Review: Uplifting and Fun, but Ultimately Disappointing KINKY BOOTS Plays Kennedy Center

Local area theatergoers who have had an opportunity to see Signature Theatre's excellent - and nearly flawless - production of Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman's classic LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, might consider taking a trip across the river to Washington, DC to catch the national tour of KINKY BOOTS at the Kennedy Center. Why? KINKY BOOTS - the winner of the coveted Tony Award for Best Musical in 2013 - features the same book writer as LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (Harvey Fierstein), a score by pop superstar Cyndi Lauper, and explores a common theme of acceptance.

Unfortunately, Fierstein's book for the newer musical lacks the heart and dimension of the previous one. Likewise, while Lauper's compositions are (at times) quite catchy for middle-of-the-road pop music, they aren't nearly as tuneful or sophisticated as Herman's in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Additionally, in comparison to Herman's lyrics, Lauper's usually don't do as much to advance our understanding of a specific character or move the plot along ("Not My Father's Son" notwithstanding), which - from a musical development perspective - makes the songs pretty pointless apart from adding a bit of fun to the proceedings.

Still, despite the flaws of the latter musical, there's one commonality that might prompt a dual viewing of the productions, apart from an opportunity to see a few great performances in each of them, and have a bit of fun. They both emphasize the point that it's important to be who you are, and stay true to yourself, no matter what others may think. Particularly in the wake of the recent mass shooting in Orlando, this is no doubt an important message.

Like LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, KINKY BOOTS is also based on a film - in this case, a 2008 British creation. We meet Mr. Price (Tom Sourada) early on. He owns the Northampton-based Price & Son shoe manufacturing company, which has been passed down in his family for generations. His son Charlie (Adam Kaplan) has little interest in taking on the struggling family business and is eager to leave the small town life behind and follow his fiancée Nicola (Charissa Hogeland) to London for new opportunities. When Mr. Price dies, Charlie is forced to return to Northampton to assume responsibility for the company. He quickly learns that the company is in deep financial trouble.

Faced with the prospect of telling workers he's known his whole life that their services are no longer required, he wanders the streets of London and has an unexpected encounter with a drag queen named Lola (J. Harrison Ghee). Lola invites him to the nightclub where he and other men perform in drag, which ultimately leads Charlie to consider manufacturing "kinky boots" (tall, flashy boots custom-made for drag performers) instead of the practical shoes that his family business has sold for years. (A quirky employee named Lauren, played by Tiffany Engen, offers advice that prompts Charlie - her love interest - to contemplate implementing a new business plan.) Changing up the signature product would fill a niche in the market, and potentially help get the business out of its precarious financial predicament - or so Charlie hopes.

With some encouragement from Charlie, Lola agrees to help design the boots, and becomes a daily fixture at the factory. Lola's presence doesn't quite sit well with some of the other employees - especially Don (a strong Aaron Walpole) - but they all must work together to save the company. Somewhere along the line, Charlie and Lola discover they're not so different after all. Both understand what it's like to struggle to meet their father's expectations, for one - an idea explored in the affecting, yet nearly endless, duet "Not My Father's Son". Eventually, everyone learns the importance of being true to one's self ("Raise You Up/Just Be") - even if Fierstein and Lauper are intent on beating the audience over the head with that message repeatedly.

As a musical, KINKY BOOTS focuses less on the company's precarious financial situation and the larger economic woes in Northampton than on Charlie's path to self-discovery. With a stronger lead as Charlie, it might have been easier for me to care about Charlie's journey, but Adam Kaplan seemed to be going through the motions the night I saw the show. Whether due to illness, auditory issues, vocal issues - or a combination thereof - he also never quite reached the majority of the notes in his numerous songs. His voice is clearly well-suited to Lauper's music, but the flat singing - combined with a very nasally tone - didn't quite result in an enjoyable listening experience. Audience members less attuned to pitch or vocal tone issues may have felt otherwise on Thursday night, but - for me - it was extremely distracting to the point where I just wanted him to stop singing. Period.

As Lola, J. Harrison Ghee has a more dynamic and charismatic character to portray, which, in some ways, may make it easier to deliver a memorable performance. Whether that's an important factor or not, Ghee hit his performance out the park acting-wise, especially in comparison to Kaplan. In fact, he delivered the production's finest performance. Ghee's Lola is vulnerable, but still necessarily over-the-top as the situation dictates. Vocally, he slays the performance number "Hold Me in Your Heart" with an abundance of diva-like swag to boot, and he demonstrates his flexible and polished moves in a myriad of production numbers, including "Land of Lola," and the fun Act One closer "Everybody Say Yeah." While the latter song offers one of best examples of Lauper's less than insightful lyrics I could find, the agile Ghee - as well as the rest of the cast - sing the repetitive lyrics with a lot of heart, and energetically execute Jerry Mitchell's creative choreography (Mitchell also directs). The result is one of the most infectiously joyous moments of the show.

Props must also be given to Joe Beauregard, Joseph Anthony Byrd, Sam Dowling, JP Qualters, Xavier Reyes, and Sam Rohloff for portraying Lola's co-performers (dubbed the "Angels"), with just as much intense commitment as Ghee. Outfitted in Gregg Barnes' outrageous, colorful, and detailed costumes, they demand your attention. They certainly bring the requisite energy level, strong vocals, and dancing skills along with other members of the ensemble.

Ryan Fielding Garrett's orchestra - comprised of touring musicians and members of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra - plays Stephen Oremus' orchestrations proficiently, acting as a complement to the singing. The orchestrations are heavy on percussion and bass, which may be appropriate given Lauper's music stylings, but they're less than interesting to hear live in the theatre. Additionally, the overall sound of the show was also more synthetic than I might have otherwise liked, but at least from my seat, I could hear every note played and every word sung or spoken. This is more than I can say for many musical theatre productions that play the Opera House, thanks to the venue's less than ideal acoustics for theatre.

Overall, despite its awards and long-run, KINKY BOOTS does not reach the level of memorable musical theatre and may be ultimately disappointing for the most experienced theatergoers. Still, several strong performances, some catchy music, and strong visual elements, make this national tour a candidate for viewing if you don't expect too much, want an easy night out with friends, and are willing to pay the ticket price. It is frothy fun, but with enough pizazz to make it somewhat interesting.

Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission.

KINKY BOOTS plays at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC through July 10, 2016. For tickets, call the box office at 202-467-4600 or purchase them online.

Photo: KINKY BOOTS cast. By Matthew Murphy.

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