- 985-5000, or at The Elgin Winter Garden Theatre Centre Box Office, during regular business hours.

Dancing with the Stars
Mark Ballas
5 performances
June 7- 10

Original posting: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Exclusive-GREASE-Toronto-Announces-Mark-Ballas-Drake-Bell-George-Canyon-And-Logan-Henderson-As-Teen-Angel-20180525

By Andrew Gans

The Muny has announced the leading quartet for its upcoming production of the Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys, which will play the outdoor St. Louis venue July 9–16.

Directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Bright Star) with music direction by Rick Bertone, the cast will be led by Emmy nominee Mark Ballas (Dancing with the Stars, Jersey Boys) as Frankie Valli, Bobby Conte Thornton (A Bronx Tale) as Bob Gaudio, Nicolas Dromard (Mary Poppins, Jersey Boys) as Tommy DeVito, and Keith Hines (Jersey Boys national tour) as Nick Massi.

After Broadway, Off-Broadway, touring, and international productions, the Muny will be the first regional theatre to create its own production of the award-winning musical.

“This in an absolutely sensational quartet,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “We’re so honored to have this show for our 100th, and I can’t wait to see these four bring the magic and truth of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons to The Muny.”

The musical, which tells the behind-the-music story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, opened in New York November 6, 2005, and ended its 11-year Broadway run January 15, 2017. The musical returned to New York in November 2017 at Off-Broadway’s New World Stages.

Jersey Boys is written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe.

Original post: https://muny.org/jersey-boys/