KINKY BOOTS at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre

(Seen April 6, 2013)


Hidden beneath the glitter and flash, lies an old-fashioned love story, which includes the discovery that when you love and accept yourself for who you are, nothing can stop you.

The story is clothed in the boots of a traditional English shoe factory whose shoes have become stylistically out-of-its-time.   A young man who doesn't want to follow in his father's shoes, inherits the factory and feels obliged to carry on for the sake of tradition and the town's workers.  Enter a drag queen, who comes up with a plan to save the factory. but who still hasn't come to terms with who he is.

With a mellow and appealing book by Harvey Fierstein, wrapped around a pop score by Cyndi Lauper which snares our heart and our emotions, the cast captures our attention and our involvement in this soppy musical.

Topping off the cast is a virtuoso performance by Billy Porter, as the drag queen, Lola --- dancing, singing, and acting his heart out.  Stark Sands, as Charlie, adds his fine talents as the unwilling heir.  And Annaleigh Ashford is a wonderful counterpoint as a factory girl who finally wins Charlie's love.

It's a Broadway love story, told with feeling and gusto, brightly and inventively directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.