October 4 – 19, 2024
Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m.
Sundays at 2 p.m.
KINKY BOOTS is the big-hearted musical extravaganza that won six Tonys, including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Musical Theatre album and London’s Olivier Award for Best Musical. KINKY BOOTS features a joyous Tony-winning score by pop icon Cyndi Lauper and a hilarious, uplifting book by four-time Tony winner, Harvey Fierstein. Billy Porter won a Best Actor Tony Award for his portrayal of Lola.
Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they realized… and discover that when you change your mind, you can change your whole world. (MTI)
Purchase your tickets at thecenterpresents.org!
Jacob Butler as Charlie Price
My first show at Civic was in 2017. I was Joseph in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Michael [Lasley] texted me and said I should audition for Joseph, and I did. That’s how I got involved with Civic. I’ve been involved in other ways, helping with video production, and during the pandemic, I was in a couple of the [“Ghost Light”] cabaret fundraisers.
Charlie is fascinating to me … he’s growing up, and his dad is prepping him to take over the factory, laying the groundwork for what he’s being raised to do, and then he finds Nicola, who is doing the same thing but in a different direction. He never really thinks about himself, and it’s not until he’s thrust back into the factory that he thinks about what he wants, who he is and how he can help the people around him. Charlie’s throughline is until he figures out who he is, he cannot accept the people around him. I hope people will walk away from these performances being willing to engage with people they don’t know and learn more about a group of people they’re not necessarily comfortable with. It’s a very timely show, and it’s a good time in our country to be sharing this story.
Jonathan Studdard as Lola/Simon
I started at Civic in 2017 and was in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” along with Jacob [Butler]. Civic has become my second family, and it’s been beautiful. I’ve done “Elf” three times here, and my all-time favorite show is “The Color Purple” — the first all-Black production at Civic in 30 years [2021]. I’m thrilled to be doing “Kinky Boots” for a second time… I’ve done it before with Jacob two years ago, so I’m excited to take another dip into Lola.
Lola is very large and in charge. She commands the stage and the room, and I feel like that’s me to a tee! I think there’s so much of the heart of Lola that we end up getting to see in “Not My Father’s Son.”
In my opinion, theater is the most transformative art form, and while I think people come to the theater to be entertained, I also think they should be challenged. I want people to be able to leave, and once the “high” has come down, I hope that people will think about some things that they might struggle with. I hope they say, “Is there a group of people that I look at differently because I don’t understand them, or do I just need to have more conversations with people, or is it something I need to research”? I think it’s about people finding their own personal journeys with what this show means to them and how it applies to their lives.
Braxton Hiser as Nicola
I’m fairly new at Civic as far as performing goes. It was actually Marni [Lemons] who encouraged me to get involved and audition for “Anastasia” [2024]. I was thinking about competing for Miss Indiana USA [as former Miss Indiana 2021], and thanks to Marni, I got back to being involved in and reigniting my love for theater.
As for my character, Nicola is fun to play. She knows what she wants and has this vision of her life. She wants to move to London, get married and live out this dream of hers, but her fiancé has a different idea of what he wants to do and hasn’t been very clear with her about it. She is a “baddy” and wants designer shoes and this posh life. She wants to get out of the small town that she’s grown up in, and I can kind of resonate with that. I know one day, I would love to move to Chicago or New York [City], and I totally get Nicola’s vibe.
I want people to leave [the show] being open to love people for who they are. I work for a church, and my church is all about loving people well … it’s our motto. I want people to come and love people for who they are. That’s what our world needs. We just need people to be loved and to feel seen.
Kelsey McDaniel as Lauren
I started with Civic last year during “The Prom” [2023]. I’m lucky to have found Civic … it’s such a great community and a great group of people. I’m fortunate that I get to perform here. I’m playing Lauren. She’s super fun to play! I find a lot of similarities to myself in her.
She’s kind of me as a character. She’s funny, witty, quirky and sometimes awkward, especially when it comes to men. She has a bad history with boyfriends, but she’s also very strong and smart. She’s unapologetically herself, which is something I strive to be in real life.
I always enjoy going to the theater and looking up on the stage to find someone who looks like me. Finding someone who’s representative of a different body type, skin color or whatever is such an awesome feeling. I think it is important that we have a lot of different people represented in this show, and I hope people come and find themselves on stage in at least one of the characters.
Director Suzanne Fleenor
I am insanely proud of the nucleus of people in this show that I have savored working with. I admire their talents, authenticity, professionalism and their commitment to the ideal of the show. My journey with Civic started when it was in its second location on Alabama Street when I was in fourth grade, and now, I’m in 224th grade [laughing].
Marni [Lemons] and I spent the better part of the ’80s doing shows at Civic, which was just absolutely terrific. I have directed a number of YAP [Young Artists Program] and mainstage productions at Civic. It is a great joy! What Michael Lasley [Civic’s Executive Artistic Director] has done for Civic, its volunteers, actors and staff is immeasurable. It contributes to its stellar reputation in the community. Civic is committed to making genuine outreach to not only this [Carmel] community but the community at large throughout the metropolitan area.
CAST LIST
Charlie Price – Jacob Butler
Lola/Simon – Jonathan Studdard
Nicola – Braxton Hiser
Lauren – Kelsey McDaniel
Don – Pete Scharbrough
Pat – Nicolette Mantica
Trish – Caroline Sanchez
George – Parrish Williams
Young Charlie – Tommy McConnell
Young Simon/Lola – Ryan Thomas
Mr. Price – Fernow McClure
Angels
Drew Bryson
Zachary Hunnicutt
April Rosé
Justin Sheedy
Parker Taylor
Jason Wendt
Ensemble
Julia Ammons
Emily Bohannon
Nathan Brown
Joshua Hyde
DeSean McLucas
Joseph Massingale
Fernow McClure
Sally Root
Nina Stilabower
Sophie Sweany
