"Kinky Boots is not
just a musical...it’s a reality!"
Frankie C "The Column" Odyssey Magazine
Frankie C "The Column" Odyssey Magazine
It was time to
hit the Gay White Way... Broadway, that is.
So, my cohort Jeff Eason and I made our way up the legendary road for some
high-heel stepping madness to see the new hit musical, "Kinky Boots". The dazzling trio behind “…Boots” is
director and choreographer, Jerry
Mitchell; book by Harvey Fierstein,
and music/lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. “Kinky Boots” is not only a musical, but it
also depicts reality, being based on the true story behind the 2005 film of the
same name. “Kinky Boots” has given
Broadway a swift kick in the ass that it’s been needing for some time, and what
better way to do it than with a man in high-heel boots and a straight man, both
serving up drama as they look to be loved and understood by others... but
mostly by their fathers.
“Kinky Boots the
Musical” stars the talented Billy
Porter as “Lola”, a high-heeled
drag queen searching for the true meaning of life and what she's meant to be.
She meets the handsome "Charlie
Price" played by the talented Stark
Sands who's trying to sort out and understand his own life and where he
wants to be. The two find each other in a very unusual way, and in doing so,
they team up to breathe life back into the failing shoe factory Price inherited
from his father. When they find inner meaning for themselves and each other,
the two men (one gay and one straight) demonstrate love for each other, seeing
beyond sexuality, and living the truth that even though we're all different, in
the end, we all want to be loved.
As the lead
characters grow from young boys into manhood (young Lola - Marquise Neal, and young Charlie - Sebastian Hedges Thomas), the audience
can view their own lives and the changes we've all made in becoming who we are as
adults. Yes, it’s true, Broadway's had its drag before on many different levels,
but not like “Kinky Boots”. The show is about freedom to express who you are;
and that many individuals have their own rainbows of many different colors that
illustrate how they want their life to be.
.jpg)
The cast of Annaleigh Ashford, Celina Carvajal, Daniel
Stewart Sherman, Marcus Neville, the Angels (Joey Taranto, Paul Canaan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Post, Charlie Sutton, and Kyle Taylor Parker) and the Ensemble group belted out each song as
they pranced around on stage like golden swans.
Half way through the first act, I could just feel a Tony coming on, and
I don't mean the tiger. As it’s said in the show and I quote: "Papa's got a brand new shoe"
and "The sex is in the heel"...
I love it. Billy Porter has the bigness of Jenifer Lewis and the elegance of Whitney Houston.
The show will
teach you the difference between being a man, a drag queen, and a transsexual,
if you don't already know. Hey, I've always said, "A man who can turn out
drag with the utmost attitude will transcend what being fabulous is all about.”
Snap to it, gays, and get your tickets to see “Kinky Boots”. It’s not to be
missed.For more information check out: www.kinkybootsthemusical.com
Best always,
Frankie C.
Follow me on twitter: @FrankieC_
The Blog: www.thecolumnbyfrankiec.blogspot.com
The Blog: www.thecolumnbyfrankiec.blogspot.com
