Kinky Boots: Billy Porter returns as Lola tonight
Tony Award winner Billy Porter steps back into Lola's famous red boots tonight in the 2013 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Kinky Boots at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
He assumes the role from the current star of the show's National Tour Kyle Taylor Parker, who has been filling in for Porter on Broadway for the past three months. Mr. Parker now re-joins the tour and continues in the role of Lola.
Producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig released the following statement:
"We are so grateful to Kyle Taylor Parker for lending his talent to our Broadway production, and filling those Kinky Boots so wonderfully. We can't wait for him to continue to kick up his heels across the country!"Both Porter and Parker are scheduled to switch productions again in August 2015, when the tour rolls into Porter's home town of Pittsburgh. Porter will then once again re-join the Broadway production, to which he is contracted through January 2016.
Kinky Boots, features a book by Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy), with music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning artist Cyndi Lauper. The Broadway production officially opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on 4 April 2013, following previews from 3 March, and is currently booking through to 6 September 2015.
The musical, directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell, opened to mostly positive reviews: You are smothered in a good time (newyorktheatreguide.com); A shameless emotional button pusher (NY Times); A high time (NY Daily News); Blissfully entertaining (NY1).
Synopsis: "In Kinky Boots, Charlie Price is forced to step in and save his family's shoe factory in Northern England following the sudden death of his father. Help comes from the unlikeliest angel, a fabulous drag performer named Lola. Together, this improbable duo revitalizes the failing business, while stepping out from their fathers' shadows and transforming an entire community through the power of acceptance."
Kinky Boots is based on the 2005 British comedy movie of the same name, written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth.
The principal cast currently features Andy Kelso (Charlie Price), Billy Porter (Lola), Jeanna de Waal (Lauren), Cortney Wolfson (Nicola), Daniel Stewart Sherman (Don), and Marcus Neville (George).
The production was nominated for a total of 13 Tony Awards, of which it won six: Best Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Billy Porter), Best Original Score (Cyndi Lauper), Best Choreography (Jerry Mitchell), Best Orchestrations (Stephen Oremus); and Best Sound Design (John Shivers).
The musical is being produced by Daryl Roth and Hal Luftigm and features sets by David Rockwell, costumes by Gregg Barnes, lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by John Shivers (Sound Design).
Billy Porter (Lola) in Kinky Boots More Production PhotosOriginally published on