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If you put on a pair of thigh-high boots with stiletto heels, you are not here to “blend in.” You’re making a statement: You’re sexy.
“That person does not know how to have a good time,” said no one ever, as they watched a person in high boots and heels walk by.
As for me: I love high boots, and the way I feel wearing them. I have a collection that my husband calls “a bit excessive,” but I think of it as necessary.
I wear hot-pink, snake-print boots, silver and red boots, glittery black boots … you get the idea. All of these are over-the-knee and have stiletto heels. I will wear these onstage, leading my band; I’ll also wear them on a date, or walking around town.
In boots, I stand out; so does the sassy and uplifting musical, “Kinky Boots,” the smash Broadway hit written by Harvey Fierstein (“La Cage aux Folles”), that premieres at Diamond Head Theatre on Friday.
“Kinky Boots” features enough sexy boots — and flamboyant performers to fill them — onstage to fill my heart’s desire. It also boasts fantastic music, loads of heart and humor.
The musical shines a light on what happens when people from widely different walks of life work together. That’s something we could all use right now.
STILETTO HEELS are the subject of the moment at Diamond Head Theatre. This is clear after talking to the director and choreographer, Andrew Sakaguchi, and actor Kwame Michael Remy, who plays the lead role of Lola/Simon.
Remy checked in during tech rehearsal last week, noting that these heels are 6 and 7 inches high.
“It’s thrilling, and scary,” he said, speaking with a soft lilt, extreme conviction and a healthy dose of sass.
Strutting in those high stilettos is a necessary skill for Sakaguchi’s “Angels” — a group of six female impersonators in the cast. Sakaguchi brought in the Angels, men who range in age from 16 to 26, for rehearsals a week earlier than the rest of the cast so they could tackle the dance routines.
But it’s not just footwear that drives this show. Both Remy and Sakaguchi said they were drawn in because of the story’s heart.
“I saw ‘Kinky Boots’ on Broadway a couple of times, and it was a good story of acceptance, of people learning to work together and understand that it’s our differences that make us strong. This is especially important in this political climate,” Sakaguchi said.
“You can change the world when you change your mind,” he said. “This is what I want to bring to this show. It feels good that I get to be a part of telling this story.”
“KINKY BOOTS” begins with Charlie, a man who’s struggling to keep his family’s shoe factory open after his father’s death. In a fluke, Charlie meets Lola, an ambitious drag queen whose choice of footwear holds the key to the factory’s future.
The two characters couldn’t be more different, but they learn to rely on each other for the common good.
Actor Zachary Linnert, who plays Charlie, is “an amazing singer, a generous actor and a huge talent,” Sakaguchi said.
Sakaguchi, who was born in Hawaii, attended Punahou School and lived in New York City (working on projects including the “Fosse” musical) before returning home, praises the Honolulu cast members as remarkable in their dedication despite their busy lives. Linnert, for example, is dean of the Lower School at ‘Iolani School.
“All of the staff have full time jobs,” Sakaguchi noted. “They work all day and then they come in and rehearse for long hours.”
Sakaguchi cites Remy as an explosive performer, and praises actress Vanessa Manuel-Mazzullo, who plays Lauren in the show, as one of the best comedic actresses in town.
The musical also just happens to have a hell of a musical score written by Cyndi Lauper, the pop star best known for her ’80s hit, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”
“Kinky Boots” includes big, bouncy group numbers, along with beautiful ballads addressing strained parental relationships. It includes all the sparkle and fun you would expect from Lauper, but with an emotional depth that carries the plot.
A standout number is “Sex Is in the Heel,” a slinky funk song that turns up when Lola comes to Charlie’s factory to see his new shoe designs.
The song goes straight to the point: “The sex is in the heel, even if you break it. The sex is in the heel honey, you can’t fake it. Jack it up ’cause I’m no flat tire, mack it up six inches higher!”
“Getting to play Lola drew me in,” said Remy. “There are real-life Lolas who are out there, trying to live their truth, and they are not always allowed to do that,” Remy said. “Everyone bleeds, loves and hurts the same way. It’s about compassion.”
REMY, a New York City actor who took the part and flew out to Oahu to be in “Kinky Boots,” grew up singing in church, and has evolved into an dynamic performer with a soulful voice and a broad range. He has traveled the world with touring musicals, including “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Smokey Joe’s Cafe.”
“Kinky Boots” is Remy’s first performance “on land” in Hawaii, though he has performed on several cruise ship shows that have circled the islands.
“I love the people in Hawaii, and I love the concept of family,” he said. “The outpouring of love here is at times overwhelming. I wish the mainland were like that.”
“My favorite thing about the show is the heart of it,” Remy said.
“We live in a society where people are being divided every which way. The characters in this show are from totally different worlds, and they come together. They find similarities and a bond.
“Living up to our parents’ legacy and expectation is part of the story as well. These two characters have things to live up to — what their parents left for them,” Remy said.
“Lola is strong, proud and confident. Charlie is bruised and at times insecure. And yet they learn from each other.”
“KINKY BOOTS”
>> Where: Diamond Head Theatre
>> When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays, 3 p.m. Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays fro Friday through Oct. 13
>> Cost: $15-$50
>> Info: 733-0274, diamondheadtheatre.com
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