Boots, wigs and dresses fill the stage for a rendition of the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots at Mercer’s Kelsey Theatre in March. It was directed by Laurie Gougher, with Andrew Devlin as assistant director and produced by Beverly Kuo-Hamilton.
Kinky Boots, based on a true story, follows Charlie—played in the production by Vinnie DiFilippo—a boy born in Northampton, England, whose family owns a shoe manufacturing company, Price and Son. When Charlie has to take over after his father’s death, he soon discovers their outdated shoes are not selling, and he has to find a new way to keep the factory open. He enlists the help of Lola, portrayed by Tyron Howard, a drag queen from London, to find, as the show puts it, his “niche market.”
The Kelsey production’s interpretation of the Broadway show encouraged the actors to rely on a combination of emotions, including seriousness, comedy and anger.
The set was not elaborate. There were simple spaces: the factory floor with its conveyor belts and sewing machines, and a small factory office. But the lighting, natural sounds and constantly moving set brought the factory, streets of London and the final fashion show in Milan to life.
Lola took the stage with riffs, belts and synchronized dancing in songs like “The Sex is in the Heel” and “Land of Lola” alongside strobe lights of red, blue, pink and white.
Although occasionally it was hard to hear some of the projections of the vocals, it did not stop the powerhouse vocals from DiFilippo and Samantha Philips, who played Lauren, an employee at the shoe factory.
In addition to the outstanding vocals, the actors gave depth to their characters.
Trish, portrayed by Gigi Bella, brought bounds of laughter from her references to sexual experiences and remarks about the shoes being made. The humor contrasted well with her soft mezzo-soprano.
Other actors brought similar levels of nuance.
Nicola, portrayed by Jazmynn Perez, who is typically portrayed as the villain, was transformed into someone who primarily wanted to be seen by her future husband. DiFilippo brought the audience on the journey of becoming the man he wanted to be and finding his passion.
Lola and the Angels—an ensemble of drag queens who become the anchor of the big musical numbers—were unapologetic in the portrayal of the subculture.
Howard gave an emotional portrayal of Lola that was as powerful as Billy Porter’s Broadway version, but with his own twist.
He said “I just want them to feel Lola as a person, but also as a personality. I want [the audience] to understand why she is the way she is, where she gets her funniness from, why she’s so over the top. It’s not so much to mask what she’s been through, it’s her way to show off her true self.”
He continued, “[Lola is] freaking strong. She’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever portrayed. I mean she’s a person who just walks around just out there like it’s a normal Tuesday in full glam, a short dress, and just being who she is.”
In one performance, Howard kept going despite a heel break and a zipper malfunction. He continued to perform with on-beat dance moves, elegant strides and the four-inch boost the heels gave him.
Phillips, playing the employee Lauren, also worked to give her character layers.
She said “I try not to focus on how she’s portrayed on Broadway. Yes, she’s funny and she’s written funny, but like, she’s also very honest.”
She added, “[Lauren] is, I think, someone who had to grow up very fast, but her choices didn’t really catch up to her. So, throughout the story, she’s just going through the flow, and the audience catches her at a time where she’s in the midst of her cycle all over again.”
Director Laurie Gougher and Assistant Director Andrew Devlin brought all the fabulous pieces together. They created a show with a fast-paced set, background acting that made the viewer wonder what was going on behind the scenes and that allowed for strategic blocking and swift transitions.
Gougher said “I hope that the audience [left] feeling joyful, I hope they [went] home thinking about their own family experiences. But, all in all, it’s an uplifting show.”
Devlin added “I think it speaks volumes to speak about connecting your biological family and chosen families, which is one of the things the show tackles.”
Something the audience, Gougher and Devlin agreed on was the truth behind the story.
Caitlin Connelly, who attended the show, said afterward “The show is about accepting other people and accepting yourself and to not be afraid to be yourself.”
She added, “I loved the finale where [Charlie] comes out in the boots and everyone is there with him.”
The production earned standing ovations, and the audience responded with cheers and whistles. Kinky Boots at Kelsey Theatre was a sensational reinterpretation of a classic that highlighted themes of acceptance, change and love.
