MARK AUERBACH
HARTFORD – Kinky Boots has all the right elements of a Broadway blockbuster: a solid book by Harvey Fierstein, a rousing score by pop songstress Cyndi Lauper in her Broadway debut, brisk staging by Jerry Mitchell, and a tour de force performance by Kyle Taylor Parker as “Lola”, a drag entertainer, who’s full of sass with a heart of gold. It’’s a fitting finale for a great Broadway season in Hartford, which has included Evita, Pippin, and Once.
Based on a small British film by Geoff Dease and Tim Firth, which in turn, is based on a TV documentary inspired by a true story, Kinky Boots is the story of Charlie (Steven Booth), who inherits the one step from foreclosure family shoe factory. Enter Lola (Kyle Taylor Parker), who needs specialty heels and boots for her drag act. Charlie’s factory begins producing the specialty shoes, and the factory is saved. Harvey Fierstein’s script is smooth going, and Cyndi Lauper’s Broadway debut as songwriter is notable for its first-class score. Some of it is reminiscent of her pop hits, “Time After Time” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, but Lauper has written some superb theatre songs, partocularly Lola’s two showstoppers, “Not My Father’s Son” and “Hold Me in Your Heart”, and some numbers that ought to be right at home on the dance floor.
The national tour of “Kinky Boots”
David Rockwell’s sets, Gregg Barnes’ costumes, and Kenneth Posner’s lighting designs are carbon copies of the Broadway company (which is still running strong). Adam Souza’s music direction was solid, and although John Shivers’ sound design was a bit heavy-handed in places, ithe roar of the audiences going wild was uncontainable.
I just loved Kyle Taylor Parker’s portrayal of “Lola”, multi-layered, deeply nuanced, and just terrific.The ensemble was first rate, and the show got a well-deserved standing ovation.
The fun meter went over the top at Kinky Boots. The musical plays The Bushnell through Sunday.
The Bushnell presents Kinky Boots. Book by Harvey Fierstein. Music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. Directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus. Music direction by Adam Souza. Scenic design by David Rockwell. Costume design by Gregg Barnes. Lighting design by Kenneth Posner. Sound design by John Shivers. Starring Kyle Taylor Parker as Lola and Steven Booth as Charlie. Through June 28. The Bushnell Center or the Performing Arts, Hartford, CT. Tickets: 860-987-5900 or www.bushnell.org.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
