Photo Provided by Broadway In Chicago

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Following its 2012 debut right here in Chicago, “Kinky Boots” took Broadway by storm, racking up six Tony Awards the following season, including “Best Musical” and “Best Score” (Cyndi Lauper). Giving new meaning to the Grammy Award winning pop star’s top hit “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” the entirely original show isn’t merely heavy on high-octane hits to be, but loads of glitz, glamour and camp courtesy of a drag queen troupe that helps fuel a zany but touching tale of trying to save a family business and the unexpected friendships that develop along the way.

More than a race to the fashion finish line, “Kinky Boots” is a warm story of camaraderie that extends beyond multiple boundaries and aims straight for the heart (as opposed to simply the sequins).

Though some songs have been skipped, shuffled and substituted since area audiences last caught the production, it’s all for the best, tightening an already sturdy book by four time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein and cutting even quicker to the emotional yet often times comical chase. For starters, the about to be married Charlie Price (played by a credible Steven Booth) is initially resistant to inheriting his dad’s shoe factory, not only because it’s on the verge of bankruptcy, but also due to the fact his professional passions lie elsewhere.

Photo Provided by Broadway In Chicago

However, his fortunes and interest level turn on a dime when a botched attempt to help a lady being mugged yields an unlikely friendship with a drag queen named Lola (the uber-fabulous Kyle Taylor Parker) who just so happens to be looking to develop a sturdier line of “Kinky Boots” for her nightclub’s niche market. And while the pair of instant pals might not appear to share much in common outside of shoes, it turns out Lola also grew up in the shadow of a domineering father who hoped to raise a champion boxer but disowned his son’s current career choice.

Nonetheless, Charlie and Lola press on in pursuit of perfecting their “Sex Is In The Heel” campaign (a first half highlight that liberally displays Lauper’s bubbly fingerprints), combating a wide-range of problems as vast as budget constraints to acceptance by more conservative factory workers who have little interest producing in anything beyond basic men’s shoes and don’t really know what to make of Lola. While hilarity ensues in many instances, the tension simultaneously thickens as the clock ticks towards a high-end showcase in Milan where the company will unveil this unique footwear line for the first time.

But more than a race to the fashion finish line, “Kinky Boots” is a warm story of camaraderie that extends beyond multiple boundaries and aims straight for the heart (as opposed to simply the sequins). Of course, there are ample supplies of sparkles, designer gowns, heels high enough to reach the heavens and throbbing disco beats that culminate with the upbeat finale “Raise You Up/Just Be,” all of which serve as additional vehicles for the show’s straightforward but spot on message: “When you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.”

“Kinky Boots” continues various dates and times at the Cadillac Palace Theatre through July 26. For additional details and ticket information, visit www.broadwayinchicago.com and www.kinkybootsthemusical.com.

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