Kinky Boots Chicago previews?- Page 3

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/8/12 at 3:16pm

I have to agree with the fact that there's nothing that appealling coming to Broadway this season. Only shows I'm interested in seeing are Kinky Boots, Elf & Jekyll & Hyde.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 10/8/12 at 3:29pm

How are the costumes?

[goldenboy]

Posted: 10/8/12 at 5:10pm

I've heard the demo of this musical and all of the musical numbers seem very similar and bland with a disco beat. I'm not surprised people have criticized the score. Nothing is as good as Lauper's Girls jusgt want to have fun. I'm surprised the people like Cindy Lauper, Bono, and others likes this are writing musicals. I mean who is next.. Kathy Lee Gifford?


Oh she is? Sorry.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 10/8/12 at 5:44pm

The problem with Stark may be that Mitchell is not really an "actor's director." What he does he does excellently, but getting in the ring with an actor to explore the psychological arc and help him make interesting, compelling choices? Not so much.

Posted: 10/9/12 at 12:26am

that's strange, I heard the demo music as well, and what struck a particular chord (ha) with me, was how different each number sounded. ( i heard six or so) I also found them pretty catchy -Hence why I am so curious to see it.

I will see next week.

[greensgreens]

Posted: 10/9/12 at 2:20pm

Although Cyndi has written most of her songs, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" is not one of them. So, there's very little in the show that will ever sound like that one and probably nothing ever will. Most of her work I find to be far more creative and inventive than the true bubblegum of "Girls...". I think the poppy/dance portions of the score do, however, sound much like some of her work on "Into the Nightlife." There is one song that is a dead ringer for "Time After Time" (maybe a hint of "True Colors" in the drum patterns), but otherwise, I think the orchestration does a good job of distancing Lauper's work from her pop catalogue.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 10/9/12 at 11:12pm

I haven't seen it but was not impressed with the score from the demo.

I did not realize that Cindy did not write Girls Just Want to Have Fun.
That's her best song.

I do wish the show luck and hope I am wrong. I want Shows to do well. Its just my opinion but not a fan of what I heard of the score.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/9/12 at 11:25pm

"I think the poppy/dance portions of the score do, however, sound much like some of her work on "Into the Nightlife." "

Though dance music isn't always translated to stage musicals well, that comment has definitely peaked my interest. Great album.

[Idiot]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 1:14am

No. True Colors is her best song. It is a scientific fact.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 1:47am

I prefer She-Bop or Change of Heart from the singles of her first two albums.

For the record...

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 2:31am

What's the running time on this one so far?

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 8:32am

Where can one hear this demo?

[chewy5000]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 8:44am

Are we just referring to "Sex is in the Heel"? Cause it's a great song.

[corkystclair2]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 11:33am

Act I = 1:15
Act II = 0:50

[Jenn56]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 11:42am

i'd like to hear the demo too!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/10/12 at 3:40pm

...me three...

[DylanMark33]

Posted: 10/16/12 at 5:01pm

Saw the show on Sunday and had the best time!

I've never seen a work in progress show. But my thoughts,

Music was fantastic, I'm still singing "sex is in the heel"

Choreography was fun

Don't understand the fiance role, rather pointless, which is a shame because she sounds fantastic, just give her more to do?

Don't really understand the boxing match, I mean I get the intention of it, it just wasn't there yet, felt rushed.

I thought Stark Sands was fun! Billy Porter does steal the show, but who can compete with a fierce drag queen with a phenomenal voice?

There were some touching moments in the show as well! I went from laughing to having that warm feeling inside.

I was on the top balcony, and all of us up there were loving every second. After the 11 o'clock number sung by Billy, there was a very long applause stopping the show.
Then at the very end when Charlie shows up on the runway wearing the kinky boots, all the ladies were yelling, "COME ON CHARLIE!!! GET IT BOY!"
which was over the top for them to yell and typically I hate that, but I was enjoying myself so I didn't mind.

Just my two cents, that's probably worth a lot less than that.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 10/16/12 at 5:29pm

Saw it again this weekend since seeing final dress - definitely moving in the right direction and has a lot more focus. Overwhelming standing O.

The issues with the fiance role (not actress) the tone at the beginning of the show, some of the diction in the singing, boxing match and why is Charlie so pissed in Act 2, still needing to be worked out. I am seeing it tomorrow (Opening Night!) and looking forward to the reviews - I think it will be well received.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 10/16/12 at 10:14pm

I am excited to see this show. but I have no idea how they will market it. If Priscilla had a hard time filling seats as a jukebox musical, I can only imagine this show will fare.

It's going to be a tough sell. Even with raves.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 10/16/12 at 11:31pm

Ihink it prob will depend on reviews. That said, if it was seen that the gay/drag queen issue scared some audiences away--Boots does have a straight character (in a relationship) at the center. To also be completely stereotypical, jukebox musicals tend to attract more tourists and non theatre goers who recognize the songs or the artist and so decide to go to it--and I think put off some theatre fans, so this may attract more of that existing theatre crowd.

Or not.

Posted: 10/17/12 at 1:01am

My first real out of town show (before broadway). I'm not one for
Reviews though I will try and write one tomorrow, but from the WOM of "Matilda", I'd imagine "kinky boots" and "Matilda" are the Shows of the season.


Show is a BLAST. Music is superb. And the leads (less one) are excellent.

It's not without it's flaws, but what is? More tomorrow but wishing it luck.

Oh, and to the reviews that said stark was boring, at the end, (don't want to sPoil) the audience was eating out of the palm of his hand.

I could nit pick, but I had fun. That's what it's about.

[Zingingtobway]

Posted: 10/17/12 at 3:49am

I am not surprised that Clifton Oliver is the Standby. I saw him a few years back in a show called Wig Out at the Vineyard Theater and he was amazing. I agree that Nathan Lee Graham would have been a good choice. I also think Kwame Michael Remy would have been a great choice for the Stand-by or cover.I am so excited for this show and hopes it does well. I heard some of the score and love it.

[Zingingtobway]

Posted: 10/17/12 at 3:50am

I am not surprised that Clifton Oliver is the Standby. I saw him a few years back in a show called Wig Out at the Vineyard Theater and he was amazing. I agree that Nathan Lee Graham would have been a good choice. I also think Kwame Michael Remy would have been a great choice for the Stand-by or cover.I am so excited for this show and hopes it does well. I heard some of the score and love it.

Updated On: 10/17/12 at 03:50 AM

[Owen22]

Posted: 10/17/12 at 8:53pm

"The problem with Stark may be that Mitchell is not really an "actor's director." What he does he does excellently, but getting in the ring with an actor to explore the psychological arc and help him make interesting, compelling choices? Not so much."

THIS

[lovepuppy]

Posted: 10/18/12 at 1:32am

Saw the show tonight, and while it is not without flaws, it was pretty fantastic.

Anyone who said that Stark Sands is "bland" saw a totally different show. (Of course, a) that post was from 2 weeks ago and b) I've been a fan of Stark Sands since "Generation Kill," which was a straight acting role in which he was excellent, and I hadn't even realized he was a musical theatre actor til after that.)

He plays the straight man (literally). Perhaps compared to Billy Porter--who, when the Kinky Boots kinks get worked out and this show hits NY, will be nominated for stuff--Sands might seem "bland," but that's harsh. I agree with the poster who said that not everybody has to be a scene-stealer. And he was not lacking in the "physicality" or emotional connection with his character. Sure, it's not written with the depth of, say, a straight dramatic play, but it's not meant to. His jokes landed when they were supposed to, and he sings his heart out on "Soul of a Man." I sat in Dress Circle media seats--not too close, not too far away from the stage--and I could see the emotion in his body and his face.

Whoever said Porter, himself, was the weakest link, also saw a totally different show. He owned that show from his first entrance, had command of his zinger lines, knew where to look, raise an eye, gesture or flourish at the right times, to the desired effect...and can DANCE. The only thing I didn't like was his 11:00 number, "Hold Me in Your Heart." That is--he sang up a storm, but I was like "why is he dressed like Whitney Houston at a White House gala, in a nursing home..." Granted, the payoff was when he admitted he was there to see his ill father, whom, the character said earlier, never accepted his transvestitism. So, the inclusion of that song was a little convoluted. He had already had his establishing songs, and we already knew where his character was coming from. Maybe just...shorten it a little?

The treadmill number in the factory ("Everybody Say Yeah") was rousing for the plot in terms of getting the staff motivated, to say nothing of all the clapping and dancing in the crowd during the song. An earlier poster said they wished there was "more complicated choreography" or something, but...they were walking, dancing, moving, carrying things, and summersaulting off the treadmills. They all made it look easy, and throughout the entire number, I was thinking, "man, they must have trained for this number the hardest and longest of all." Admittedly, I wondered at one point if there would be some more stunts, too, but...hey, they were dancing on *treadmills*. So that criticism is far-fetched. It's not "Mary Poppins" (whose chimney number made me cry, with the tap-dancing on the ceiling, but maybe that's just because I used to tap dance), and doesn't need to try to be, either. I thought it was also impressive that with all the choreography of the actors, they had to choreograph the *treadmills*. There were several people up at a time, the entire cast had a turn, and the cast themselves were turning and rolling and moving the equipment WHILE singing, dancing, and strategically placed to spot those up on the treadmills. Pretty impressive.

The costumes were fab, the set was HUGE and complex, and...yeah, I didn't like the fiancee character, can't remember a bit of her song, and didn't even really like the plot point of her "boss" trying to bail Charlie out of losing the factory. Annaleigh Ashford was under-used, but she knocked her song out of the park. And though one poster mentioned that the show never put closure on their relationship, Charlie does lay a big fat kiss on her in the closing number, establishing that they do wind up together.

The finale was a big, flashy event that reminded me of "Priscilla," just good fun (even if people don't like that the factory staff showed up in the Kinky Boots. Made sense that they forgave him for being a jerk and supported him, though). That said, there was a point, mid-way through the number, where the tempo changed, or someone had some lines or something, and the momentum dropped and it felt awkward. Can't put my finger on it.

For its flaws, it can only get better before it gets to NY, and even so, it was pretty durn good. Enjoy.

Weird unrelated bonus: Tracie Thoms was in the audience; saw her in the lobby during intermission, and wound up next to her on the way out. Chatted with her for a few seconds and she was pretty nice. I wondered why she was there...if she knows Cyndi or Harvey or others related to the show? Telsey cast "RENT" and also cast this show, so I suppose it's possible. She looked great. Very tall in person. She was with a couple of guys but wasn't sure if they were friends or production colleagues.

Updated On: 10/18/12 at 01:32 AM