Over holiday break, I went into the city to watch the Broadway show Kinky Boots. Hearing such positive reviews of this show, I went into the theater with only feelings of excitement, and left with nothing short of just that. The crowd was filled with people of all ages, genders, and races. This diverse audience demonstrated the lesson to be learned from this show, which is to accept all types of people for who they are.

Apart from the fantastic message of this play, one of the most amazing parts of it was the cast. All of the characters were extremely witty and unique in their own way. The star of this performance was YouTube sensation Todrick Hall. To some, this name may sound familiar because of his appearance on American Idol. It is not difficult to recognize his talent when watching him on American Idol, however I found myself swept away by his performance in Kinky Boots. Playing a transvestite by the name of Lola, his character has a spunky, vibrant personality that lights up whatever room she walks into. However, the reason Lola is such a star is not simply because of her bright red boots, but because of the important lessons she delivers all throughout her performance.

The story is set in a shoe factory in Northampton. One of the main characters, Charlie Price, loses his father and is then pushed into taking over the struggling family shoe-making business. Charlie never had the intention to do so, however he discovered a true passion in finding a unique type of shoe when he meets Lola. After meeting Lola and talking to one of his co-workers, he comes to the realization that he needs to come out with a line of shoes that people need. Charlie and Lola partner up in designing a line of high-heeled boots with a heel strong enough to hold a man’s weight, and dazzling enough to stand out in a crowd. One main reason that Charlie is so driven in saving the family business is because of the people who work at the ‘Price and Son’ company. He has known these people his whole life and is not willing to leave them jobless. Along the journey to creating these shoes, Lola teaches through example by being herself in every way possible and encouraging acceptance for everyone.

While this may seem like a simple story of two people partnering up to create a new line of shoes, it is also laced with some very important messages that are useful to everyone’s lives. Whether it be the breathtaking singing, the lively dancing, or even the funny characters, every inch of this musical left me with a huge smile on my face. So throw on your fanciest pair of boots and head out to Broadway to witness one of the best performances of the year!