'Kinky Boots,' Cyndi Lauper’s Tony Award-winning musical arrives in NE Ohio

Staff report

CLEVELAND

Cyndi Lauper has made a career about of being so unusual.

Exactly 30 years after Lauper won a Grammy Award for her debut album, “She’s So Unusual,” the talented songwriter returned to the same theme of not judging people who are different with the musical “Kinky Boots.” She ended up winning the Tony Award for Best Score.

The production, which won a total of six Tonys, including Best Musical — makes its Northeast Ohio debut Tuesday through April 19 at Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace.

The plot — inspired by true events — revolves around a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton, where Charlie Price is watching his family business falter while dealing with his father’s high expectations.

When Lola, a cabaret performer and drag queen, arrives in Price’s life searching for sturdy stilettos, nothing is the same again.

For Lauper, an Emmy Award-winning actress who has appeared on Broadway, the notion of writing “Kinky Boots” with Tony Award-winning Harvey Fierstein was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

“‘Kinky Boots’ is a great story,” wrote Lauper via email last year. “One of Broadway’s greatest gifts, Harvey Fierstein, wrote the book. One of Broadway’s great directors [Jerry Mitchell,] who happens to be a world-class choreographer, directed and choreographed the show. And I wrote the songs. How lucky was I to make my Broadway debut with these great creative

geniuses?”

IF YOU GO

What: “Kinky Boots”

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and April 14, 15, 16 and 17; 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and April 18; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday and April 19.

Where: Connor Palace, 1615

Euclid Ave., Cleveland

Tickets: $30 to $100; call 216-241-6000 or 866-546-1353, or go to PlayhouseSquare.org

Also: Aug. 4-9 at Benedum

Center, Pittsburgh; trustarts.org for information

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com