The Abominable Showman, December 21, 2012

Chip off the old block
Onetime child actor and two-time Tony-Award nominee Joel Blum pays homage to his own showbiz roots as he co-stars in the upcoming Billy Elliott the Musical tour across Canada
By Richard Burnett
@bugsburnett

It’s like veteran Broadway actor Joel Blum has come full circle: The onetime child actor is now the grizzled mentor for all the kids co-starring in the touring production of the hit West End and Broadway musical Billy Elliot.

“I grew up in a showbiz family,” says two-time Tony-Award nominee Joel Blum. “My father was 45 years old when I was born [in 1952] so he was actually around during Vaudeville! He and his sister were street kids who went to a dance every Friday night and they were so good they decided to put on an act together, like lots of kids did back then.