Playhouse Square celebrates the glitzy return of ‘Kinky Boots’

Certain things seem to be better the second time around…breakfast pizza…cold meatloaf sandwiches…leftover chili…and returning Broadway touring productions, to wit, Kinky Boots now being staged in the Connor Palace through August 28, 2016. If opening night is any indication, this production will once again be the wildly popular sellout that came to Cleveland in April of 2015, only better. Such is the stuff of guilty pleasures.

Kinky Boots features music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper with book by Harvey Fierstein and is based on the 2005 film of the same name that is based on a true story. The show won six Tony Awards including Best Broadway Musical and Best Score as well as three Outer Critics Circle’s Awards, one Drama Desk Award and three Olivier Awards and is still in production on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theater.

As for this touring production, the biggest boots to fill belong of course to Lola (J. Harrison Ghee) who at 6’4” towers over the rest of the cast adding even more farce to an already delightful comedy. Even in drag it is not hard to tell that Lola and her “Angles” are in fact rather beefy blokes who just like to perform wearing women’s outfits.

For four generations, Price and Sons has been manufacturing fine footwear for men (mostly brogues) that while pricy are said to last a lifetime if properly maintained. Unfortunately, the factory is suffering from the same malady experienced by factories that manufacture quality goods…that cheap and replaceable is overtaking well made and dependable in a disposable society.

With the death of his father, Charlie leaves his live-in girlfriend in London to return to his roots in Northampton to take over the factory. In desperation, he calls on a childhood friend living in London who brokers cheap footwear in order to get rid of a mountain of back stock at cost in order to keep the factory running. A chance meeting with Drag Queen Lola who is getting mugged outside the pub and an idea is born to manufacture well made “Kinky Boots” designed to stand the stress of a man’s weight, especially if performing dance numbers on stage.

Lola is hired as a designer and all efforts are put into getting a collection of Kinky Boots ready for the big shoe fashion show in Milan, Italy. On the way to the show various roadblocks are put up including Charlie’s girl friend, Nicola, trying to convert the factory into condos, the workers unable to accept Lolo’s lifestyle, finding the money necessary for professional models to demonstrate the boots and getting the all important samples perfect for the show. Although the story line of the show is about fancy high heel boots, the theme goes much deeper into the need for everyone to be accepted at face value for their individual talents.

The production values of this show are top notch. J. Harrison Ghee is superb as Lola bringing all the sass, brass, class and sparkle needed for the role. His little idiosyncrasies of movement are a joy to look for and laugh at. Adam Kaplan brings his fine tenor voice (he has sung at the White House) and acting chops (Newsies, Showboat) to the stage. His duet with Ghee Not My Father’s Son is especially poignant. Of special notice also is Tiffany Engen who plays Charlie’s factory romantic interest, Lauren. Her solo number The History Of Wrong Guys is an absolute delight as well as her covert affection for Charlie throughout the show.

The ensemble numbers involving Lola’s Angles are superb as well as the factory numbers as racks of shoes go whisking by a breakneck speed along with sections of the conveyor belt. Lighting helps convey the proper moods and costuming covers everything from the plain frocks of the factory workers to the extraordinary get-ups worn by the performing drag queens and then there are the boots. These specialized examples of extravagant footwear are a joy to behold and each pair is by itself a work of art. The stage setting is a traveling masterpiece transforming from factory to dance club to pub in the blink of an eye.

Special note must also be made of the sound. In the usually underwhelming sound system associated with the Connor Palace, the sound technicians for this show have coaxed every Ohm available from the speaker system. This is a true BROADWAY SOUND EXPERIENCE…YEA! It is what you come to hear.

Prude Alert: While some may find the subject matter a bit odd (men dressing and performing as women) the farcical nature of this production makes for a delightful evening. This is a show everyone will love.

Beefs and Flubs: This is a well rehearsed cast who are extremely comfortable in their various roles.

Shooting From the Lip (In My Opinion): At the end of this return touring production of Kinky Boots the audience leapt to its feet in appreciation. You will do the same. Tickets may be scarce for this show in its limited run.

The cast of Kinky Boots consists of Tom Souhrada as Mr. Price, Aidan Passaro and Harrison Wright as young Charlie, Jayden Brown and Jhazz Fleming as Young Lola, David Jennings as Simon Sr., Charissa Hogeland as Nicola, Adam Kaplan as Charlie Price, Jim J. Bullock as George, Aaron Walpole as Don, Tiffany Lohr as Lauren, Patty Lohr as Pat, Josh Tolle as Harry, J. Harrison Ghee as Lola, Joseph Anthony Byrd as , Sam Dowling, Ian Gallagher Fitzgerald, JP Qualters, Xavier Reyes and Sam Rohloff as The Angles, Tami Dahbura as Trish, Claran McCarthy as Richard Baily, Annie Edgerton as Milan Stage Manager.

The Creative Crew consists of Jerry Mitchell, Director and Choreographer; Stephen Oremus, Musical Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations; David Rockwell, Scenic Design; Gregg Barnes, Costume Design; Kenneth Posner, Lighting Design; John Shivers, Sound Design; Josh Marquette, Hair Design; Randy Houston Mercer, Make-up Design and Ryan Fielding Garrett, Music Director.

There are only seven remaining performances of Kinky Boots through Sunday, August 28, 2016. Tickets are available by calling (216) 241-6000, going online at www.playhousesquare.com or by stopping by the Playhouse Square Box Office located in the outer lobby of the State Theatre. Ticket Prices range from $10 to $80.