Johannes Radebe Will Lead New UK and Ireland Tour of KINKY BOOTS

A brand-new Made at Curve production of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical KINKY BOOTS The Musical will tour the UK and Ireland from 17 January 2025.

KINKY BOOTS The Musical features a score by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. It will be directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster(THE WIZARD OF OZ, A CHORUS LINE, BILLY ELLIOT) and will star TV dance sensation and international champion Johannes Radebe as Lola and rising star Dan Partridge as Charlie Price.

KINKY BOOTS The Musical was a Broadway and West End phenomenon based on a true story and movie of the same name released in 2005. After inheriting his family's failing shoe factory and with a relationship on the rocks, life is proving to be very challenging for Charlie Price. That is until he meets Lola, a drag queen whose sparkle and unsteady heels might just hold the answer to saving the struggling business.

Cyndi Lauper said, “Kinky Boots is one of the things I’m proudest of in my career, and I’m so excited that audiences will get to see it again, in a new production. It’s like a happy pill – and we could all use some of that right now! I can’t think of a better time or place to relaunch this special show in its place of origin."

Harvey Fierstein added, "An all new production is a thrilling event in the life of a well-loved show. And to have that rebirth occur in the place of its origin makes it all a billion times more exciting. I can’t wait to welcome KINKY BOOTS home."

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster added, “We all know Johannes for his extraordinary artistry on the dance floor, but seeing him inhabit the astonishing world of Lola in Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper’s proud, punchy and passionate KINKY BOOTS has been an electrifying and profoundly moving experience.

 “Johannes is joined by Curve regular, the magnificent Dan Partridge, as Charlie Price and a world class creative team, led by designer Robert Jones and choreographer Leah Hill.

“We are beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to create a brand-new KINKY BOOTS at Curve, alongside our terrific co-producers at ROYO, returning the story to its native Midlands and manufacturing heartland of Leicester, where our theatre proudly stands today. This is a story of British industrial heritage, told through Fierstein’s fiercely intelligent words, and Lauper’s explosive songs, in a truly joyful musical about overcoming adversity, celebrating individuality, the power of a good pair of heels and community spirit.  We can’t wait to share this explosion of joy with audiences next year.”

Born in the township Zamdela Sasolburg, South Africa, Johannes Radebe started dancing when he was seven.  At the age of 21, Johannes left South Africa to work on the internationally renowned Italian cruise liner Costa and in 2018, he was invited to join the debut season of the international hit show, Dancing With The Stars, in South Africa.

Johannes toured the world in the international dance show Burn The Floor before being headhunted by Strictly Come Dancing.  He moved to the UK to dance on the flagship BBC show.  In his second series, he was partnered with Catherine Tyldesley and danced the first same-sex routine with fellow Strictly star Graziano Di Prima.  In 2020 he danced with actress Caroline Quentin and in 2021, he and his celebrity partner, John Waite, made history by being the first all-male partnership to compete on the show. The pair made it to the final and recently won the British LGBT Award for Media Moment of the Year. In 2022, he was partnered with comedian and actress Ellie Taylor, and made it to the semi-finals in the sixth series with partner Annabel Croft in 2023.

2022 saw his film choreography debut with the feature Pretty Red Dress (Teng Teng Films, in collaboration with the BFI, BBC Film, and The Sundance Institute) which premiered at London Film Festival. In 2023, he also was asked to be a Co-Producer on the Olivier nominated A Strange Loop at The Barbican.

His first book Jojo: Finally Home was published on 7 September 2023 and became a Sunday Times best-seller. It was recently announced that South African film company Arrested Industries run by Anthony Kimble, and Oscar nominated Helena Spring Films, have optioned Jojo: Finally Home for a film, with further details to come.  

His debut solo UK tour Freedom and follow up show Freedom Unleashed sold out across the UK including a week in London's West End at the Peacock Theatre. He is currently on tour with this third show: House of Jojo, which includes performances at the London Palladium.

Johannes was invited to Buckingham Palace to give the keynote speech for The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, to award the Gold Award winners for the first time since the pandemic. He returned to the Palace after a personal invitation from King Charles III and The Queen Consort to The State Banquet for The President of South Africa - a true honour for a boy from Zamdela. In 2024, he lead a dance workshop at Buckingham Palace for volunteers from The Royal Voluntary Service which was attended by Queen Camilla. Johannes presented her majesty with a pair of tap shoes.

Dan Partridge has an extensive list of theatre credits including Magaldi in Evita (Curve, Leicester), Danny Zuko in Grease (Dominion Theatre, West End, Curve & National Tour), Rum Tum Tugger in CATS (European Tour & South Korea Tour), Link Larkin in Hairspray (UK Tour) and Pepper in MAMMA MIA! (West End). His TV and Film credits include: Randolph Scott in Archie, the story of Cary Grant’s life for ITV, Jamie Wells in Casualty (BBC) and Jez Gordon in Doctors(BBC). Dan also won Best Actor at the ‘This Is England’ Film Festival in Rouen, France for his work on the short film ÉTÉ directed by Gregory Oke.

KINKY BOOTS is directed by Nikolai Foster with choreography by Leah Hill, set and costume design by Robert Jones, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher and casting by Harry Blumenau CDG CDA.

 Tour Dates

17 - 25 January                      
Leicester Curve                                              
0116 242 3595
www.curveonline.co.uk                                  

28 January - 1 February        
Woking New Victoria Theatre              
www.atgtickets.com/new-victoria-theatre

4 - 8 February                        
Manchester Palace Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/manchester                  

11 - 15 February                    
Glasgow Kings Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/glasgow            

18 - 22 February                    
Edinburgh Playhouse
www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh         

25 February -1 March            
Truro Hall for Cornwall                                 
01872 262 466
www.hallforcornwall.co.uk                               

4 - 8 March                            
Norwich Theatre Royal                                
01603 630 000
www.norwichtheatre.org                  

11 - 15 March                        
Milton Keynes Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes    

18 - 22 March                        
Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre      
 www.wmc.org.uk                        

25 - 29 March                        
Brighton Theatre Royal 
www.atgtickets.com/brighton

15 - 19 April                            
Birmingham Hippodrome                             
0844 338 5000
www.birminghamhippodrome.com

22 - 26 April                            
Plymouth Theatre Royal                              
01752 267222
www.theatreroyal.com          

29 April - 3 May                     
Stockton Globe
www.stocktonglobe.co.uk

6 - 10 May                              
Newcastle Theatre Royal                             
0191 232 7010
www.theatreroyal.co.uk

13 - 17 May                            
Bristol Hippodrome         
www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol                                      

20 - 24 May                           
Leeds Grand Theatre                                    
0113 243 0808                                                
www.leedsheritagetheatres.com                   

27 - 31 May                           
Southampton Mayflower Theatre                
02380 711 811                                                
www.mayflower.org.uk                                                                                                             

3 - 7 June                               
Southend Cliffs Pavilion                               
0343 310 0030  
www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk

10 - 14 June                           
Canterbury Marlowe Theatre                       
01227 787787                                                 
www.marlowetheatre.com    

17 - 21 June                           
Belfast Grand Opera House                                     
www.goh.co.uk                                                          

24 - 28 June                           
Sheffield Lyceum Theatre                            
0114 249 6000                                                
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk                                       

1- 5 July                                 
Nottingham Theatre Royal                           
0115 989 5555
www.trch.co.uk

8 - 12 July                             
Liverpool Empire Theatre                
www.atgtickets.com/liverpool

15 - 19 July                            
Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre                        
bordgaisenergytheatre.ie       
0818719377 (ROI)                                
08442485101 (UK)

22 - 26 July                           
Oxford New Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/oxford                                                              

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