South Valley Civic Theatre’s musical comedy show is based on true story

 From left: Ken Christopher (“Charlie Price”), Katherine Ares (“Lauren”), Jery Rosas (“Lola”) in SVCT’s production of “Kinky Boots.” Photo courtesy Chris Foster and Jason Leong (SVCT)

By Calvin Nuttall

The South Valley Civic Theatre is lacing up for their production of “Kinky Boots,” a Tony Award-winning musical opening Friday, June 21, at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse.

The show is based on the true story of a small community in the north of England as it finds itself on the brink of changing times.

The story revolves around “Charlie Price” (Ken Christopher) who inherits his father’s shoe factory that is the lifeblood of the town. He soon discovers the business is in financial dire straits.

“The consequence of failure is letting go of the factory and firing all of these workers, who are not only employees, but also essentially the people he grew up with,” Christopher said. “It’s a factory town, and everybody is so close and so tight and so interrelated. The idea of everything falling apart motivates him to try to find any solution to save the factory, his hometown, and his adopted family.”

Price is supported by his childhood friend, “Lauren” (Katherine Ares), a worker at the factory who rallies behind his efforts to preserve it. Together, they come to the conclusion the factory and town must evolve to survive, and so they begin to look for a new niche market for their shoes. Inspiration strikes in the form of a drag queen named “Lola” (Jery Rosas).

Photo courtesy Chris Foster and Jason Leong (SVCT)

“When he first encounters Lola, they strike up a conversation,” Christopher said. “They realize that maybe, just maybe, there is a niche market for making drag queen-style boots for men out there who are interested in that kind of thing. Because, you know, a woman’s stiletto can’t possibly support a (large) man’s weight, so what if his factory could start making boots that could support more weight in a six-inch heel?”

In traditional, blue-collar Northampton, the idea doesn’t exactly catch right away with the residents. Charlie, Lola, and Lauren work against stiff resistance from the old-fashioned mentality of the townsfolk.

“Lauren really connects with Lola,” Ares said. “She is onboard with trying to help Charlie with these changes that they’re making, while some of the other factory workers are like, ‘Oh my goodness, drag queens!’ And Lauren isn’t that way at all, she is all about it. She is open-minded, and she thinks Lola coming in and working with Charlie is fantastic.”

For Christopher, “Kinky Boots” is one of the most entertaining musicals he’s ever seen. “I’ve had the opportunity to see it both on Broadway and in the West End,” he said. “Our choreographer, Christine Carrillo, has heavily borrowed elements from those two productions, which is going to make this so professional and so much fun.”

Cyndi Lauper, of 1980s pop fame, wrote the score in collaboration with author Harvey Fierstein. It is a really fast-paced pop/rock musical that has some of the best numbers and songs found anywhere, as well as ballads that tug at the heartstrings, Christopher promised.

Photo courtesy Chris Foster and Jason Leong (SVCT)

“In one, Charlie and Lola both are going through what it is like to not be their fathers’ sons,” he said. “Charlie was never really able to step up and run the family’s four-generation business. For Lola, who is the main drag queen, she could never live up to being the prize-fighter, the boxer that his/her father wanted him to be.”

Whitney Pintello directed the show. She returns to SVCT after she and her family founded Gilroy-based Pintello Comedy Theater.

“This is very much a homecoming,” she said. “I’m familiar with this theater group and a lot of the folks in it, and their process. I already know this audience. I know this community, and I think they’re going to really embrace it.”

The show’s message of acceptance comes just in time for June’s Pride month, she said.

“It’s about accepting differences in people, and sometimes it might be the expectation of family, and sometimes it might have to do with traditional gender roles,” she said. “They weave it in in a really spectacular way that doesn’t feel like they’re bonking you on the head with a lesson.”

Calvin Nuttall is a Morgan Hill-based freelance reporter and columnist.