Musical Monday: Kinky Boots

(Originally posted on Minnesota Theater Love)

Well, I had hoped to have this written and published before I saw the show last night but... oh well.

If you haven't seen the show, there may be spoilers ahead.

Kinky Boots - what a fun score! It won a Tony award (Best Original Score written for the Theatre) and well as a Grammy award (Best Musical Theater Album). The score was written by Cyndi Lauper - both music and lyrics. In fact, she was the first (and possibly only, so far) solo woman composer to win the Tony for best score.

So, lets start. The first track is actually the first scene in the show - setting up all the main characters via their relationship to shoes. It does start with the "Price and Sons" jingle, which is really charming. That theme moves right into "The Most Beautiful Thing In The World." As I stated, this number really sets up the night. Musically it is very "musical theatre" with a really nice build as it adds characters and chorus. If you know the show, then you know the next number "Take What You Got" is the only song that Harry sings on. It is a nice folky-pop song that helps show the situation Charlie (Stark Sands) finds himself in. It is a good character introduction song - but not as good as "Land of Lola."

This is an introduction to Lola, the other lead. Billy Porter's voice is perfect for this role. It is clear what sort of person his character is, and it is clear why he won the Tony award in 2013. This number is certainly a pop song, which fits the plot perfectly. It shows the world that Lola is coming from, and the excitement of the drag world, the pizzaz, the glitter and the glam.

There are two times in the show where Charlie has a soliloquy that goes right into a new song. In the first case, he is questioning himself and his motivations but realizes that he needs to take "Step One." Lola and her Angels (other girls from the club she stars at) come in to talk about high-heel stilettos in a fantastic, upbeat number "Sex Is In The Heel." It is also during this number that the Charlie and his factory folk realize how to solve the problem of creating stilettos that will hold a man's weight. It is also the first time that you get a hint that Lauren (factory worker) may have a crush on Charlie (her boss). Lauren also realizes this and sings about it in "The History of Wrong Guys." This role is played by Annaleigh Ashford and is perfectly brilliant and funny in a way that only Annaleigh can be. It is a great up-beat number and when seen on stage is hilarious (especially as performed by Lindsay Nicole Chambers on the tour).

Lola comes in and has the first ballad of the night - "Not My Father's Son." It is gorgeous and moving and Billy Porter nails it. And Act One ends with a rousing full cast number called "Everybody Say Yeah." The boots are being made and things are looking up!

Act Two starts with trouble. One of the factory workers is not alright with Lola being who she is and thus is born a fantastic tango number "What a Woman Wants" featuring Lola, Don and the women of the factory. Lola and Don make a deal that Don will tell Lola what she needs to do to be a "real man", and in return Lola will tell Don the same. Don tells Lola that she needs to be in a boxing match - not knowing that Lola's father was a boxer and Lola is professionally trained. That challenge leads into "In This Corner" - another fun visual number on stage.

Tensions rise as the factory workers, Charlie and Lola try to get ready for a shoe show in Milan. Words are said and Charlie is left alone to reprise his "Soliloquy" going right into "Soul of a Man." Lola also has another moment to shine in the ballad named "Hold Me in Your Heart" - a gorgeous, moving soul song. And with this being a musical, it ends with another big rousing number "Raise You Up / Just Be." Billy Porter takes the lead vocals again and ends the show in the only way I can think of it ending.

Having seen the show on tour recently, I know that the CD is a great companion if you have seen it. However I also listened to this numerous times without knowing what was happening on stage. It is a great cast recording and the leads are magnificent. Personally I am a fan of Billy Porter so you may want to take this with a single piece of salt :-)