From the ballroom to Broadway, Mark Ballas has done a little bit of everything — and now he’s back on The Roundtable!

The three-time Dancing with the Stars Mirrorball champion is currently back on Broadway starring as the slick, smooth-talking Billy Flynn in CHICAGO. After a celebrated run earlier this year, Mark returned to the Ambassador Theatre for another limited engagement, playing Billy through August 16. And Broadway is hardly new territory for him — Mark previously starred as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys and Charlie Price in Kinky Boots.

Of course, we had to talk DANCING WITH THE STARS. Mark has become one of the franchise’s most recognizable and beloved pros, and now he’s helping find its next generation of talent. He serves as a judge alongside his mother, ballroom legend Shirley Ballas, on ABC’s new series Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro. Hosted by Robert Irwin, the competition follows 12 dancers fighting for the chance to become a pro on Season 35 of DWTS.

We talk Broadway, Billy Flynn, the ballroom, judging the next generation of dancers, his career — and somehow we even get to WEED WHACKERS!

Yes. Weed whackers.

Mark’s grandfather, George Ballas, invented the Weed Eater in 1971 after inspiration struck while watching the spinning brushes at a car wash. He went home, experimented with fishing line attached to a rotating device, and helped create the string trimmer that would eventually become a lawn-care staple.

So apparently talent runs in the Ballas family — dancing, performing, judging... and keeping the lawn looking fabulous.

We had an absolute blast catching up with Mark Ballas about CHICAGO, Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, his incredible career, and one of the most unexpected family stories we’ve ever heard on The Roundtable!

Watch / listen on BroadwayWorld, Broadway Podcast Network, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, YouTube & more. More at RobertBannon.com & follow Robert on IG @RobertMBannon.

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