KINKY BOOTS Opens At The Carnegie In Covington June 30

This summer, The Carnegie invites audiences to the “Land of Lola” with its production of KINKY BOOTS. Performances run June 30 through August 19, 2023. 

KINKY BOOTS, the winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is a huge-hearted, high-heeled hit featuring music and lyrics by pop legend Cyndi Lauper. Factory owner Charlie is struggling to save his business when he meets Lola, a drag queen with a wildly exciting idea that just might save the day. Inspired by true events, KINKY BOOTS tells the story of a mismatched pair of friends who together learn that sometimes, the best way to fit in… is to stand out! 

Director Lindsey Augusta Mercer returns to The Carnegie after previously helming an acclaimed production of THE LAST FIVE YEARS in 2016. Julia Schick supplies high-energy choreography and Steve Goers is the production's music director. Popular Cincinnati drag queen, Kora Sline, will ensure the cast is runway ready as the drag consultant and wig and makeup designer. 

 “KINKY BOOTS offers a path forward that embraces our differences to build a brighter future. It celebrates the transformative power of drag: the gift of seeing the world not just as it is but as it might be,” said Director of Theatre, Tyler Gabbard. “I can't imagine a better team to bring this bold vison to life at The Carnegie.” 

New Orleans-based actor and Cincinnati native Montez O. Jenkins Copeland returns home to star as Lola/Simon, a London drag queen in need of a quick fix for a broken boot. University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) student Tomi Newman plays Charlie Price. Also joining the cast are Sujaya Sunkara (Nicola), Monique Churchill (Lauren), Jathan Briscoe (Don), Andres Martinez (George), Dylan Van Camp (Mr. Price), Kyle Taylor (Harry), Regan Utrup (Pat), Caroline Bowers (Trish), and Eliza Levy (Marge). The Angels, Lola's fellow drag queens, are played by Kyle Angel, Anthony Contreras, Anderson Rothwell, and Zach Van Camp. 

Rounding out the creative team are Tyler Gabbard (scenic designer), Erin Donnelly (costume designer), Alaina Pizzoferrato (lighting designer), and Avery Reynolds (sound designer). Diane Senffner is the dialect coach and Carissa Gandenberger is the production stage manager. 

Tickets to KINKY BOOTS may be purchased by calling (859) 957-1940 or by visiting thecarnegie.com.  

The Carnegie season continues this summer with LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL and GUYS AND DOLLS: 

LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL is a riveting portrait of Billie Holiday and the songs that made her famous. In a captivating evening of story and song, audiences will be transported to the gritty Philadelphia bar where the legendary jazz singer gave one of her final public performances in 1959. The hard-hitting musical chronicles the singer's life story and celebrates the music she gave the world including “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” and “Ain't Nobody's Business if I Do.” 

LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL runs July 15 – August 20, 2023. Tickets may be purchased by calling (859) 957-1940 or by visiting thecarnegie.com. 

GUYS AND DOLLS, A Musical Fable of Broadway is musical theatre at its show-stopping best! Hailed by many as the perfect musical comedy, this colorful classic follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers and showgirls in a wild game of chance and love. Set in bustling 1950s Manhattan, GUYS AND DOLLS features some of the most memorable showtunes of all time, including “Luck Be a Lady,” “I've Never Been in Love Before,” and the irrepressible anthem “Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat.”