Kinky Boots – An anticipated production, everyone dancing in thigh high boots, good food and a great experience

We must have seen the non-musical film Kinky Boots some time in 2005 at the Grand Cinema in downtown Tacoma and enjoyed the story. Chiwetel Ejiofor played the part of Lola. We didn’t recognize him eight years later when he won the Academy Award for his portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave. Peg and I thought no more about it for several years. Both films are available via imdb.com.

However, in 2018 we caught an episode of The Graham Norton Show, one of our favorite show hosts from the U.K. Graham had guests each week. Sometimes we knew who the guests were and sometimes we didn’t but they almost always connected and were interesting. This particular night Cindi Lauper was a guest and sang a song that just reached through the TV airways and touched our hearts. With a pianist at a grand piano, bare feet and glowing candles she sang I’m Not My Father’s Son from the musical Kinky Boots. She wrote the music and the lyrics. 

I’m Not My Father’s Son on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/1z-nlHV2TgI

Shortly after seeing Cindi on TV we bought a big screen TV for our bedroom and signed up for several movie and entertainment providers. One of them was BroadwayHD, which recorded numerous Broadway shows for viewing on TV. Mostly what I was looking for was my favorite musical, She Loves Me, which was based on the classic black and white comedy starring Jimmy Stewart and Maureen O’Sullivan: The Shop Around the Corner. Shop was redone later as In the Good Old Summertime starring Van Johnson and Judy Garland, and then again as You’ve Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. 

All three non-musical films are available on IMDB, but our favorite is still the 1940’s version – imdb.com/title/tt0033045

Peg and I loved the Broadway (TV) version of She Loves Me starring Zachary Levi and Laura Benanti. We watched it numerous times and finally we saw the musical performed live at the Village in Issaquah with our daughter-in-law, her parents and family. It was mostly non-dancing except for two songs. We enjoyed the production. Unfortunately IMDB doesn’t have a preview of the TV version.

Then one glorious night I saw that Kinky Boots was finally being offered on BroadwayHD. I don’t know how many times we watched the TV version of Kinky Boots. Kinky Boots was funny, sad, and had great songs, different from She Loves Me, but lots of dancing.

Here is the official Kinky Boots trailer – imdb.com/video/vi2155593497

Then last year we saw the list of the new season of musicals at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. The final production was Kinky Boots in July of 2022. We were thrilled. We didn’t see the opening Friday night production, but we had tickets for the Saturday matinee. Peg and I had comp seats in the front row and purchased ten more for family. We were front row center and everyone loved the production. Then we had dinner on our deck and talked, laughed, and shared. 

Not My Father’s Son from Broadway on YouTube.

We also put together a group of friends for a theater party, mostly past Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8. Our tickets were for the hottest day in July. The coolness of the theatre was a welcome treat but two women in summer dresses were chilled. Our tickets for were for the 2:00 PM showing. Everyone one in our group loved the production. Afterwards, we drove three blocks to the Fuzion Cafe, where we had reservations. We weren’t sure what time the play would actually be over, but Fuzion accommodated us.

Let me tell you a cold beer had never gone down so well. We laughed and shared our favorite scenes and songs from the musical. We all had our favorite s, but the big finale included all of the cast dancing on stage in a pair of thigh high boots. Everyone shared which ones they liked the best. Don (Erik Furuheim), the factory cynic, is a hefty man. He was dancing right up there with all the others, wearing a red pair. Quite the construction in those shoes.

Fuzion was prepared for drinks and excellent food. They even let us all order off the menu. We have a new favorite restaurant . . . especially after seeing a musical at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. – thefuzioncafe.com