boots musical broadway musical music lyrics tony emmy grammy winner book tony winner based film inspired true events musical tells story shoe factory father save business charlie forms unlikely partnership performer drag queen help charlie develops plan produce line high boots process discover different following conception creative team assembled original production premiered chicago october direction choreography starring charlie respectively broadway debut theatre april following previews began march musical began tour having received theatre critics box office initially broadway production boots entered awards season month opening surpassed rival audiences weekly box office gross later enjoyed boost advance sales production earned season high nominations tony wins including outing broadway songwriter making woman win category musical cast album premiered number billboard cast albums chart number billboard chart won awards including background creation based british film turn inspired episode documentary television series trouble followed true story struggling save family run shoe factory closure decided produce men brand divine producer saw film film festival fell love heart soul felt themes thought story potential source material musical independently saw film london agreed heart humanity bigger life leading lady translate musical theatre year secured rights adapt film stage partnered tony producer discussions potential director found writers sent mitchell dvd film enthusiastic hired mitchell direct write book mitchell knew friends thought good team create musical agreed eventually approached write songs saw adaptation opportunity work big musical range somebody write club music tunes joined creative team june project album working began work marked debut musical theatre songwriter theatrical experience having performed broadway roundabout production prior experiences works drag queens said identifies drag queens gained previous critical acclaim honors respective fields won acting writing awards acting tony writing book chart topping singer songwriter actress won grammy emmy awards songs performances noted change focus film saving factory musical include drag queens singing pass assembly line said main difference musical core young men come seemingly opposite worlds figure lot common beginning need stand inspirations ranged listening child parents recordings west story musical inspirations diverse aaron spring pop singer broadcast interview new_york_times said adapting film stressed themes community father son bond vehicles explore issues tolerance self acceptance given reading october actively engaged material cast began readings january announced month cast starring roles august producers announced broadway opening date april synopsis act grows fourth generation son family business shoe factory young boy growing london fascinated shoes charlie bored case pair red women heels attracted attention strict father years pass charlie father aging hopes charlie factory charlie eager london status conscious fiancée pursue career real estate beautiful thing charlie barely new flat london father dies suddenly charlie home funeral finds factory near bankruptcy factory makes good quality men shoes stylish cheap market drying charlie determined save factory father legacy desire run workers known charlie entire life understand charlie moved away place hostile skeptical new management returning london charlie meets friend fellow shoe salesman harry pub ask help factory harry offer temporary solution advises charlie fight inevitable got leaving pub charlie witnesses woman knocked unconscious comes nightclub woman attempted rescue revealed club drag queen performs backup troupe drag dancers angels land ordeal dressing room uncomfortable charlie notices performers high boots designed hold man weight explains expensive unreliable essential drag act charlie returns factory begins reluctantly laying workers women assembly line explodes charlie given notice tells struggling shoe factories survived entering niche market gives charlie idea land reprise invites come factory help design women boot comfortable man charlie step angels arrive factory immediately charlie design boot quickly getting women factory draws quick design boot explaining important factor far sex appeal sex heel george factory manager realizes way design practical impressed charlie begs stay prestigious milan weeks time design new line boots save factory reluctant receiving comments factory workers charlie praise finally agrees charlie announces factory moving ahead production boots thanks giving idea offers promotion accepts horrified thrilled realize falling history wrong guys day shows men clothes mocked don friends upset takes refuge bathroom charlie attempts comfort explains father trained boxer showed match drag discover similarly complex feelings fathers introduces birth simon father son arrives london presents charlie plan factory boss drawn closing converting charlie refuses shocked discover father agreed plan died presumably charlie run refuses sell soon workers celebrating pair boots finished everybody yeah act factory workers enthusiastic radical change product line especially intimidating don feel enlisting help female factory workers prove closer woman ideal man don woman wants presents don unique better man thing don don thing don challenge fight boxing match pub charlie remembering background horrified easily scores don ring ultimately lets don win match corner private don asks let win replies cruel don mates gives challenge accept charlie pouring money factory ensure ready time milan getting frantic product right angrily forcing staff considers work arrives fed charlie obsession factory breaks making decisions production preparations consulting charlie discovers decided angels wear boots runway hiring professional models overwhelmed charlie workers storms factory workers home charlie struggles weight father legacy means man soul man finds charlie tells come factory revealed don persuaded workers return work sacrifice week pay ensure boots finished time milan charlie grateful asks don paid accepting explains person don accepted charlie heads airport milan charlie leaves heartfelt apology performs act nursing home home town leaves stage speaks wheelchair bound father dying home reaches sense closure hold heart charlie arrive milan models charlie forced walk runway thrilled dedication history wrong guys reprise threatens disaster lost angels arrive save day charlie share kiss company celebrates success raise music effort writing stage found required sustained effort write songs different characters joked difficulty writing score stretch write songs fashion funny relationships people changing minds shoes song wrote opening number included wide range voices process conceive song sing iphone write blow vocal line harmonies create incidental music linked scenes songs material songs range style pop funk new wave highly personal lyrics new_york_times critic wrote plenty numbers emotional heart ballads weight parental expectations musical uses piece orchestra consisting keyboards percussion bass guitars violin viola cello trumpet musical numbers musical numbers broadway production follows song included original broadway cast album musical numbers chicago production follows principal roles original casts broadway replacements replaced january replaced march replaced march temporarily replaced june september returned role october temporarily replaced june october replaced simon november final performance march assumed role march shannon replaced july replace august return role august production history chicago broadway february chicago_tribune reported producers considering taking advantage incentive program town broadway shows october pre broadway chicago announced february june chicago cast announced production rehearsed new 42nd street studios new_york_city september began pre broadway run chicago october continued november directed choreographed mitchell scenic design costumes lighting sound music director director design team gained previous critical acclaim theatre music awards mitchell won tony award revival barnes won nominated theatre awards mitchell previously collaborated legally blonde mitchell told new_york_times everybody yeah scene cast celebrates creation pair choreographed celebration belts required repeated innovations adjustments like eventual addition safety rails actor controls apparatus designer commented uncommon repeat choreographer set designer collaborations result intriguing innovation like belt dance scene boots impressed series belts came apart moved fit context story order choreography troupe men inch heels respect belts said creating series surprises kind wild actually looks dangerous thrilling combinations stage design choreography recall team went work adding new musical number charlie second song drag club removing song book broadway debut started previews march official opening april chicago original broadway casts starred charlie porter particular singled critical praise new_york_times noted season new broadway musicals inspired movies books paper found timely treatment problems paralleled time production including chronic unemployment financial distress collapse manufacturing prior june trailed box office competitor advance sales month opening surpassed rival weekly box office gross won season high including day sold million tickets advance ticket sales future dates hot weeks following tony wins popular beginning july special ticket lottery system created fans camping outside theatre set new box office record theatre million relatively quick weeks performances faster big budget musical recent history october boots second highest premium price tickets broadway book february grossed million november members cast performed finale nationally televised thanksgiving day parade viewers commented opinion performance inappropriate family program responded inclusion parade reflected decreasing prejudice increased tolerance lgbt people society august performance marked broadway performance production toronto toronto original cast led charlie began rehearsals broadway creative team began previews june opening night coming june critical acclaim initially planned run june september canadian cast beginning july run extended november run later extended january march finally final theatre closed major renovation west end january revealed mitchell planning west end production negotiating secure theatre february confirmed musical begin previews theatre london august official opening night coming september tickets went sale march april confirmed play charlie respectively cast members including don george west end production london mobile operation set neighborhood took effort remove production west end broadway production august booking extended february october booking extended booking extended september january april extended january productions national tour began smith center performing arts las_vegas september role set played porter took week broadway production perform national tour visited home town pittsburgh august august center south korean production planned run december february art hall seoul melbourne production set open october casting expected announced cast include london production charlie joining don george open season scandinavian premiere boots september 3rd sung swedish critical reaction october chicago opening chicago_tribune critic described warm likable sentimental big hearted scaled production reviewer praised score book direction particularly porter suggesting opening broadway use effective opening number better pacing act romance charlie needs lead words clear crowd favorite musical broadway debut received mixed positive reviews awarded critic pick designation new_york_times included entertainment_weekly magazine list new_york_times gave warm review calling inspired comparing work successful recent broadway musicals like choreographed mitchell set hard times british factory town jobs jeopardy spirits need lifting like queen desert presents drag queens official spirit like musical production resembles tone finding passion overcoming prejudice stereotypes wrote heat seeking score trademark mix costumes boots courtesy big red scene praised raise best curtain numbers stop beat sent audiences dancing theater extend praise script writing sticky comes second half clichés stand naked theatre critic called model modern major musical associated_press termed big sweet love story sons families red patent leather thank goodness spins theatrical magic noted second half completely unnecessary english accents relentless entertainment_weekly said infectious score cause celebration new_york_post washington_post variety gave favorable reviews los_angeles_times theater critic criticized mistakes score establishes line saying heart right place adding weren cheesy commercial mess actually fun new_york_daily_news wrote script issues like pair shoes don fit mitchell production moves split porter force nature added surprising fun score fancy proves real star writing guardian noted decision use american actors adaptation maintained setting resulted terms accents wall_street_journal gave negative review calling imitation heart warming british working class musical gay angle ending alert kind musical dialogue half beat ahead actors score sounds like forgotten 80s review said lacks dramatic commitment false steps tedious calling dull synthetic broadway gave negative review village_voice new_york nbc turned lukewarm reviews began united_states national tour garnered positive reviews democrat chronicle funny uplifting appeal lots ladies gentleman mind offered praise entire triple threat ensemble republic countered despite fiery sex heel boots surprisingly short sex appeal troupe drag queens called angels don appeal earlier hit cage cbs minnesota summed loud proud tubular sensation toronto canada opened june critical acclaim globe_and_mail writing inspired terrific splendid fun excellent canadian cast tour force wrote boots spectacular celebration song dance comedy got enjoy summer cue dancing street said best inventive musical seen ages ingenious funny stated complete triumph best musicals seen crazy good london production received london evening standard writing thigh limit high kicking london musical calling glorious high kicking adding energy infectious time london called dazzling sassy uplifting explaining high kicks moments feel digital_spy proclaimed hilarious hell lot fun offering special praise star truly steals utterly commanding role instantly root awards nominations pre award season favorite season progressed clear revival provide competition early awards season receiving nominations distinguished production musical distinguished performance porter sands winning distinguished production received circle award nominations winning including outstanding outstanding new score outstanding actor musical porter musical received nominations win porter outstanding actor musical new_york_times theatre writer reported tony voters found dark bit accurately predicted win best book warmth boots score upset tony best musical boots received season high nominations new_york_times described critical hit season received nominations categories boots addition critical success won drama desk award outstanding musical set record winning awards history boots won season high including press described upset win woman win category creative team americans reviewer american writing guardian judged win case balance love going american musical british import tony wins best actor porter sound design choreography mitchell sands mitchell director designers nominated win won award outstanding achievement casting broadway musical category west end production won evening standard radio audience award best new musical based voting public evening standard theatre awards earned seven nominations awards second revival gypsy earned nominations won awards best new musical best actor musical best costume design trailing gypsy awards recordings broadway original cast album produced released premiered number billboard cast albums chart number billboard chart making highest charting broadway cast recording book album released years earlier chicago sex heel broadway song reach billboard club charts years land released dance remix june album received favorable review won grammy award best musical theater album west end original cast recording recorded live theatre released april
Kinky Boots (musical)