Why He’s Still Finding New Layers in Billy Flynn

Mark Ballas is slipping back into one of his favorite roles. The three-time Dancing with the Stars champion just returned to Broadway’s Chicago for a four-week engagement as slick-talking lawyer Billy Flynn, and he recently caught up with BroadwayWorld’s Richard Ridge to discuss what it feels like to step back into the long-running hit.

Although Ballas says returning to the production felt “like hopping back on the bike,” he’s excited to discover even more about the iconic character during this engagement.

“The show is deep in my bones. Had my first rehearsal yesterday and it was kind of like… just hopping back on the bike. Dusting off a couple of the cobwebs, but it feels really good. It feels settled. So I’m looking forward to diving deeper into Billy and finding more things.”

For Ballas, Billy Flynn is much more than the charming, flashy lawyer audiences first meet. He says one of the most rewarding parts of playing the role is exploring the darker side lurking beneath the surface.

“Billy’s very showy, he’s under control… however, there is a darkness to him. There is a sinisterness to him, and you do not want to cross that line… I think those moments should feel dangerous.”

As someone whose entertainment career began in musical theater before becoming a television star, Ballas says Broadway remains one of the places where he feels most at home. It’s also become an opportunity to introduce countless Dancing with the Stars fans to live theater for the very first time.

“I’ve had so many people come to the stage door and say, ‘I’ve never been to a Broadway show. I came because I watched Dancing with the Stars.’ … They say, ‘I was blown away.’ It’s a tribute to how timeless this music is… It doesn’t matter where you’re from—you can’t help but feel what is being portrayed in front of you.”