Kinky Boots Pulls Out All the Stops at
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Kinky Boots
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
Jordan Wright
July 29, 2025
Special to The Zebra
Cast of Kinky Boots at The Little Theatre of Alexandria. (Photo/Matt Liptak)
In this warm-hearted story of tolerance, love and self-acceptance, Lola (Clayton Alex James), is a Black drag performer. Together with her chorus line of queens dubbed ‘The Angels’ they perform in a drag club on the seamier side of London. When, in a stroke of fate, she meets Charlie (Matthew Rubin), the reluctant scion of Price & Sons, a fourth-generation shoe factory in the hinterlands of England. Lola schools him in ‘dragdom’ and what it means to be absolutely fabulous in six-inch high-heeled boots. When Lola tells Charlie the challenge of strutting her stuff in ladies’ boots, ill-designed to support the weight of a man, Charlie becomes sympathetic to her plight and seizes on the idea of making flashy boots with 6-inch heels.
Intrigued by Lola, soubriquet “Kinky”, and the idea of making boots for a new niche market, he offers her the job of Head Designer at his factory. Unfortunately, the factory is run by a crew of narrow-minded blue-collar workers. Lola, bullied by the male workers tries to fit in by wearing suits to work instead of her sexy outfits – a transition that falls flat. Hoping to present Lola’s racy designs at the pinnacle of shoe shows in Milan, the female workers, who are enamored of Lola’s sassiness and feminine chutzpah, get on board. Macho man Don (Dino Vergura) the floor manager and George (Michael Blinde) the firm’s accountant are reluctant to veer from their standard men’s shoe line. And therein lies the conundrum.
Keenan Parker (Lauren), Carla Wheaden (Pat), Maia Potok-Holmes (Ensemble), David Reph, (Ensemble), Clayton Alex James (Lola), Matthew Rubin (Charlie), Cara Stankewick (Ensemble), Maria Ciarrocchi (Trish), Karen Toth (Ensemble), Cooper Sved (Harry/Ensemble). (Photo/Matt Liptak)
James is fierce and fabulous with a leggy Amazonian frame that complements his versatile voice, especially in the solo “Hold Me in Your Heart”, a show-stopping performance tinged with raw emotion. His duet with Kaplan in “Not My Father’s Son” is especially tender. And should you ever question what drives men wild, Lola (aka Simon) sets us straight in “Sex Is in the Heel”, adding, “Red is for sex, and sex shouldn’t be comfy.” Throw in a slew of sexy gams and plenty of flashy dancing and you’ve got a winner.
Contrary to what you may imagine, the romance in Playwright Harvey Fierstein’s six-time Tony Award winning musical is not between Charlie and Lola, but with Charlie’s fiancée, Nicola (Sophie Page), who has grander ideas for their future turning the factory into condominiums and one of his employees Lauren (Keenan Parker) who believes in his dreams. Guess who wins out.
Through it all, pop diva Cyndi Lauper’s show-your-true-colors, 16-number score is as sustaining as a hummingbird’s heartbeat and her emotionally stirring ballads and electrifying show tunes add up to a night of crazy, hilarious theatre. Fun for all, especially, according to Lola for, “Ladies and Gentlemen, and those who have yet to make up their minds.”
Cast of Kinky Boots. (Photo/Matt Liptak)
Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper; Book by Harvey Fierstein; Orchestrations and additional arrangements by Stephen Oremus; Written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth; Directed by Kevin Stockwell; Choreography by Michael Page; Costume Design by Jean Schlichting and Kit Sibley; Scenic Design by Julie Fischer; Lighting Design by JK Lighting (Jeff Auerbach and Kimberly Crago); Music Director and Conductor, Aimee Faulkner with a 10-piece orchestra; Dance Captain, Maia Potok-Holmes; Sound Design by Alan Wray; Hair and Makeup Design by Jennifer Finn.
With The Angels – Marc Barbet, David Maeng, Danny Seal and Tyler Ward; Maria Ciarrocchi as Trish; Josh Katz as Simon, Sr./Ensemble; Zuri Luis as Young Simon/Young Lola; Brian Lyons-Burke as Price, Sr./Homeless Man; Maia Potok-Holmes as Milan Stage Manager/Ensemble/Featured Dancer/Dance Captain; David Reph Ensemble; Cara Stankewick Ensemble/Featured Dancer; Cooper Sved as Harry/Ensemble; Karen Toth Ensemble/Featured Dancer; Carla Wheaden as Pat.
Through August 16th at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. For tickets and information call the box office at 703.683.0496 or visit www.TheLittleTheatre.com.