Kinky Boots Bring the Audience to It's Feet

With a name like Kinky Boots, one can be forgiven for going into the theater wondering

“What on earth am I getting myself into?” Well, wonder no more: Kinky Boots is a high-energy,

endearing, and surprisingly thoughtful piece that explores masculinity and what it truly means to

“be a man”. The story surrounds Englishman Charlie Price and the failing family factory, Price &

Sons, which makes shoes. His entire life is changed when he meets Lola, a witty and confident

drag queen performer. Charlie gets the idea to turn Price & Sons away from generic shoe-

making and toward the niche market of making sturdy yet stunning heels for drag queens,

naming Lola top designer.

The undisputed star of the show is J. Harrison Ghee, who brings the house down as

Lola. His comic timing is impeccable, his physicality on-point, and he even nails the vulnerable

side of his character in the songs “Not My Father’s Son” and “Hold Me in Your Heart”. His

transition from Lola into Simon, the character’s birth name, will leave you wondering if that is

really the same actor playing both personas. This is no easy feat/feet, if you can forgive the

shoe pun. Tiffany Engen is hilariously awkward as Charlie’s love interest Laruen. Her rendition

of “The History of Wrong Guys” is a masterclass in slapstick and not to be missed.

Unfortunately, Adam Kaplan falls slightly short of the mark as Charlie. The character’s gawky

missteps seem uncomfortable instead of charming as Kaplan lacks the necessary charisma to

pull it off, especially in the company of such impressive co-stars. Still, he performs it well

enough to not bring the action to a grinding halt.

Cyndi Lauper’s music and lyrics and Harvey Fierstein’s book pack a punch of fun and

humor. (The high-kicking fierceness of the drag queen dancers will leave many a male and

female feeling inadequate.) The characters feel like real people that we interact with and

befriend every day, yet this is musical theatre with more than a touch of sparkle. Kinky Boots is

a glittering night out and promises to be a gem of an evening.