Mary Lich

Footlite gets ‘Kinky’ in the best way

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

With among its many lessons that you should be willing to pull together to try something wild with great potential, the all-volunteer cast and crew of Footlite Musicals present the fun and funny hit, “Kinky Boots.”

With book by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein and songs by equally iconic Cyndi Lauper (making her the first woman to win a Tony for solo songwriting), the 2013 Broadway musical is adapted from the 2005 British film of the same name, in turn inspired by a true story from the 1990s. Set in that 20-ish year ago era in Northampton, England, a man who has inherited a failing shoe factory seeks to save it by filling an unmet need – sturdy but sexy boots for drag queens.

Charlie Price (Alexander Bast) had planned to move to London and take a lucrative marketing job alongside his fiancé Nicola (Nicole Sherlock) but is called back home when his father (Ted Jacobs) passes away. The shoes are well-made, but in a highly competitive market, nobody seems to want them. While seeking to strike a deal with a family friend (Derek Savick-Hesser) Charlie encounters Lola (Kevin Bell), the drag queen star of her own show. He notices her stilettos won’t hold up a man’s body and, after Price & Sons employee Lauren (Mara Fowler) – who secretly has a crush on him – suggests he find “an underserved niche market” to stay in business, gets the idea to make what will be known as Kinky Boots.

Reactions are mixed at the factory, though most buy in as the alternative is unemployment. Factory manager George (Ryan Bridges) is eager and creates a steel-reinforced heel. Foreman Don (Drew Kempin) considers himself a “man’s man” and openly mocks Lola, who is brought on board as designer. In three weeks, there will be a major fashion show in Milan that will make or break the enterprise, as well as the people involved.

We also meet, in the opening number, Charlie and Simon (who will become Lola) as boys, played by Sam Houghland and Ryan Thomas, respectively, as well as Simon’s disapproving father (Jerry Davis).  The cast includes Shari Jacobs, Awbrey Brosseit, Jessica Hackenberg, Logan Laflin, Louis Soria, Ruby Waliser, Jennifer Zotz, and Tom Zotz, who also cameos as Richard, Nicola’s boss.

Lola is backed by her cloud of fabulous Angels, performed by drag artists Conner Becker-Chamberlin, a/k/a Darcy Sparks; Leon Benbow-Blomberg / Miss Dominixxx; Caleb Francis / Penny Loafers; Cameron Grant / Anita Richard; Shawn Hunt / Artemis Da Goddess; Dalen Jordan / Donleigh Delights; Paige Penry / Bella DeBall; and Kenan Tinnin / Body Miss Morphia.

Joyfully directed by Jerry Beasley, we get a (much-needed these days) uplifting story of grit and acceptance. The characters are fairly complex – not just the obvious multitudes in Lola, brought out in glorious voice and expression by Bell. Bast gives us a Charlie who is well-meaning, sometimes off-base, yet easy to root for. Kempin’s Don is mostly bluster, a bloke who literally gets sense knocked into him. Sherlock plays Nicola as one who feels certain of her direction, coming to learn that Charlie doesn’t see success her way. Fowler makes her regular young woman Lauren, who goes from slinging shoes on a factory floor to being “executized” to help make the new line,   appropriately adorable.

Among the volunteers putting this spectacle together are set designers Ted Jacobs and Mary Lich, choreographer Thomas Mason, vocal director Ben Rose, and stage manager Melissa Yurechko. Costumer for the queens is Angel Olivera, assisted by Katie Van Den Heuvel and Michael Morrow. Jeremy Kaylor leads the orchestra.

EDITED TO ADD: Beasley messaged me this – “I would like to add that Claire Olvey Slaven also costumed The Angels as well as assistant directed, and Ben Jones created their hair and makeup look! The Price & Son workers costumes were designed by Edith Burton-Bandy.”

As a counter to current controversies, we get a reminder that for its community Drag is not just a lifestyle, but an essential part of life. Let the spirit of “Kinky Boots” raise you up, and remember: “You can change the world, when you change your mind.”

Performances are Thursdays through Sundays through May 18 at Footlite Musicals, 1847 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis. Get tickets (which have been selling fast) at footlite.org.

Footlite: Say ‘Hello’ to a familiar show

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

There’s a good chance that nearly everyone who reads this has seen at least one version of “Hello, Dolly!”

If you haven’t, there is a dandy production at Footlite Musicals through Oct. 8. If you have, this is still worth your while, especially with Georgeanna Teipen firmly in charge as master matchmaker Mrs. Dolly Levi.

Directed by Kayvon and Erin Emtiaz, this classic musical (book by Michael Stewart, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman) takes us back to New York around the turn of the 20th century, when a dollar could get you a modest night on the town. We meet the widow Dolly at the peak of her powers, arranging a match for “half-a-million-aire” Horace Vandergelder (Darrin Gowan) of Yonkers. She also needs to arrange nuptials between Horace’s emotional niece Ermengarde (Lindsey Schaecher) and the young artist Ambrose Kemper (Thomas Zotz), over her uncle’s objections.

For Dolly to corner Horace for herself, she needs an alternative for Mrs. Irene Molloy (Heather Hansen), which fate provides in the persons of Vandergelder’s wayward employees Cornelius Hackl (Joseph Burke) and Barnaby Tucker (Cordale Hankins). At Molloy’s hat shop, Irene and her assistant Minnie Fay (Bailey Rae Harmon) meet the young men in a most bizarre fashion.

All this leads to everybody – as well as Dan Miller as the charming Ernestina Money – at dinner in the Harmonia Gardens restaurant, complete with the big production number this show is famous for, with Jerry Beasley as the head waiter.

The production goes big with 18 additional human actors in the chorus, plus Sully Emtiaz making his doggy debut. The big orchestra, conducted by Jill Stewart, takes up much of the backstage, allowing the pit to be completely covered for more room to dance.

Set design by Mary “ML” Lich includes a clever split-level stage that helps with Cornelius and Barnaby needing to be in the basement of Vandergelder’s Feed Store, and (literally) adds dimension to other scenes.

Wrangling all this is stage manager Melissa Yurechko.

Teipen and Gowan are stage veterans at the top of their game. Hansen and Harmon are up to the task as well, exhibiting a charm more streetwise than sophisticated, making their pairing with the Yonkers lads believable. Burke is impressive as the likable rube on his first day in the big city. Hankins is a glorious bundle of naïve energy.

From cheerful beginning to happy ending, “Dolly” makes for a nice evening (or Sunday afternoon) of theatre. Performances run through Oct. 8 at 1847 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis. Get info and tickets at Footlite.org.