Roth and Luftig To Produce Kinky Boots on Broadway?

Reuters is reporting that the popular British comedy feature "Kinky Boots" could be Broadway Bound. The rights have apparently been acquired by Daryl Roth (August: Osage County) and Hal Luftig (Movin' Out) who want to turn it into a musical. Jerry Mitchell of Legally Blonde fame is rumored to be in line to direct.

"Kinky Boots is a 2005 Golden Globe Award-nominated British comedy film about a traditional Northampton shoemaker, based in Earls Barton, who turns to producing fetish footwear in order to save the ailing family business and the jobs of his workers. The film is based on the story of Divine, which was featured in an episode of the BBC documentary series Trouble at the Top.

It features Charlie Price, who is trying to save the family business and travels to London to get ideas. In a fluke encounter he meets sassy drag queen performer Lola, the alter ego of Simon, and sees the possible market of shoes for male transvestites. With the styling eye of Lola, Charlie leads the traditional shoe factory to design and produce numerous shoes for the catwalk in Milan, Italy," describe press notes.

The film is not a musical, but does contain musical numbers that will be expanded for the Broadway production.

Roth has apparently had her eye on the film since she saw it at Sundance in 2006. She's been branching out with film/theater adaptations including recently acquiring the rights to adapt the Off-Broadway show Apologize, Apologize for the big screen.

Mr. Mitchell has also had experience in the stage to film and back again arena. He has choreographed Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hairspray and The Full Monty.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.