#kinkybootsonbroadway

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Kinky Boots - Tuesday Night Date Night

One that that was very difficult before we were empty nesters was spontaneously going on a date any time we wanted. At first, it was because we were still college students and had very little money that period of time also overlapped with both of us having jobs requiring evenings, weekends and unpredictable hours. Once the girls arrived, money was still tight, but there was also the issue of scheduling babysitters, extra-curricular activities, and just generally being exhausted. 

I am happy to report that neither of us having any intention of persuing an advanced degree, having any more children. We are now both in jobs that are as typically 9-5 as you can get in 2018 and, while not rolling in cash, we are comfortable enough to splurge on a show, or a meal out on occasion. 

Kinky Boots has been on my MUST SEE list for years. Everything worked together this past week for us to get a chance to go see it. I’m so happy we did, because I started hearing (after we purchased our tickets) that it is leaving in April! Greg is a member of TDF which offers discount tickets at times. He saw this pop up on the list and we decided to go. 

The Hirschfeld Theater is a beautiful (albeit without much leg room) old theater. There is some interesting frieze work and stained glass in the bathroom area. 

At first all I noticed was the stained glass, but then I got to looking at the figures underneath. There isn’t much about this online when I decided to dig a little deeper. Here is a link about some of the history of the building and the shows that have played there. 

Now let’s talk about the show. I had seen the movie on Amazon and I have listened to the soundtrack many times on Spotify so I was prepared and excited for what I was about to see and hear. It is, in my opinion, impossible to really know a show or appreciate it until the point at which you see it live. Everything creates an energy and a mood that you just will never get with film. This cast was absolutely freaking amazing! I was a little disappointed that Mark Ballas had left the previous weekend after a few months of playing Charlie. All disappointment vanished with the performance by Conor Maynard. He WAS Charlie Price. He moved me to tears, laughter, thoughtfulness, and back to laughter and tears again with his portrayal of a man struggling to know himself and to accept others. Wow, don’t we all struggle with not only what are personal desires are, but what our family and friends expect of us as well? 

He, along with most of the rest of the cast were also very kind in taking time after a long, hard night of work to stop by the stage door line to sign autographs and take some photos. 

When we received our programs we discovered that Stephane Duret would be playing the role of Lola instead of J. Harrison Ghee. Now, I mean no disrespect to Mr. Ghee because he has been in Kinky Boots for a while, but if I had not read the insert in the program prior to the show I would have had zero idea that we were seeing the understudy. Stephane’s performance was above superb. i told him as he was signing my program that I had wanted to see this show for ever and he exceeded my every expectation of how much I was going to enjoy it! That was not a lie. I hope he has a long future on Broadway (this play is his debut) and I intend to follow him and see more of what he is in. 

Lest I forget the women in the play, Caroline Bowman (Nicola) and Carrie St. Louis (Lauren) rocked the house. I know I am using too many superlatives in this post, but WOW just WOW. I can’t find my School of Rock program right this minute. It is still packed from the move this summer, but I am almost certain Carrie St Louis was in School of Rock when Hannah and I attended that show. I kept feeling all evening like I had seen her before but I couldn’t place her. That is a great credit to an actress in my opinion because she played the characters equally well but gave them their own....well... character. I will have to dig it out and find out if I am right. In any case, I would love to see her and Caroline Bowman in whatever they are doing after Kinky Boots. 

Now, about the show. I’m sure if you know nothing about it you have made a rash judgment based on the title alone. Yes, there are drag queens in the show. In fact, any time the Angels were on stage dancing they stole the show. The dance on the conveyor belts was amazing! But the whole point of the show is an important life lesson we all need to learn, relearn, practice, teach and learn again. In fact, here is Lola’s Six Step Programme: 

1. Pursue the Truth 2. Learn Something New 3. Accept Yourself and You’ll Accept Others Too 4. Let Love Shine 5. Let Pride Be Your Guide 6. You Change the World When You Change Your Mind! 

Read them, recite them, live them! Seriously, there is so much hate in the news right now. There is so much happening that is humanly hateful and wrong. Being in a theater full of people who were embracing these tenets, singing, clapping, laughing, crying, dancing together gave me just a few hours of rest, relaxation and hope for better days. 

I often get frustrated that there isn’t more I can do personally to change the oceans of hate and terrible treatment of others that I hear about daily. But you know what? Those six statements above? I can do that! 

Thanks Kinky Boots! You made a mid-week date night great!