Iowa City native gets coveted 'Billy Elliot' role on Broadway

Former Iowa City resident Alex Ko, 13, is making the biggest leap of his life, into the coveted role of “Billy Elliot” on Broadway.

Ko, whose family relocated to New York in May, will be one of three young actors rotating performances in the demanding title role, beginning the week of Oct. 5.

The road to his Broadway debut has been “about a year in the making,” says Michael Kohli, his former teacher at the National Dance Academy in Coralville. “He started auditioning for the role last summer and was selected at the first of the year. We had a big send-off party for him at the end of April.”

His role was officially announced Friday by Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions, in association with Weinstein Live Entertainment.

The musical, winner of 10 Tony Awards in June, including best musical, is playing at the Imperial Theatre. It tells the story of a young boy growing up in a British mining town who, after stumbling across a ballet class on his way to a boxing lesson, realizes that his future lies on stage, not in a boxing ring.

Ko, the son of Tammie Cumming and the late Sam Ko, “was one of those kids you always knew, from the time he was 4, was not your normal, typical talented individual,” Kohli said. “This was an extremely talented individual.”

And she plans to be cheering for him opening night.

Tickets for “Billy Elliot the Musical” range from $41.50 to $136.50, available at (212) 239-6200 or www.Telecharge.com For show information, go to www.billyelliotbroadway.com For more on Ko, go to www.alex-ko.com