KINKY BOOTS
Uptown Players, 2022
DALLAS VOICE
The people who need to see Kinky Boots will likely never see it. Those who protest libraries for drag queen storytime or those who enact laws against saying the word “gay” wouldn’t be caught dead in this dragapalooza of a musical which is a shame. Uptown Players, director John de los Santos and the talented cast created something transcendent and special.
With the book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, you could say much about Kinky Boots is a safe bet. The songs by an iconic pop star are catchy and the story by a Broadway legend is quirky but compelling with enough balance of drama and humor. The musical numbers are flashy with costumes and choreography and belting vocals. All the elements of the show make for an easy audience-pleaser – but in the hands of de los Santos and his team, these Boots weren’t made for walking. These boots pranced, dah-ling.
Whether it was today’s headlines about queer rights or just the enthusiasm onstage – or both – Kinky Boots offered something extra special. The show felt like de los Santos directed it with a big heart because its emotional aspects felt authentic, even in campy moments. Spoiler alert, the big flashy finale wasn’t just a high energy show closer, but also a declaration to “just be, who you wanna be” that felt like a reminder of bigger things with a satisfying flair.
BROADWAY WORLD
Directed by John de los Santos with music direction by Vonda K. Bowling, choreography by de los Santos and Evor Wright, and songs by the legendary Grammy-Award winner Cyndi Lauper, the ever-changing set in this smaller performance space at the Kalita Humphreys Theater in the Uptown area worked to perfection which created a very intimate experience for the audience. De Los Santos literally maximized every square inch of the stage for his cast, and it didn’t hurt that there really isn’t any bad seat in this theater which has orchestra and multi-level balcony seating.
DFW CENTER STAGE
Kinky Boots at the Uptown Players is one of those productions that you will be telling people years from now that you saw. Everything about it works splendidly, resulting in one of the most blissful, joy inducing shows ever.
Kudos to Director/Choreographer John de los Santos for assembling a cast of stellar performers and creating a flawless show that never lags.
Kinky Boots, although definitely a musical comedy, is also a musical with an important message for everyone to be who they want to be and that you change the world when you change your mind. It is a story of love, acceptance, rebounding, and succeeding in our rainbow-colored world. Uptown Players has struck gold with this production. Do not miss it!
WHITE ROCK LAKE WEEKLY
Uptown Players’ current offering, “Kinky Boots,” is an occasion. An event. It’s not your expected evening of song and dance. It’s an explosion of sensational talent — from John de los Santos’ direction and brilliant choreography, Suzanne Cranford’s outrageous costume adaptation, Vonda Bowling’s moving, dependable music, and Lee Walter’s and Max Swarner’s triple-threat mega-gifts — it’s a memorable piece of theater at its very best.
