Tony Award-winning Best Musical ‘Kinky Boots’ to make Eisenhower debut April 9–10
The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State will present the Troika Entertainment production of “Kinky Boots,” the smash-hit musical that brings together the talents of four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein and Grammy Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper, for two performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, April 9 and 10, in Eisenhower Auditorium.
The winner of six 2013 Tonys, including Best Musical, “Kinky Boots” features a Tony-winning score by Lauper, a book by Fierstein, and direction and choreography by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell.
Purchase section one and two tickets, which are $68 and $59 for an adult, $50 and $41 for a University Park student. A grant from the University Park Student Fee Board makes Penn State student prices possible.
Inspired by true events, “Kinky Boots” takes audiences from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton, England, to the glamorous catwalks of Milan, Italy. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.
Watch a preview of “Kinky Boots.”
Read an interview with Lauper.
“Kinky Boots” continues playing on stages around the globe and is represented with a Broadway production in its sixth year, a London production in its fourth year (having won the 2016 Olivier Award for Best Musical), a United Kingdom tour, a North American tour in its fifth year and a Japanese production returning to Tokyo and Osaka for a second season this spring.
Previous international productions include a German production, a Korean production that completed a third season last spring, an extended run in Toronto (winner of the Dora Award for Best Musical) and an Australian production. The Grammy-winning original Broadway cast recording of is available on Sony Masterworks Broadway.
The national tour of “Kinky Boots” is produced by Troika Entertainment. The creative team includes Tony winners David Rockwell (scenic design), Gregg Barnes (costume design), Kenneth Posner (lighting design), and John Shivers (sound design); Josh Marquette (hair design); Brian Strumwasser (make-up design); Joy Dewing Casting and Wojcik|Seay Casting (casting); DB Bonds (associate director); and Rusty Mowery (associate choreographer). “Kinky Boots” features musical supervision by Roberto Sinha, and arrangements and orchestrations by Tony and Grammy winner Stephen Oremus.
Audio description, which is especially helpful to patrons with sight loss, is available for the Wednesday, April 10, performance at no extra cost to ticket holders. Reservations are required by Wednesday, March 27. To reserve the service, phone 814-238-0132.
Artistic Viewpoints, an informal moderated discussion featuring “Kinky Boots” cast members, is offered one hour before each performance and is free for ticket holders. Andrew Poston (Richard Bailey and ensemble) and Kelsee Sweigard (Pat and ensemble) are scheduled to speak April 9, while James May (George) and Andrew Malone (Simon Sr. and ensemble) are scheduled for April 10. Artistic Viewpoints regularly fills to capacity, so seating is available on a first-arrival basis.
Tire Town, Mimi Barash Coppersmith, Steve and Sandy Elbin, and Jeane and Richard Singer sponsor the presentation.
This show is part of the Center for the Performing Arts Diversity and Inclusion Collaborative. Penn State’s Equal Opportunity Planning Committee provides lead funding for the collaborative. Sandra Zaremba and Richard Brown provide support.