Review: KINKY BOOTS is a Fabulously Good Time that Just Might Change Your Mind

I have a confession to make; when the 2015-2016 Broadway Series was announced for Orlando's Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, KINKY BOOTS was not one of the shows that I was most excited to see. Yeah, I knew that the show had won six Tony Awards including Best Musical; yeah, I knew that it had a positive, family-friendly message that I was excited to see on stage; and yeah, I knew that the tour cast was made up of fantastic performers, many of whom I have been a fan of for years. However, since the show opened on Broadway in 2013, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, the shiny, brightly colored costumes and the score's string of pop songs by Cyndi Lauper have always given me the sense that it was little more than a saccharine, bubble gum musical that left audiences feeling good and tapping their toes, but didn't have the emotional or creative substance that I look for in musicals of this caliber. I mean, how could it? Just look at it; based on the show's high-energy production numbers, I assumed that the show was one of those novelties that always leaves you entertained, but rarely leaves you satisfied.

However, after Tuesday's Opening Night performance, I am very comfortable in admitting that I jumped to the wrong conclusion, and that I was wrong. Yeah, KINKY BOOTS, playing at the Dr. Phillips Center through Sunday, February 28th, does leave you feeling good and tapping your toes, but it also has much more depth and heart than I gave it credit for. I suppose it just goes to show that you can't judge a musical by its costumes and fabulous accessories.

While the KINKY BOOTS' flashier elements often garner the most attention and discussion, the story's underlying message of acceptance and self-discovery is its greatest asset. Under the glitter, sequins, and makeup is a musical that subverts many of the familiar and expected musical comedy tropes; whether that is in what type of characters can be leads on stage, or in what types of relationships should be musicalized.

With a book by four-time Tony-winner Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Lauper, KINKY BOOTS is based on a 2005 British film of the same name. After the untimely death of his father, Charlie Price (Adam Kaplan) is forced to move back to his provincial hometown of Northampton to run his family's failing shoe factory, despite the fact that he never wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. As the situation becomes more and more dire for Price & Son, Charlie is inspired to move the business in a different direction by a plucky, blonde "box-packer" named Lauren (Tiffany Engen).

After a chance run-in with a drag queen named Lola (J. Harrison Ghee) and a pair of muggers, Charlie decides to reconfigure the factory's operations to exclusively make "kinky boots" for men. While the decision might be the only thing that can save the company, it forces everyone involved to reassess the expectations and preconceived notions that they have about others and themselves.

Kaplan is incredibly charming as Charlie. Though the character's mood swings seem to come out of nowhere, he always appears to be genuinely concerned with protecting the factory's workers left in his care. Vocally, he expertly navigates Lauper's soaring pop notes, even if they seem a bit at odds with his lower speaking voice. Kaplan makes for a fantastic leading man, especially in this nuanced, conflicted role.

One of the ways that KINKY BOOTS defies musical theatre convention is to establish that the show's central relationship is that of two very different men who grow to become brothers. While there is still plenty of romance in the show, as Charlie and Lola begin to work closely together, it becomes clear that while their lives look anything but similar, they are still very much alike.

Ghee delivers a fantastic performance in an exceptionally demanding role. From the glamor of performing as Lola in a pair of killer thigh-high boots to the heartbreak of Simon being unable to live up to his father's expectations, Ghee never fails to command the stage or bring layers of emotion; not to mention that the word "fabulous" seems to have been created especially for his Lola.

As Lauren, Engen does provide Charlie with a new love interest, but much like her male counterparts, she doesn't fit into the traditional character cookie-cutters. Not quite an ingénue, but more than just comic relief, with fantastic timing and hilarious reactions to her own idiosyncrasies, Engen steals nearly every scene that she's in. The first act number "History of Wrong Guys" has quickly becoming one of the most popular female character songs in musical theatre, and with her rendition, Engen has put an indelible mark on an already memorable tune.

Charissa Hogeland is surprisingly sympathetic as Charlie's icy fiancé Nicola, and Joe Coots, who recently joined the company, is fun as the "real man" factory worker Don.

Everyone in the ensemble, from Lola's Angels to the Price & Son employees, delivers "Full Out" performances. While some of Mitchell's choreography seems a bit simplistic, the stunts and conveyer belt dance routine more than make up for it; another bright spot is the creatively staged boxing match.

As is always the case with the high-quality Equity tours that come through the Dr. Phillips Center, Gregg Barnes' eye-popping costumes, David Rockwell's multi-functional set, and Kenneth Posner's evocative lighting add an extra level of professionalism more than worth the price of admission.

Though the score does have a small handful of indistinguishable pop songs, my expectations for what KINKY BOOTS could be were completely shattered, and as one of the final lines in the show says, "You change the world when you change your mind;" consider my mind officially changed.

To get your tickets to see KINKY BOOTS through Sunday, February 28th, visit the Dr. Phillips Center website, or call 844-513-2014.

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Did Kinky Boots change your mind? Let me know what you thought in the comments below, or by "Liking" and following BWW Orlando on Facebook and Twitter by using the buttons below. You can also chat with me about the show on Twitter @BWWMatt. If you want to follow along with my "366 in 366" articles, you can check out #BWW366in366 on Twitter.

Banner Image: Cast of the KINKY BOOTS North American Tour. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

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