Whoever knows me, knows that one of my favorite musicals of all time and one of my dream shows to be in is Kinky Boots. I've been lucky enough to see the show four times so far of three different productions. My first time seeing Kinky Boots was a few years ago. I went and saw the national tour, starring Kyle Taylor Parker as Lola! Then, last summer, I was in London for my birthday and got to see it on the West End! Now, I live in New York City and have been lucky enough to see the Broadway production two times so far, which was starring Todrick Hall as Lola!
The first time I saw the show on the national tour, I remember having a terrible week and even crying before I got to the theatre because of how upset I had been the whole week. But let me tell you, when I walked out of that theatre, I was the happiest I had ever been in a while and actually was hopeful for things in my life. I fell in love with the story, the music, the choreography, and everything else about it.
The iconic music from the show, written by Cyndi Lauper, I just couldn't get enough of. The show is full of high energy songs and slow tear jerking songs also. Iconic uptempo songs that Lola sings like "Land of Lola" and "Sex is in the Heel" will get you up and dancing and feeling good about yourself. Then there are the iconic slow tear jerker songs that Lola sings such as "Not My Fathers Son" and "Hold Me In Your Heart". If you are human, chances are you will cry at these two songs. Other songs that will get you up and moving are songs like "Everybody Say Yeah" and "Raise You Up/Just Be". I don't think that, out of my four times seeing the show, that there hasn't been a time where the audience was not standing up, dancing, clapping, and screaming at the end of the show during "Raise You Up/Just Be". The energy of the music and show is infectious!
The first time I saw Kinky Boots, a lot was not going my way in life. I was severely depressed, didn't see a future, was failing a lot of my academic classes, felt really lonely, and so much more. Going to see the show couldn't have come at a better time. I went in to the theatre depressed. However, while I was watching the show, it was the first time in a very long time that I didn't feel lonely, misunderstood, depressed, or just bad in general. I then walked out of that theatre determined to make my life what I want it to be and pursue my dreams and everything I wanted. Most of all as the lyrics say "Just be. Who you wanna be. Never let em tell you who you ought to be. Just be. With dignity. Celebrate yourself triumphantly." Although this might sound corny, those lyrics, along with the show, really did make me want to be who I wanted to be and not what other people wanted me to be. The show gave me happiness, confidence, determination, self respect, and so much more that I don't know how else I could have learnt and gotten those things. That is just one reason why I have seen the show over and over again and why I will keep going back to see the show as many times as I can and why I want to be in that show.
This show really did change my life and how I live. It teaches acceptance, love, and so much more. It really did save me as I'm sure it has and does save many other people. One of my hopes is to one day be in this show for many reasons, one of them being to be able to give back what I got from the show. I want to touch the audience's lives just as it did and does when I am in the audience watching the show. I really can't explain how thankful I am for this show.
If you have not seen this show please do go see it if you get the chance! You will be amazed and it will definitely not disappoint. Listen to the full cast album! Anything you can just to get a taste of the show, I highly recommend!
Thank you Kinky Boots for saving me and changing my life for the better. I could go on and on, however I feel words can only say and mean so much. I will keep coming back to see the show. And hopefully one day, I will be on the stage performing this show and giving back what I got from the one and only Kinky Boots.
