A kinky review: a look at the award-winning “Kinky Boots”
KEVIN KARN
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
@kkarn7
Kyle Taylor Parker, as Lola, delivers an emotional, powerful performance in “Kinky Boots.”
“You can change the world if you change your mind.”
Sung by the character Don during the closing number of Broadway hit, “Kinky Boots,” the message reverberates throughout the entire play. Acceptance lies at its heart: acceptance of yourself, acceptance of your circumstances and, above all, acceptance of others.
Charlie, played by Steven Booth, learns the lesson the hard way after unexpectedly inheriting his father’s failing shoe factory. Unable to come up with a way to save the business, Charlie has an unexpected encounter with Lola, a drag queen played by Kyle Taylor Parker. Lola suggests that males need stronger, less delicate heels when performing onstage, which sparks an idea in Charlie’s mind. However, he and his employees must learn that if they want to commit to making flashy, high heels for men, they must first be open and accepting to Lola and his ideas.
Parker’s portrayal of Lola steals the show from the minute he steps onto the stage, strutting out in a flashy red dress while belting out his introduction number, “Land of Lola.” His captivating stage presence makes it where the spotlight might as well be on him the entire time.
Hassan Khalil, a junior at the University of San Diego, believes Parker deserves all the credit he gets for an unbelievable performance.
“Every moment Lola was onstage you felt an unavoidable energy in the theater,” Khalil said. “The power of Lola’s voice left me with goosebumps.”
Parker’s voice is on full display when he delivers the most touching and emotional moment of the play with his rendition of the song, “Not my Father’s Son.” The song explains Lola’s struggles with living up to the expectations of his father, something that he and Charlie have both struggled with their entire life. It is a call to overcome the outside pressures in one’s life and be the person that you were meant to be, disregarding any possibility of disappointing others.
Khalil summarizes the impact of Parker’s portrayal of Lola in a statement that again speaks to the overall message and theme of the play.
“Parker delivers a performance for the ages with a character that represents the beauty of individuality,” Khalil said.
The ability to move seamlessly between such deep, emotional scenes, and the signature Broadway musical spectacles are what brings the audience to their feet in this play. There is even one song where there are moving conveyor belts on wheels with actors and singers dancing on the moving treadmills. This show has it all. From fantastic acting to incredible singing, it offers something for any fan and leaves everyone in the audience uplifted, inspired and ready to see it again.