BWW Interviews: KINKY BOOTS on Tour - J. Harrison Ghee as Lola

Ever since KINKY BOOTS debuted on Broadway, audiences have been falling in love with the highly entertaining musical with Cyndi Lauper composing the music and Harvey Fierstein as the story writer. KINKY BOOTS tells the story of how a struggling shoe factory transforms the business at the same time transforms lives. BWW caught up with J. Harrison Ghee (who portrays Lola/Simon on the North American tour) recently as he shared some of his most rewarding experiences in his career.

Tell us how you got interested in performing.

I grew up in North Carolina. My father is a pastor so I grew up with a very religious family and I sang in church. Singing has always been my first passion. In high school, I made the decision to stick with my first love. I went to school at AMDA in New York, studied musical theater and have been blessed to have been working ever since.

Do you remember the first time you performed?

I don't remember it vividly but there are definitely pictures of me performing at age three in church. I've got the microphone and I have such control of the situation but I don't remember it. I think my first time remembering it was in elementary school and I was the MC for the Christmas program. I think I was standing on what people would call a soapbox and I just MC'd the Christmas show. I remember people just responding to me to my energy and it making me so excited and having fun and being in control of that situation.

What are some standout shows you have been a part of?

Before this, I had done Tokyo Disney, and I was a jazz singer in a review and I worked on cruise ships for many years so that was all over the place as far as singing; jazz and rock and pop and classical everything in between. I also got to do THE COLOR PURPLE regionally and that was a wonderful experience. But, this is actually my first big role and my first time getting to take a bite out of a character in such a capacity.

How did you get the role of Lola in KINKY BOOTS?

I've been doing drag outside of the show for five years now. I understand the lifestyle of a drag queen and a cabaret artist. I've hosted shows, events and parties and lots of different occasions. I went in for the audition. I was actually going in for MOTOWN. I dropped of my headshot, resume and a cover letter to the casting director expressing my interest in wanting to be in KINKY BOOTS in whatever capacity. I expressed my connection of Lola's story with the acceptance of her father and that struggle with me and my religious father and my lifestyle. I guess that triggered them to be interested in me and I went in and started the audition process and I got hired as a swing in the show and a Lola understudy. This first year of touring has gone by and I went back in and re-auditioned when I learned that Kyle was leaving the show and I was lucky enough to be the next Lola.

Tell us a little bit more about your character.

Lola is dynamic in so many ways because Lola has so much control in drag and in her cabaret space. That's what she does, that where she dwells. But, then you take off all the make-up and you take off all the glitz and glamour and the bangles and the beads and there's really an insecure man under all of that. Lola is struggling to be true to himself as Simon but also get the acceptance of those around him and just wanting people to be happy with who they are and what they bring to the world. And that's very much how I've lived my life. That connection is very special to me.

What kind of experiences have you had since you've been out touring?

We can talk about that all day. Billy Porter joined us on the road just for a week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for his hometown, and to be able to sit at his feet and watch him work and to be reminded of why the Tony was won for this character from him was one of the most amazing experiences that I could have ever had because in studying musical theater, I had found this person, Billy Porter and I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into with musical theater but to find Billy Porter and see that there was someone who had a huge success for himself; such pizazz as I knew that I had in me and was successful at it and was doing wonderful things; it inspired me. And then to be able to study under him was such a full circle moment and I wouldn't have traded that experience for the world.

What advice do you have for anyone thinking about getting into the business?

I always say as long as you make a bold choice and sell it and commit to it, no one can question you about it. In this industry, you have to be committed to what it is you're selling. If you know that what you're selling is a good product and you have all your ducks in a row and you've done your research, there's no reason you cannot succeed. But, you have make sure you're being honest and committed to the work.

Catch KINKY BOOTS as it comes to Austin, Texas from November 10-15, 2015. Get your tickets by going to the Texas Performing Arts website.

PHOTO CREDIT: Matthew Murphy

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