(Photo Courtesy of Gammage/Photo by Matthew Murphy)It was a full house at ASU Gammage with the opening night of “Kinky Boots” officially kicking off the 2014-15 Broadway season.
What a great way to kick of the #Gammage50th Season! Thank you @KinkyBootsBway for an amazing show!
— ASU Gammage (@ASUGammage) September 17, 2014
“Kinky Boots,” which is inspired by a true story, is about Charlie (Steven Booth) and Lola (Kyle Taylor Parker) and the unlikely friendship they form. Charlie, whose father’s recent death leaves him to take over the struggling family business and Lola, an unapologetic drag queen who preaches self-acceptance, become each other’s saving grace by making women’s boots for men together.
The fun atmosphere is established early on with “The Most Beautiful Thing in the World,” an ode to shoes. The cast delivers from the very start with overwhelming talent. Lauren (Lindsay Nicole Chambers) stands out for not only her comedic timing, but flawless vocals in the number “The History of Wrong Guys.”
Lola’s declaration of “red is the color of sex!” transitions into the musical number “Sex Is in the Heel,” one of the most colorful of the night. The drag queen group, appropriately named The Angels, are lively in their performance.
The music in “Kinky Boots” received high marks from critics and fans alike. With music and lyrics by the iconic Cyndi Lauper, the inventive and vitalizing songs keep the show high-energy, even during its more serious moments. At this year’s Grammys, it won the award for Best Musical Theatre Album. Lauper also made history with “Kinky Boots” by becoming the first solo woman composer to win a Tony for Best Score.
But it isn’t just the music that makes “Kinky Boots” irresistible. Parker’s portrayal of Lola is unsurpassable. Musically, Parker hits every note with palpable passion. However, it’s his confident-yet-vulnerable genuineness that makes Lola lovable. He doesn’t overplay Lola’s boisterousness, making the character embraceable by the audience. In the ballad "Hold Me in Your Heart," Lola breaks the heart of theatergoers in a way that bonds them to the character.
The show notoriously known to be about drag queens proves to be so much more. “When you change your mind about someone, you can change your world” is a powerful message by Lola that resonates with us all. The closing number “Raise You Up/Just Be” is a motivational anthem infused by fashion and self-acceptance. And it was the perfect way to begin the celebration of Gammage’s golden anniversary.
“Kinky Boots” is playing at Gammage until Sept. 21. “Ladies, gentlemen and those who are yet to make up their mind” can purchase tickets here.
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