On Theater: ‘Boots’ walk tall at Segerstrom
With a title like “Kinky Boots,” theatergoers might expect the latest musical tenant of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts to possess a bit more style than substance. That would be a big mistake.
To be sure, “Kinky Boots” has plenty of flashy visual elements. But this story of a young man who inherits his father’s old and financially troubled shoe factory and turns it into a producer of exotic footwear comes with a surprising layer of depth and conscience-probing reality.
It also showcases a pair of the most commanding voices exhibited at the Center this season — those of Steven Booth as the novice factory boss and Kyle Taylor Parker as a flamboyant drag queen who inspires the manufacturing makeover.
Booth, as a sort of young, white everyman thrust into a world he sought to escape, grows markedly in his role, taking on a responsibility he never wanted and virtually willing himself to succeed. His second act solo, “Soul of a Man,” reverberates through the auditorium with the fervent passion of a Don Quixote singing “The Impossible Dream.”
Conversely, Parker conquers virtually two characters — the dynamic drag queen Lola and the sensitive young man, known as Simon, underneath all the glitz and glitter. His fervent message — accepting people the way they are — underscores his performance in both characterizations, and he too amazes with his vocal dominance.
Late in its first act, “Kinky Boots” throws the audience a resounding curve when a petite young blonde from the chorus plunges unexpectedly into the spotlight and steals the show for about five minutes before fading back into the ensemble. Lindsay Nicole Chambers takes the proceedings by storm, leaving playgoers yearning for more, which they eventually receive after intermission.
There’s also another surprise element when the wispy Simon, a trained pugilist, and the plant bully, a hulking Joe Coots, face off in a boxing match, which actually becomes a clash of lifestyles. Don’t assume you know how this scene is going to turn out.
Grace Stockdale as Booth’s lady love and Craig Waletzko as the company’s harried bookkeeper lend solid support, as does Anne Tolpegin as a fashion show stage manager in Italy.
The production matches polar opposites — the working-class Britons and the flamboyant “Angels,” led by their inimitable queen bee Parker — in a production that successfully puts the Harvey Fierstein book and Cyndi Lauper’s Tony-winning music and lyrics at odds. Both emerge victorious.
Director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell — whose choreography for the Broadway original won him a Tony award — has assembled a superior ensemble for this high-kicking touring production. David Rockwell’s scenic design rotates splendidly between the gray factory atmosphere and the over-the-top world of drag queens.
“Kinky Boots” radiates with vintage issues portrayed in a new, stridently harsh light with show-stopping vocal performances and a commanding musical score. It’s a showbiz banquet served up with both style and substance.
TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot.
If You Go
What: “Kinky Boots”
Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays until Jan. 11
Cost: Starts at $29
Information: (714) 556-2787 or https://www.scfta.org
