Photo by Sean Williams

Mr. Porter and Mr. Sands were hugely important and integral factors for Kinky Boots becoming such a global success and the opportunities to see beloved original cast members return to their iconic roles are sadly rare on the Great White Way, so if you want to relive the glory or you missed them the first time around and are wondering what the fuss was all about, then why not head down to the "Land of Lola" and find out for yourselves?

The success of Kinky Boots has been phenomenal. With the dream team of director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell, songwriter Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein, the show garnered a total of six Tony Awards and a Grammy, whilst the West End production picked up three Olivier Awards, winning "Best New Musical" on both sides of the Atlantic. So why exactly is the musical still so popular? Well, I believe the story's central, universal themes have a lot to do with it...

All of us want to feel acceptance in life, whether that comes from our parents, our partners, our peers or in the workplace. The show's principal characters cover all those bases, so it is more than likely that an audience member will identify with at least one of them. I would wager that a large portion of the musical's fans truly empathise with Lola/Simon's tear-jerking ballad "Not My Father's Son," which tells the history of Simon's upbringing and his struggle of choosing between the man his father wanted him to be and his true self, which would undoubtedly cause a rift in their relationship. This moment in the show alone is reason enough to make sure you witness Kinky Boots in person.

Another reason to buy a ticket is to see a talented bunch of "ladies" strutting their stuff in six-inch heels to Jerry Mitchell's Tony-winning choreography. These six guys aka Lola's Angels are the unsung heroes of this piece. Every time you feel that the pace is in danger of dropping, snap! Here they come, delivering the wow-factor. My hat also goes off to the fantastic costume design by Gregg Barnes for kitting them out in the most colourful and outlandish gear.

So, treat yourselves to a loud and emotional night out at the Al Hirschfeld theatre with the show's original stars, Billy Porter and Stark Sands, and "Just Be"...

Click here for tickets to Kinky Boots for performances through to August 27, 2017, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

- by Tom Millward