Kinky Boots

What can I say about "Kinky Boots" that hasn't already been said? It's a magnificent production from every perspective I can think of. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and the responsive crowd around me (and nearly sold-out future shows) suggests I'm not the only one.

Don't let yourself get distracted by the differences between the book, the movie, and the musical. They're different mediums and naturally differ a lot. So what do you get from a musical that you wouldn't find in a book or even a movie? You get the emotional power of music, and a distillation of message or themes. Two of these themes are ones that I spend a lot of time thinking about on a regular day, and so their prominent place in the musical made it extra special to me.

An obvious theme in "Kinky Boots" is acceptance. We're introduced to a marginalized group of people -- drag queens -- who are outsiders because they are men who dress and perform like women. Sadly we have not yet evolved enough as a species to not find people like this threatening; this dark thread runs through the musical numbers "Land of Lola" and "Sex is in the Heel."

I fell in love with Lola for her bravery and bravado, and identified with her for her challenge as an outsider. I watched other characters embody familiar initial reactions: one is disgusted, several are wary as if Lola's otherness might be catching, and the hero Charlie's shallow acceptance is clearly untested. These characters go on to grudging respect, adoration and profound acceptance.

I particularly like the transformation of Don, who is initially most threatened by Lola, because he goes on to show love and acceptance not to Lola, but to the hero, Charlie. I like this twist because love and acceptance are practices instead of one-and-done merit badges, and often they are unexpected and unpredictable. The beautiful music and lyrics from Cyndi Lauper help carry the weight of this heavy theme, bringing the pathos of her hit "True Colors" to the especially moving numbers "Not my Father's Son" and "Hold Me in Your Heart."

A less obvious theme in the musical is the struggle to embrace your own identity, failures and all. In a way that is surely not coincidental, this is acceptance on a highly personal level. I don't know anyone who hasn't felt, at least a little bit, the failure to live up to a parent's dreams, a story beautifully told in "Not my Father's Son."

We see that it is not enough to passively live a life that goes against your parent's wishes for you. The writer Fierstein describes it perfectly: Charlie and Lola have "taken this failure on and internalized it and have let it paralyze them... Charlie has a passion for nothing... [and] it's all on the surface with Lola." We see, through these characters, that living an authentic life starts with learning what you are not, but is incomplete without actively seeking a passion for which you are on fire. This isn't easy or comfortable for Charlie or Lola, and frankly watching them step up to the challenge despite the awkward and unhappy bits is what makes the show for me.

The themes in this show seem to me to come together to shout "Life isn't passive, it's active!" I've learned that my life feels so much more vibrant when I work at it, and it's a reminder I think our society needs in the worst way. To you, dear reader, I say go see "Kinky Boots" and remember to be the change you wish to see in the world!

"Kinky Boots" runs through October 26 at The 5th Avenue Theater, 1308 5th Avenue in Seattle. For information or tickets, call 206-625-1900 or visit www.5thavenue.org.