BWW Reviews: KINKY BOOTS Tour in Nashville

Last night Nashville was doused with glitter and love as Kinky Boots, the Tony Award winning musical, opened at Tennessee Performing Arts Center. With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music & lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, it is easy to see why Kinky Boots swept the Tony Awards in 2013.

Set primarily in the small English town of North Hampton, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie, a young man who reluctantly inherits his father's fourth generation shoe factory. Charlie is torn between saving his father's factory and living his life in London with his fiancée Nicola, played by Grace Stockdale.

When Charlie has an impromptu run in with Lola, a drag queen performing in London, he begins to re-evaluate his options for the future of his father's factory. Teaming up with the vivacious Lola to save the factory, Charlie learns much about himself and about those around him.

Lola sits as the centerpiece of this amazing production. Played by J. Harrison Ghee, Lola anchors the production and carries the heaviest parts of the storyline. Ghee steps into the heavy and multi-faceted role with amazing ease. Not only does he transition easily from drag queen to shoe designer, he brings both comedic joy and emotional depth to the role. It's easy to say that Ghee is perhaps the most memorable actor on the stage, but this is not to discredit the others around him. It just speaks to how powerful Ghee's performance really is.

It becomes difficult to pick out a best moment for Lola. Ghee has several powerful performances throughout the show, including "Not My Father's Son," sung with Booth's Charlie, "Hold Me In Your Heart," and "Land of Lola," the memorable introduction to Lola and her "angels" near the beginning of the show.

Steven Booth takes on the role of Charlie. There are times that Charlie is the kind of character that you love, and other times he is a character you truly want to just shake. Booth beautifully projects the amounts of character development and learning that Charlie's journey take him on. Booth's true moment to shine is in his solo "Soul of a Man" and the monologue that he delivers shortly after. It becomes a heartwarming moment during the show in which Charlie sees the error of his ways and begins to discover how beautiful acceptance and friendship can be.

Some other major notables in the cast are Lindsay Nicole Chambers, who plays Lauren. A factory worker who grew up with Charlie, Lauren becomes a significant part of the cast when she helps push Charlie into changing the direction of the factory. One of the funniest moments in the show, and Chambers' moment in the light, is her number "History of Wrong Guys." This is the moment in the show I felt Cyndi Lauper the most, but it was also the moment in the show that I laughed so hard I cried. Lindsay Nicole Chambers took what could have been a funny number and turned it into a full on comedic performance. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a woman in the audience who wasn't saying "me too" while watching Chambers' performance.

Charlie isn't the only character who makes some major changes during the show. Don, a factory worker played by Joe Coots, goes on his own journey of acceptance and development. Don begins the show as the antagonist, of Charlie, of Lola, and those around him. Don arguably becomes the most changed in the show. Joe Coots portrays Don very realistically. I've known many people like Don and Coots showed honest and beautiful character development.

Amazing scenic design by David Rockwell takes you from a small factory in rural England to a bar, to Milan. Costume design by Gregg Barnes shines the most when it REALLY shines, in Lola's costumes and her "angels'" costumes. The sheer amount of shine and sparkle brings a smile to my face.

The finale of Kinky Boots, "Raise You Up/Just Be," sums up the show perfectly. This show is all about learning to accept yourself and others and raising those around you up. Inspiring, thoughtful, full of love and joy, Kinky Boots is the perfect show to visit if you're looking for a pick-me-up. You will no doubt walk out of the theatre feeling better than when you walked in.

Kinky Boots plays at Tennessee Performing Arts Center through Sunday, February 8th. You can purchase tickets by visiting their website or by calling the box office at 615-782-4040.

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