About a year ago, Tesseract Theatre Company announced the production of its first musical and, with it, a risk that pushed the company’s growth. The first two musicals it produced were small, intimate shows. Its current production, a big, bold staging of Kinky Boots by Harvey Fierstein with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, has the company striding confidently into the musical theater genre. And audiences have been packing the Grandel Theater with good reason: The show is a blast, filled with authentic warmth and unbridled jubilation. If you have or can get tickets to one of the remaining performances, you’re in for a feel good, dance-in-your-seats treat.
All his life, Charlie Price has been itching to get far away from North Hampton and his family’s shoe factory. At least, that’s what he thought and what his fiancée Nicola has always encouraged and insisted. When his father dies unexpectedly, leaving the factory to Charlie, he’s finally forced to figure out what he really wants. Dwindling sales, increasing returns and order cancellations lead Charlie to think it’s time to close up shop — until a challenge from factory worker Lauren and a chance encounter with Lola, a London-based drag performer, inspire Charlie to save the company by shaking up their production line.
Expertly directed by Taylor Gruenloh with smart music direction by Nicolas Valdez and inventive choreography by Maggie Nold, every aspect of the show is designed to highlight the strengths of the performers while emphasizing storytelling. My major criticism is that the theater’s technical capabilities need upgrading to improve the experience for the performers and audience, particularly the sound system.
Kelvin Urday is a sympathetic and likable everyman as Charlie. He has a pleasant voice and a tendency to let others tell him what to do. His growth and change is gratifying and emphasized by the increasing vocal power in his songs. Chelsie Johnson brings a fabulous voice and snobbish attitude to the role of Nicola; she’s nicely countered by the open, friendly approach and equally compelling voice of Kaitlin Gant as Lauren. Kent Coffel, Marshall Jennings, Carrie Wenos, Loren Goudreau, Aaron Tucker, Jr. and Corrinna Redford provide solid support as the ensemble, and Asher Woodward and Mark Ambrose Hill charm as Young Charlie and Young Lola.
Without a doubt, however, Tiélere Cheatem, as Lola, is the star of the show, with Lola’s chorus of Angels — Mike Hodges, Todd Garten, Dylan Stanley, Ronnie Wingbermuehle, Jordan Woods and Nick Zobrist — circling in their constellation. Cheatem and the Angels provide drag show style, choreography and enthusiasm that brings down the house. Cheatem is infectiously incandescent, lighting up the stage in big numbers like “Sex Is in the Heel” and “What a Woman Wants” and emanating warmth and a deep emotional connection with Urday in the beautifully moving “I’m Not My Father’s Son.” The affirming and crowd-pleasing “Raise You Up / Just Be” closes the show by inviting the audience to dance along in a musical hug of shared acceptance and joy.
Kinky Boots is composed by Cyndi Lauper and written by Harvey Fierstein. It is directed by Taylor Gruenlo and Nicolas Valdez is the music director. Maggie Nold is the choreographer. It is presented by the Tesseract Theatre Company at the Grandel Theatre (3610 Grandel Square) through August 27. Tickets are $25 to $45 on metrotix.com.
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