Los Angeles Times - Recommended
"...Although I tend to be skeptical about the power of any garment to effect lasting spiritual change, all those stilettos evidently tenderized me to a pulp: I drove home beaming, filled with affection for the characters and all but convinced that wearing thigh-high red leather boots is the manliest thing a guy can do."
LA Weekly - Somewhat Recommended
"...As pleasant as Kinky Boots is, though, it has some notable shortcomings. For the most part, Lauper's lyrics are severely lacking (as evidenced by the aforementioned "Everybody Say Yeah" number). These faults are compounded by Harvey Fierstein's book, which has no subtlety, and throws in some out-of-character dynamic shifts in the middle of the second act. (It's bad enough that some of the characters are transphobic; was it really necessary to make Charlie, a previously open-minded character, suddenly homophobic too?)"
Talkin Broadway - Not Recommended
"...Cyndi Lauper's tunes are upbeat, but a few days later, I can remember none of them. Lyrics are weak ("It's not just a factory/This is my family") and ingrain themselves in memory by means of repetition. Harvey Fierstein's book hits you over the head with its message of tolerance (in case you somehow missed it, the characters pause in the middle of the finale to actually tell you what you should have learned), and throws in a little bit of father/son understanding for good measure. It's designed to make you teary, but I found myself resenting the obvious attempts at emotional manipulation. Perhaps I would have found Kinky Boots more entertaining had it predated Hairspray, but, coming as it did after that show, Kinky Boots seems like it is just covering the same ground, but nowhere near as well."
Broadway World - Recommended
"...Replete with splashy direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell and a splendid cast, it's top of the line entertaining fare."
Edge - Recommended
"...This "Boots" was made for dancing, along with an abundance of singing and mirth, mixed with an ample helping of social conscience. A bonafide crowd pleaser, the show skillfully melds the talents of Lauer, Fierstein, Mitchell and a superb cast and design team into a tasty soufflé."
The Hollywood Reporter - Recommended
"...In the end, when Charlie and Lola and the crew make their stand at the big show in Milan, well, you can guess what happens. But Kinky Boots isn't about keeping you guessing, it's about big goofy fun. That's the primary target the creative team has set for themselves and that's what they achieve. And unless you have a problem with fun, that's not such a bad thing."
StageHappenings.com - Recommended
"...The superlative cast of Kinky Boots is directed by Jerry Mitchell who also choreographed the production. The outstanding costume design is by Gregg Barnes (and of course the myriad of flashy "kinky boots")."
ArtsBeatLA - Somewhat Recommended
"...The musical - and its songs - is, for the most part, great fun but the storyline is so glib and the pace so slick and glossy that there seems to be never any real threat of danger nor high stakes peril. We all know Charlie is going to turn his business around, and that the new line of boots will wow at the International Fashion show in Milan. We don't care that his relationship with his superficial fiancee is going south because there's a pretty blonde wallflower who works at the factory who he'll invariably end up with by the show's feel-good conclusion."
ArtsInLA - Recommended
"...Please, if you can't tolerate disco music and you loathe musicals about accepting people for who they are, skip this one. If, however, you appreciate the propulsive glory of that musical genre, and if the theme of acceptance cheers you, this show is worth your while."
Campus Circle - Recommended
"...The impressive scenic and costumes designs (from David Rockwell and Gregg Barnes, respectively) is a marvelous mix of the mundane and the super-fabulous, bridging two worlds together with stunning results. By the time you see several gruff-and-tough manly men strut their stuff on a fashion runway in some killer stilettos during the finale, you know "Kinky Boots" has fully established itself as an unabashed crowd-pleaser, complete with its own philosophical nugget of a motto: "Change the world when you change your mind.""
Neon Tommy - Recommended
"...The musical, with a book by renowned Broadway writer and actor Harvey Fierstein and a score from rock goddess Cyndi Lauper, is one heck of a good time. It is bursting with flashy costumes and production numbers, feel-good themes, and a solid mix of humor and heartfelt moments."
Huffington Post - Recommended
"...Now, with Lauper and Harvey Fierstein, who did the book, that movie is a play that entertains from the opening until well after you leave the theatre. I am still singing "the sex is in the heel…" The sweetness, the kindness, the gentleness of the movie isn't lost but the incredible potential of a play about making kinky boots for drag queens is utilized expertly and to its fullest potential."
Pat Rye Reviews - Recommended
"...What follows is an evening of terrific tunes, excellent choreography by Jerry Mitchell who also directed, performed by a wonderful cast. Treat yourself to a terrifically entertaining at the theater."
