The critics have spoken! Kinky Boots made its Off-Broadway debut August 25 at Stage 42 following previews which began July 26.
The winner of six 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Kinky Boots features a Tony-winning score by Cyndi Lauper, a book by Tony winner Harvey Fierstein, and direction and choreography by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell. Mitchell returns to direct and choreograph.
The production is led by Callum Francis, who starred in the West End production at London's Adelphi and subsequently on Broadway and in Australia, as Lola. Joining Francis are Christian Douglas as Charlie Price, Danielle Hope as Lauren, Brianna Stoute as Nicola, Sean Steele as Don, and Marcus Neville as George.
Read the reviews below.
Cititour NY (Brian Scott Lipton)
New York Theater (Jonathan Mandell)
New York Theatre Guide (Diep Tran)
The New York Times (Elisabeth Vincentelli)*
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Playbill will continue to update this page as reviews come in.
The ensemble includes Devin Bowles, Bella Coppola, Nick Drake, Ian Gallagher Fitzgerald, Ryan Halsaver, Matthew Michael Janisse, Lindsay Joan, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Marty Lauter, Tommy Martinez, Ryah Nixon, Lucas Pastrana, Liz Pearce, Ricky Shroeder, David J. Socolar, Ebrin R. Stanley, Tarion Strong, Ernest T. Williams, and Maria Wirries.
READ: Checking In With… Kinky Boots Star Callum Francis
The Off-Broadway production also has scenic design by David Rockwell, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Gareth Owen, hair design by Josh Marquette, makeup design by Darion Matthews, music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus, and casting by The Telsey Office.
D.B. Bonds serves as associate director with Rusty Mowery as associate choreographer and Will Van Dyke as associate music supervisor and music director. Rachel A. Zucker is the production stage manager.
The original Broadway company was headed by Billy Porter as indefatigable drag performer Lola, whose broken heel helps mend a broken wing for a foundering shoe-maker, originally played by Stark Sands. Both Porter and Sands were Tony-nominated for their performances; Porter won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, and Mitchell won his second career Tony Award for his choreography. The production played 2,507 regular performances and 34 previews at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
Kinky Boots is produced by Daryl Roth, Hal Luftig, James L. Nederlander, Independent Presenters Network, Jayne Baron Sherman, Adam Blanshay, Judith Ann Abrams, Yasuhiro Kawana, Jane Bergère, Allan Gordon & Adam Gordon, Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Lucy & Phil Suarez, Bryan Bantry, Ron Fierstein & Dorsey Regal, Jim Kierstead, Gregory Rae, Christina Papagjika, Elizabeth Armstrong, Theatre Producers of Color, Tom Tuft, Anastasia Muravyeva, Steve Milankov, Warren Trepp, and Jujamcyn Theaters. General management is by Foresight Theatrical with Aaron Lustbader serving as executive producer.
Brianna Stoute and Christian Douglas in Kinky Boots
Callum Francis in Kinky Boots
Callum Francis and Angels in Kinky Boots
Callum Francis and the company of Kinky Boots
Danielle Hope in Kinky Boots
Christian Douglas, Callum Francis, and the company of Kinky Boots
Company of Kinky Boots
Callum Francis and company of Kinky Boots
Christian Douglas in Kinky Boots
Callum Francis in Kinky Boots
Sean Steele and Angels in Kinky Boots
Company of Kinky Boots
