"Billy Elliot The Musical" – the musical that The New York Times claims will "send the audience into a mass swoon" – is currently playing at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.

The musical takes place in a small town where a young boy stumbles into a dance class after a boxing lesson and finds out he has a huge talent for ballet. Thematically, the story is about familial and community support as well as about being yourself at all costs.

I recently chatted with Mitch Poulos, who is playing the role of Big Davey. Poulos has been touring with the current production for more than two years.

Me: Every review I read of the show expresses how universally appreciated it is. Do you agree that just about everyone loves this show and if so, why is that?

Mitch: I do. I really believe it deeply affects people from all walks of life. I have seen this on the large scale, but also through personal experience. I am from Miami, and when the show was in Florida this past February or March a lot of my family and friends came to see it. I was concerned if this person or that person would be attracted to it, but every one of them were moved by the basic message that if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will.

Also, the show has a lot of heart. What's not to love about seeing a child being supported like Billy, a ballet dancer in a working class town of miners?

Me: So is "Billy Elliott" appropriate for children?

Mitch: It depends on the age and the child. There's a political aspect to the story and the language can be a little sharp, but nothing more than they would see in a movie. It's a three-hour event with an intermission which is something for parents to keep in mind, too.

Kids around 10 and older would probably appreciate it. There are so many kids in the cast, singing and dancing, that they would appreciate. My nieces and nephews just love it.

Me: Multiple actors play Billy, right?

Mitch: Yes, as you will see, the role of Billy is so physically demanding that we actually have four Billies right now. They each do about two shows a week. These kids, who range in age from 10-15 (the character of Billy is 11 or 12), are incredibly talented.

Me: You live in Los Angeles and New York when you're not touring. Which do you prefer?

Mitch: Probably Los Angeles. Being from Miami, the weather – the palm trees – are familiar to me. I'm not really suited for cold weather.

Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased through ticketmaster.com or by calling the box office at (414) 273-7206.