By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com
It's all about the boots in "Kinky Boots"
The A-Team has landed at Centennial Hall with a sweeping production of “Kinky Boots,” presented by Broadway in Tucson. Sweeping, as in sweeping you off your feet and the thigh-high boots you walked in on.
All the voices are strong, the choreography is crisp with lots of high kicks and crossed legs, the songs by Cyndi Lauper pull you right in, the book by Harvey Fierstein has lots of room for defiant activist statements and tender moments of sweet romance.
Especially appreciated by me is the tight pit orchestra that adds tons of joy and heaps of extra butter to the rhythmic musical arrangements.
The opening night audience practically became as entertaining as the performers. Many members used the occasion to make their own uniquely provocative fashion statements, strolling about before the show and during intermission.
As the elaborate plot of “Kinky Boots,” adapted from an indie film released in 2005, wound its way through a string of problems and resolutions, many in the audience were quick to respond with their own cheers and sighs and mid-conversation applause as the scenes unfolded.
The whole evening was energized far beyond a typical opening night at Centennial Hall. These people came out to celebrate – and they surely did.
Getting the lion's share of attention onstage is lean and supple Timothy Ware as smart and sassy Lola, with a wardrobe to match. Ware was the Lola standby in the Broadway production and learned his lessons well.
His performance has enough bite to down the whole Big Apple. Out here in Tucson his defiant attitude filled the stage, the hall and who knows how many of those eager hearts in the audience.
The secondary lead, Curt Hansen, also has Broadway experience on his resume. Hansen plays Charlie Price, an Englishman who takes over the struggling Price shoe company, and then takes Lola's advice to start making stiletto heeled footwear to fit man-sized feet.
Charlie is the straight man, the square guy, the fish-out-of-water who nonetheless gets so charmed by Lola that Charlie finally takes the dive into styling the hottest high heeled boots on the planet that are also available in a size 12.
This season is almost over for Broadway in Tucson, and “Kinky Boots” stands at the top of the lineup. Everything on stage is vigor-filled. As for the audience, well, be sure to go early because the people-watching will be equally good.
Performances run through Sunday at various times in Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd., on the University of Arizona campus. Tickets are $29-$100. For details and reservations, broadwayintucson.com
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