Geoff Myers wasn’t always interested in dance. As a young man, his plan was to go to college, play tennis and get a degree in psychology.
Those dreams changed, however, after Myers saw his first production of “A Chorus Line.
“I’d never seen a live production like that,” Myers recounted. “I immediately got a job as an usher after the show.”
Just a couple of decades later, Myers now works as the director of choreography for the national tour of the Broadway production “Lion King.” Perhaps a bit bittersweet, but this will be his last show before he turns to the next chapter of his life.
How Myers got to Broadway is a story in itself, according to the theater veteran. After getting the job as an usher at his local theater, Myers managed to muster the courage to call one of the performers from the “Chorus Line” production he saw.
“His name was Eugene Fleming, and he was the only African-American actor in the show,” he said. “I called him up at his hotel and said, ‘Are you willing to meet with me?’ And he did.”
Fleming introduced Myers to North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem and advised Myers to study ballet to establish a “foundation” of sorts. That’s exactly what Myers did.
“It was the first time I was away from home and I was in a school where I really discovered my passion,” he explained.
Myers traded his tennis racquet for parallel bars and ballet shoes, though he said his background as a tennis player made it easier to pick up choreography.
“In tennis, it’s all about movement, being light on your feet … in a match when the ball comes to you, you don’t think ‘step, turn your shoulders,’ you just do it,” Myers offered. “And so it’s the same thing with choreography … you’re able to perform those moves without even thinking about it. It’s all about muscle memory, just like in tennis.”
While attending school in Winston-Salem, Myers was going on another, more personal journey into discovering who he was. The biggest revelation Myers had in college: coming to terms with his identity as a gay and Black man.
“I realized what my attractions were and that there were other people who had those same feelings,” he said. “I think that helped me accept myself and grow, especially being a young Black man that never was exposed to these things.”
Myers also said the School of the Arts gave him an environment and a network of people who were accepting and supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, which he said allowed him to focus on perfecting his art.
“It was just a very open environment where no one cared [about my sexuality],” Myers explained. “That’s the biggest thing about it. You were able to just express yourself through your art, and however you needed to express yourself, so it was a great environment to do some self exploration, as well as grow as an artist.”
After graduating from the School of the Arts, Myers set his sights on Chicago. He started out in the Windy City in the Chicago City Ballet during its opera season, but Myer’s dream was to dance with the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago company. So after a year with the Chicago City Ballet, Myers auditioned for his dream dance company and was accepted.
But the future had more in store for Myers. He saw the Lion King was hosting auditions for its national tour, the Gazelle tour, [which had a] stop in Chicago, and decided to sign up.
“I just still had that itch to do a musical because that’s what got me started in dance,” he explained. “So in 2003, I joined the Lion King.”
After his time on the “Gazelle Tour,” Myers made his Broadway debut in New York City, something he says he will never forget.
“I just remember walking through the stage door to go do a performance and thinking ‘I’m going to do the show on Broadway right now,’” he recalled. “Even though I had been doing the show for many years, that was really a highlight.”
When the show moved to Las Vegas, Myers became a dance captain at the show’s new residency, which lasted from 2009 to 2011. After the show’s residency came to a close, Myers remained in Vegas and left the show to become a personal trainer for a year. Then, Myers got a call from New York.
“I was offered the resident dance supervisory position on the Gazelle tour, so I’ve been the resident supervisor now for 11 years,” he explained.
Myers said he was pleasantly surprised at the offer, in fact, he said it was a “great honor” to be in charge of a well known, multi-million dollar production. For him, the opportunity represented all of the work Myers put in to accomplish his dream of becoming a dancer in a musical.
“It’s just a huge honor to be trusted with the responsibility of maintaining such an iconic production,” Myers said. “I want to keep the integrity of this choreography … it’s really been a rewarding experience.”
Lion King is different from a stereotypical Broadway show — the production features a cast prominently made of actors, singers and dancers of color, something most productions lack in. As an openly gay Black man, Myers said this production allows him to fully express himself in every aspect of his identity in his art and in the workplace.
“I was always sort of in the minority, especially being a Black ballet dancer,” he explained. “ It was the first time that I actually worked with [a] majority of people who looked like me, and that was also exciting.”
Now, Lion King is about to make its way to Charlotte — the Gazelle Tour opened at the Belk Theater for one month begining August 8 and continues through September 8. This stop is very important to Myers: it will be his last stop with the production.
“I’ve been on the road for 11 straight years,” Myers said. “It’s time I stayed home.”
So where exactly is home for Myers?
He and his husband, Michael, bought a house right here in Charlotte, in Plaza Midwood. Myers said he always wanted to return to the Tar Heel state after living in Winston-Salem and after a previous stop in Charlotte, he fell in love with what the Queen City has to offer.
“I’m really just looking forward to having a normal life like the rest of the world, being able to go to brunch on the weekends, mow the lawn, meet up with friends,” Myers said.
As for the Broadway veteran’s future, Myers said he’s taking the time to relax after over a decade on the road. And maybe adopting a few furry friends with his husband.
“I really want an Italian greyhound and then we might get a rescue,” Myers beamed. “I do, however, want a dog I can travel with if I want to.”
If you are interested in seeing Myers’ work, tickets for the Charlotte stop start at $35 with group rates and VIP packages available. Information can be found at https://www.blumenthalarts.org/events/detail/the-lion-king-2.