Show guide
Kinky Boots
"Kinky Boots" follows a struggling shoe factory owner who finds an unlikely business partner and path to survival in a drag performer named Lola.
- Broadway premiere
- 2013
- Music by
- Cyndi Lauper
- Genre
- Rock/Pop
- Setting
- 2000s
Kinky Boots: quick answers
What is Kinky Boots about?
- Charlie Price inherits his family's failing shoe factory in Northampton, England, and saves it by teaming up with drag performer Lola to make high-heeled boots, as the two men discover they have more in common than they thought.
When did Kinky Boots open on Broadway?
- Kinky Boots opened on Broadway on April 4, 2013, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre and ran for 2,507 performances, closing on April 7, 2019. It won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
What kind of musical is Kinky Boots?
- Kinky Boots is a musical comedy with an original pop score by Cyndi Lauper, her Broadway debut, and a book by Harvey Fierstein, adapted from a 2005 British film. Lauper became the first woman to win the Best Score Tony alone.
Where and when is Kinky Boots set?
- Kinky Boots is set in Northampton, England, with a climactic trip to Milan.
Has Kinky Boots played in London's West End?
- Kinky Boots played London's Adelphi Theatre from 2015 to 2019 and won three Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Best Actor for Matt Henry as Lola.
Is there a Kinky Boots movie?
- The musical is based on the 2005 British film directed by Julian Jarrold, starring Joel Edgerton as Charlie and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lola, which was inspired by a real Northamptonshire shoe factory.
The story of Kinky Boots
Set in the 2000s, the musical centers on Charlie Price, who reluctantly inherits his family's failing traditional shoe factory in England. Searching for a way to save the business, he crosses paths with Lola, a drag performer in need of sturdy, well-made boots, and the two form an unexpected partnership to design a new line of footwear for a niche the factory had never served.
As the factory retools around this new product, the story follows the friction and eventual friendship between Charlie and Lola, along with the broader workforce learning to accept a very different kind of business plan than the one they grew up with.
The music and the makers
Cyndi Lauper wrote the music and lyrics, her Broadway debut as a composer, bringing a pop and rock sensibility shaped by her own recording career. The score favors big, danceable anthems and heartfelt ballads, matching the show's message of acceptance and self-expression with an accessible, radio-friendly sound.
The songs are built to showcase both Lola's flamboyant stage numbers and Charlie's more grounded, everyman perspective, giving the score range between glittery spectacle and quieter emotional moments.
Kinky Boots on Broadway
The show opened in 2013 and quickly became a favorite for its high-energy production numbers, big-hearted message, and crowd-pleasing pop score. Its themes of tolerance and finding common ground between very different people struck a chord with audiences.
Its combination of glamorous spectacle, genuine emotion, and an underdog business story made it one of the more purely joyful hits of its Broadway season, and it has continued to be popular with touring and international productions.
Kinky Boots: frequently asked questions
When did Kinky Boots open on Broadway?
Kinky Boots opened on Broadway in 2013.
Who wrote the music for Kinky Boots?
Cyndi Lauper composed the music and lyrics.
What is Kinky Boots about?
It follows a struggling shoe factory owner who partners with a drag performer named Lola to save the family business by designing boots for a new market.
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