By Josh Ringler
“Cinderella” has her slippers, “Dorothy” had her heels, but “Lola” was lacking her own pair of signature kicks.
“Kinky Boots”, in its fifth year at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, tells the story of “Charlie Price,” an English shoe-factory owner, and “Lola,” a drag queen who knows no limits. “Price,” played by Andy Kelso, inherits the factory from his father after he suddenly dies.
“Lola,” played by J. Harrison Ghee, left a small town in England because of the difficulty she experienced growing up and never fitting in.
“Charlie’s” fiancée “Nicola” (played by Shannon O’Boyle) wanted to live a posh lifestyle in London, while “Charlie” eventually realized that was her dream and not his.
The show starts off slowly, building up to a dramatic scene where “Lola” finally makes her entrance, to the delight of the crowd. The show felt flat until she electrically arrived into the plot. Any joke she makes gets a laugh (from at least a few people) and a lot of the audience had a vested interest in everything she did. The crowd audibly was upset when things didn’t go her way, and were cheering when things did.
When the “kinky boots” “Lola” and “Charlie” designed were unveiled, it felt like a Fashion Week audience was satisfied with the result. They aren’t your ordinary boot. They are covered in sequins, with shear lace to the knee, and a bright red that would stand out in any room.
Using an effectively realistic set to represent a factory, as well as lighting that captivated the audience, the show uses the backdrop of shoes to communicate an important, timely message.
In the words of an extremely prejudiced factory worker named “Don” (Daniel Stewart Sherman), “You change the world when you change your mind.” If he could change his mind, anyone could change theirs as well. “Don” and the others began to accept people for who they were.
The balance of emotions was mixed with good laughs too. “Lauren,” another factory worker played by DeLaney Westfall, sings the hilarious “The History of Wrong Guys” as she tries to stop herself from falling for her boss, “Charlie.”
The ensemble effortlessly switched emotions, turning against their boss, and then later coming back to his rescue. Their emotions forced you to transpose yourself into their factory lives and to root for victory for all of them.
But, best of all, the ensemble are “Lola’s Angels;” other drag queens, all dressed in provocative clothing, dancing like the Al Hirschfeld Theatre was the Las Vegas Strip. All the “Angels” were played by men, a fact one could only figure out from the Playbill.
The music, written by Grammy winner Cyndi Lauper, strengthened a story that is important especially in a time where the political discourse over private bathrooms, gender identity and society are fierce debates.
Back when this show won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Musical, the mood may have been different, but the message was the same: accept people for who they are.
