theatre review KINKY BOOTS, National Tour, ASU/Gammage, September 16

Click on this link to read my Kinky Boots review at Talkin' Broadway.

Steven Booth and Kyle Taylor Parker (center) and cast

The Tony Award winning Broadway musical Kinky Boots is an infectious, fun and upbeat crowd pleaser. The national tour of the show that kicked off just two weeks ago is now in Tempe and it is as effective and buoyant as it was on Broadway. While it is yet another musical based on a movie, Kinky Boots is based on a small independent film, not a well-known Hollywood blockbuster, and was inspired by a true story.

Kinky Boots tells the story of two very different men in England, Charlie and Simon (aka drag queen Lola), who are from similar yet diverse backgrounds and who come together for a common cause in order to save Charlie's family-owned shoemaking business. They decide to stop production of the sales-challenged traditional men's shoe line which is forcing the business into bankruptcy and, hoping to tap into an underserved niche market, start production of a line of "kinky boots," the type of outrageous shoe a drag queen extraordinaire like Lola knows intimately. Can Charlie and Lola put aside their differences to work together and create the right style of fetish footwear in time to make it to the big shoe show in Milan and save the business? While you think you might know the answer to that question, the fun and even sometimes dramatic way the show gets to the upbeat and energetic ending is a simple joy to watch and be a part of.

The musical does have a somewhat simple plot and a fairly contrived chance meeting between the two lead characters. What sets them off on their journey is their realization that they aren't so different, that they need each other to succeed and that they are both trying to prove themselves by standing up to their fathers. There is plenty of humor and drama along the way to keep the relationship between these new friends fresh and real as they work together to become better men, overcome their obstacles and hopefully save the factory.

The creative team behind the show is very impressive with direction and choreography by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell; a book by multiple Tony winner Harvey Fierstein; and a score by pop diva icon Cyndi Lauper. While Mitchell's assured direction, inventive and swift staging and sure footed choreography and Fierstein's warm but touching book are all about what you'd expect from these two award winners, Lauper has written some infectious showtunes, including several stand out ballads, comical songs and toe-tapping anthems. It is hard to believe this is her first attempt at a Broadway score. Her act one duet for the two men, "Not My Father's Son," is an emotional tear jerker on par with some of the best Broadway ballads. And her "Sex Is in the Heel" and "The History of Wrong Guys" are in line with some of the more famous comical Broadway songs, with Lauper providing some truly clever lyrics. Lauper deservedly won the Tony Award last year for her score.

Steven Booth and Kyle Taylor Parker and cast

Like the creative team, the national tour cast of Kinky Boots is top notch. Kyle Taylor Parker understudied the role of Lola in the Broadway production and is a firecracker in this star-making performance. He successfully makes Lola the larger than life person with a soaring voice, evoking a touch of Eartha Kitt in his delivery, and he balances this with a shyness when the character is out of drag and becomes the nervous, soft-spoken Simon. While Steven Booth as Charlie is given the straight man part to play, in more ways than one, he manages to instill a sense of seriousness, urgency and realness to the part of the confused man at wit's end. Similar to Stark Sands and Billy Porter who originated these parts in the Broadway production, Booth and Parker have formed a realistic and unique relationship, but one with warts and issues, just like you'd imagine would exist when a somewhat conservative straight man and a drag queen become friends.

Lindsay Nicole Chambers gives a charming, upbeat performance as the factory worker who finds herself falling in love with Charlie. Her solo turn with "The History of Wrong Guys" affords her the opportunity to not only win over the audience and establish her character but also deliver a humorous number that gets big applause. The majority of the rest of the cast is a well-oiled ensemble, with Joe Coots funny and touching as Don the rugged factory worker who has a problem with Lola, drag queens and gay men in general. While Don might come across as the stereotypical bigot, Fierstein's book gives him a few effective dramatic as well as comic moments that allow Coots to provide his character with some nice layers. The rest of the ensemble is extremely hard working with special attention necessary for the hilarious and beautiful six men who play Lola's "Angels" who perform at the club with her.

Creative aspects are superb and basically identical to the Broadway production, with an impressive and imaginative set design by David Rockwell that includes a beautiful factory setting, a revolving center set piece that functions as several locations, an abundance of factory equipment, and the use of conveyor belts as a choreographic element. Costumes by Gregg Barnes are stunning with some of the most outlandish dresses for Lola and her Angels as well as some of the most impressive boots you've ever seen. Kenneth Posner's lighting design is lush and colorful, though a bit dark in some parts. All three received Tony nominations for their work. John Shivers, who won the Tony for his work on the show, provides a crisp and clear sound design, which is sometimes hard to achieve in the vast Gammage space.

Kinky Boots is a well-crafted "feel good" show with several break out songs and makes for a very enjoyable night out. Cyndi Lauper's confident and rousing Broadway song writing debut is matched by the brilliant performance of Parker, who is as effective as Billy Porter, who won the Tony for playing Lola on Broadway. With a great cast and creative elements that are on par with the Broadway version, the national tour is just as fun and heartwarming as it was on the Broadway.

Kinky Boots runs through September 21st, 2014 at ASU Gammage located at 1200 S. Forest Avenue in Tempe. Tickets can be purchased at www.asugammage.com or by calling 480 965-3434. For more information about the tour, visit kinkybootsthemusical.com/tour.php. 

Photos: Matthew Murray