KINKY BOOTS

A shoemaker saves the family business with the help of a drag queen in this Broadway hit with a soundtrack by Cyndi Lauper.

1 Jumping in with Both Feet Kinky Boots tells the story of a reluctant shoemaker who saves the failing family business by deciding to cater to transvestites. The musical is based on the 2005 movie of the same name, which in turn found its story in an episode of BBC’s documentary show Trouble at the Top. That episode detailed the story of a Northamptonshire shoe factory which found new life and a niche market when shoemaker Steve Pateman received a call from a fetish-shoe shop owner, who asked him if his factory could manufacture ladies’ shoes in men’s sizes.

2 Not all endings are happy Unfortunately, the shoe sales weren’t enough to save the factory, which closed in 2000. Pateman, who was involved in the making of and had a cameo in the film, is now a full-time firefighter. 3 A new type of fun Cyndi Lauper wrote the music and lyrics, and Harvey Fierstein (who also wrote Newsies) wrote the book. Though her musical chops weren’t yet Broadway-tested, Lauper was a big fan, having grown up listening to her mom’s collection of cast albums from My Fair Lady, South Pacific and West Side Story. 4 Second Chance Avenue Kinky Boots is Lauper’s debut as a Broadway composer, but it’s not her first show on the Great White Way. She played Jenny in the 2006 Broadway revival of Threepenny Opera, which was panned by critics. “Ouch! Broadway’s new Threepenny Opera hurts—the eyes, the brain, and, at close to three hours, the ass,” wrote Rob Kendt for Broadway.com.

5 Don’t miss the message The story of Kinky Boots focuses on Charlie, who is forced to take over the shoe factory after his father dies, and Lola, the drag queen who helps him design women’s shoes for men. Lola was disowned by her father; Charlie’s father is disappointed with his son for not taking over the factory. “There are those who walk out and go, ‘That was a nice show with a really sweet message at the end,’” Fierstein told the Sydney Morning Herald. “It’s not. It’s about healing the wounds from your parents.” —Jon Roe