By ALAN SMASON, WYES-TV Theatre Critic (“Steppin’ Out“)
It wasn’t that long ago when theaters were shuttered and charges were leveled at many theatrical institutions for a perceived lack of equity, diversity and inclusivity. While much work still remains to be done in that area, Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts has taken a bold step with its hiring of Donald Jones, Jr. to direct its current production of Kinky Boots.
It’s not just that Jones is the first person of color to direct a major Rivertown Theaters production or that he is an established choreographer with impressive New York credentials (he was an original cast member of Disney’s Frozen). It’s also the nature of the book’s unusual, non-traditional material and the impressive casting that sets this production apart. Admittedly, while casting is part of the discretion of the director, the company’s co-artistic directors – Kelly Fouchi and Gary Rucker (Theatre 13) – deserve to be credited for making this important affiliation happen.
The dance sequences imagined by Jones and executed by the cast set a very high bar. In the pivotal role of Lola, Jones cast Joshua Abbott, an actor who had just completed the role with another company in his native Florida. Abbott took charge, establishing his stage presence early on, but in many of the scenes Jones added additional supportive choreography not indicated in the original book for the group of four “Angels,” the retinue that follows the redoubtable Lola.
The four Angels are represented by three men – Joshua Bell, Franky Canga and Jacob Taylor Starks – and one woman, Violet Keller. Together they make grand entrances for Lola and reinforce a persona who has found happiness in living life out loud. This is who Lola is and the Angels celebrate that choice.
The other lead of Charlie Price is played by Justice Hues, who identifies with they/them pronouns. Although the brilliant book by Harvey Fierstein is designed to give equal prominence to both Charlie and Lola, their performance does not rise to the same charismatic level as that of Lola in this production.
Both Charlie and Lola have difficulties in living their lives while trying to make their respective fathers proud of them. Charlie is attempting to flee Northampton and the family shoe factory, Price and Son. He is not interested in taking over the business and tries to convince his father, played quite well by Louis Dudoussat, that tanning and shoe leather are not in his future. Instead, he wishes to find life with Nicola, played by a very energetic Madeleine Bourgeois, a girlfriend with a definite plan that involves the two of them sharing a flat in London and working in marketing.
With the unexpected departure of Mr. Price, Charlie is called back to Northampton to deal with the factory workers, whose income and lives now depend upon him. A chance encounter is London brings Charlie together with Lola, who is first seen as Simon, a boy who enjoys wearing women’s shoes. In spectacular fashion (pun intended), the two set about repurposing the shoe factory into making boots with sexy heels and extra support for men who wish to express their feminine side.
Cindy Lauper’s fun and expressive music and lyrics carry the musical along with songs like “The Land of Lola” establishing the live-out-loud and proud nature of Lola and the Angels. The idea of changing the factory’s traditional purpose of manufacturing male shoes into a niche market of laced-up, sexy knee-high boots is told in her songs “This Is Step One” and “Sex Is in the Heel,” respectively sung by Charlie and the cast and Lola with her Angels and the ensemble.
But not all of the work’s major selections are big, bold and brassy numbers. In fact, several of the ballads sung by Lola/Simon are quite moving. These include “Hold Me in Your Arms,” a song in which Lola asks for acceptance and “I’m Not My Father’s Son” (with some work by Hues as Charlie), where they express misgivings about their relationships with their fathers.
Among the factory workers who are resistant to change is Don, played by Michael John Smith. Don challenges Lola due to his macho image of himself in the second act’s “What a Woman Wants” and a literal match between the two is waged in “In This Corner.” It is established early on that Lola has been trained as a boxer. So, when Smith’s bulky Don meets the swift and stinging Simon (Lola’s alter ego) in the ring, the two have a reckoning that affects the remainder of the work. Smith is a fabulous foil to Abbott’s Lola.
Anna Marie Shaw, as Lauren, Charlie’s executive secretary, is also quite funny in her rendition of a woman who always makes wrong choices with men. Secretly pining for Charlie, she expresses her bad luck in “The History of Wrong Guys.” As a fellow line worker trying to keep Price and Son alive, she leads a notable ensemble that includes versatile female performers like newcomer Samantha Rohr and veteran performer Chelle Duke along with Kelli Hebert as Pat and Joy Bosley as Trish.
Male ensemble members Addison Henson, Barry Acosta and Rusty Fox also do a fine job in the first act closer “Everybody Say Yeah” and the extended finale of “Raise You Up/Just Be.” Character actors Earl Scioneaux, Jr. as Richard and a variety of supporting roles and Destin Bass as George do outstanding work in support.
Laurin Hart’s wig and makeup designs are superlative. Karl Harrod added his direction to the musical track, which is a monumental effort. The outstanding costume designs consisted of a number that were rented for the production, but Daniel Rigamer is also credited with creating specific original designs, too.
Based on an independent British movie of the same title and inspired by a true story, Kinky Boots won Best Musical and six other Tony Awards in 2013 including Best Score for Lauper, Best Choreography for original director Jerry Mitchell and Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Billy Porter.
Kinky Boots finishes its run this weekend at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts, 325 Minor Street in Kenner, with very limited available ticket sales. For tickets, click here or call 504-461-9475,
