"Everybody say yeah!" to the current Kinky Boots cast
It's been nearly four years since Kinky Boots surprised us with its pre-Broadway engagement at that theater on Monroe Street. Well enough received here at the time, it opened in NYC the following spring and went on to win many of the important Tonys (Musical, Score, Choreography, Leading Actor) and enter the annals of long-running hits. It was back again last summer so we could see what was changed between Chicago and Broadway and, while I missed that engagement, I was happy for the chance to catch up with it during this very brief six-day engagement at the Oriental Theatre that closes this Sunday. I'm happy to agree with others before me that the changes strengthened what was already an entertaining show into an even better, and more durable show. More newsworthy though, may be that this tour, wrapping up its second year on the road (having opened 2 years ago in Las Vegas), is in great shape and is delivering the goods
The current Lola - the drag queen who inspires Charlie Price to save his failing family shoe factory by converting its product line from men's dress shoes to high heeled boots for cross-dressing men - is J. Harrison Ghee, the role's understudy during the tour's first year. Ghee is every bit as entertaining as was the estimable Billy Porter, who originated the role here and went on to win a Tony for it. Ghee has the vocal chops. His 11:00 number "Hold Me in Your Heart" could compete with performances by any of the R&B divas out there, and gives the character the underlying strength Harvey Fierstein wrote for Lola (and Fierstein is a man who knows drag queens who are strong men). Without diminishing the character, though, the writers and director/choreographer in their rewrites brought more balance between Lola and Charlie, and Ghee should be praised for not upstaging Adam Kaplan's Charlie. Seeing the tryout production, I felt Charlie's character was insufficiently developed, given that Charlie's journey is really what the story is about. He has to learn to make decisions and become a leader, and though he's generally accepting of cross-dressers and gays, deals with a level of deep-seated prejudice he may not have completely understood. That and lose a fiancée who is so much less right for him than the loyal employee Lauren (Tiffany Engen). Charlie has more dialogue and musical material now to flesh out his journey and it gives the audience an underdog they can root for. Kaplan makes a charming Charlie, and he can sing and move through Mitchell's sexy and spirited dances.
There are two other reasons to catch this tour. The first is the quirky comic performance by Engen as Lauren, the unlucky-in-love (until the finale) girl with "The History of Wrong Guys" (one of Cyndi Lauper's stronger numbers for the show). She's sweet, just a little goofy, and shows all the marks of a sold comic actress. The other - a special bonus for those with memories of TV sitcoms from long ago - is Jim J. Bullockas the factory manager George. The one-time Monroe Ficus of Ted Knight's series Too Close for Comfort, Hollywood Squares regular and co-host of The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show has been doing stage work in recent years. He uses some of his trademark prissiness judiciously and to good effect as the agreeable manager who becomes enthusiastic about the new business strategy.
With David Rockwell's clever set that captures both the grittiness of a northern England factory and the brightly lit Milan fashion runway where the line of kinky boots is unveiled and Gregg Barnes' imaginative costumes that range from factory worker grunge to over-the-top drag wear (if that's even possible), Kinky Boots delivers the whole package of feel-good fun.
Kinky Boots continues through September 4th at the Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph (map), with performances Tuesday-Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday 2pm & 8pm, Sunday 2pm. Tickets are $25-$98, and are available by phone (800-775-2000) or online through Ticketmaster.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com ). More information at BroadwayInChicago.com. (Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes, includes an intermission)
J. Harrison Ghee (Lola), Adam Kaplan (Charlie), Tiffany Engen (Lauren), Aaron Walpole (Don), Charissa Hogeland (Nicola), Jim J. Bullock (George), Tom Souhrada (Mr. Price, ensemble), Aidan Passaro, Harrison Wright (alternating as young Charlie), Jayden Brown, Jhazz Fleming (alternating as young Lola), David Jennings (Simon Sr., ensemble), (Pat, ensemble), (Harry, ensemble), Joseph Anthony Byrd, Sam Dowling , Ian Gallagher Fitzgerald, JP Qualters , Xavier Reyes, Sam Rohloff (angels, ensemble), Tami Dahbura (Trish, ensemble), Ciaran McCarthy (Richard Bailey, ensemble), Annie Edgerton (Milan Stage Manager, ensemble), Ashley Moniz , Casi Riegle, Andrew Scanlon, (ensemble), Meryn Beckett, Alex Dreschke , Ellen Marlow , Maggie McDowell , Michael Milkanin (swings), E. Clayton Cornelious (Lola standby)
Ryan Fielding Garrett (conductor, keyboard 1), Roberto Sinha (asst. conductor, keyboard 2), Oscar Bautista, Doug Quinn (guitars), Sherisse Rogers (bass), Jeff Roberts (drums), Garrett Hack (reeds), Jason Mellow (violin, viola), Doug Michels (trumpet)
behind the scenes
Jerry Mitchell (director, choreographer), David Rockwell (scenic design), Gregg Barnes (costume design), Kenneth Posner (lighting design), John Shivers (sound design), Josh Marquette (hair design), Randy Houston Mercer (makeup design), Telsey + Company , Justin Huff (casting), DB Bonds (associate director), Rusty Mowery (associate choreographer), Ryan Fielding Garrett (musical direction), Stephen Oremus (musical supervision, arrangements and orchestrations), Gregory R. Covert (production stage manager). Kate McDoniel (stage manager), Amber Dickerson (asst. stage manager), Randy Cohen (synthesizer programmer), Michael Keller (music coordinator), Michael Aarons (asst. music coordinator), Emily Grishman (music copying, music preparation), Katharine Edmonds (music preparation), Sammy Merendino (electronic drum programmer), Chris Danner (company manager), Theatersmith Associates (technical supervisor), Kathy Fabian (props supervisor), Michael Milkanin (dance captain), Amy Jo Jackson (dialect coach), , Just For Laughs Theatricals , Judith Ann Abrams , Jane Bergere , , Jujamcyn Theaters , others (producers), Matthew Murphy (photographer)
Tags: 16-0835, Aaron Walpole, Adam Kaplan, Aidan Passaro, Alex Dreschke, Amber Dickerson, Amy Jo Jackson, Andrew Scanlon, Annie Edgerton, Ashley Moniz, BB Group, Billy Porter, Broadway in Chicago, Casi Riegle, Charissa Hogeland, Chicago musical theater, Chicago Theater, Chris Danner, Ciaran McCarthy, Cyndi Lauper, Daryl Roth, David Jennings, David Rockwell, DB Bonds, Doug Michels, Doug Quinn, E. Clayton Cornelious, Ellen Marlow, Emily Grishman, Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Garrett Hack, Gregg Barnes, Gregory R. Covert, Harrison Wright, Ian Gallagher Fitzgerald, J. Harrison Ghee, Jane Bergere, Jason Mellow, Jayden Brown, Jeff Roberts, Jerry Mitchell, Jhazz Fleming, Jim J. Bullock, John Olson, John Shivers, Joseph Anthony Byrd, Josh Marquette, Josh Tolle, JP Qualters, Judith Ann Abrams, Jujamcyn Theaters, Just For Laughs Theatricals, Justin Huff, Kate McDoniel, Katharine Edmonds, Kathy Fabian, Kenneth Posner, Maggie McDowell, Matthew Murphy, Meryn Beckett, Michael Aarons, Michael Keller, Michael Milkanin, Oriental Theatre, Oscar Bautista, Patty Lohr, post, Randy Cohen, Randy Houston Mercer, Roberto Sinha, Rusty Mowery, Ryan Fielding Garrett, Sam Dowling, Sam Rohloff, Sam Zeller, Sammy Merendino, Sherisse Rogers, Stephen Oremus, Tami Dahbura, Telsey + Company, Theatersmith Associates, Tiffany Engen, Tom Souhrada, Xavier Reyes
Category: 2016 Reviews, Broadway in Chicago, John Olson, Musical, National Tours, Oriental Theatre (Ford), Video, YouTube
