KINKY BOOTS A musical in 2 Acts: music and lyrics - Cyndi Lauper; book by Harvey Fierstein based on the film of the same name Al Hirschfeld Theatre - 4th April, 2013 (previewsfrom 3rd March, 2013 SYNOPSIS Kinky Boots follows Charlie Price, a young man from Northern England who takes over a struggling family shoemaking business after the death of his father. In his attempts to save the shoe factory, he discovers an unlikely hero in a drag performer named Lola. What results is an engaging, big-hearted spectacle full of dancing, singing and laughs. STORY Prologue Don enters talking on his cell phone. He notices the audience; he tells his friend on the phone that he has to go to work so he has to turn off his phone, no texting, no vibrating, nothing. He looks pointedly at the audience, then enters the factory. ACT I In the Price & Son Shoes factory, workers praise the product they are making (“Price & Son Theme”). Mr. Price enters with his 7-year old son, Charlie. He explains to Charlie that the most beautiful thing in the world is a shoe; Charlie is not convinced. Meanwhile, a young Lola, also a 7-year old boy, tries on a pair of red, high-heeled shoes. He dances in a reverie towards the heels, but then his father, Simon Sr. appears, and yells at him to take the shoes off. Time shifts forward as adult Charlie finds his fiancé Nicola admiring a very expensive pair of shoes. She tells him that before they get married, he needs to buy her these shoes for their new life in London. As Charlie leaves for London, his dad disapproves, saying he belongs at the factory. Everyone around him sings about their love of shoes, but Charlie does not get it, they’re just shoes (“The Most Beautiful Thing in the World”). In London, Nicola is excited to start their new careers, but Charlie is just happy to not be making shoes. Suddenly, Charlie gets a phone call that his father has died. The factory workers mourn Mr. Price’s passing (“Price & Son Theme – Funereal”). George, the factory manager, assumes Charlie will take over for his father, but Charlie has no such intention. He gives a half-hearted speech to the factory employees. Pat, the office manager tells Charlie to come quick – the entire spring shoe order has been returned. The factory is clearly in trouble, and Charlie is expected to step up, but he doesn’t want to and he wouldn’t know where to start. George mentions that Charlie’s father had a plan, but rushes off without further details. In a local pub Charlie watches his old friend Harry play in a band. After the set, Charlie and Harry drink. Harry explains that he is able to survive his life as a discount shoe salesman by having other things in his life. Charlie begs Harry to buy his overstock. Eventually Harry agrees, but not before telling Charlie that this is a temporary solution, he has to figure out what he’s going to do with the failing factory now that his father is gone (“Take What You Got”). After leaving the pub, Charlie sees a woman being attacked by hooligans. He rushes to her aid, but she doesn’t need much defense – she accidentally knocks Charlie out in the process of fending off her assailants. Charlie wakes up backstage at the Blue Angel Club where the woman, Lola, is actually a cross-dressing man, and the star act. She invites Charlie, and everyone else, to leave his expectations behind (“Land of Lola”).
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