Billy Elliot The Musical

For a story set in Thatcher-era England, ‘Billy Elliot The Musical’ has surprisingly strong connections to Eastern Iowa. There’s Alex Ko, an Iowa City native who played the title character on Broadway. And there’s the late Basil Thompson, a renowned dancer, ballet master and instructor who taught in the University of Iowa Department of Dance, whose life story mirrors that of Billy Elliot (though the creators deny any connection).