Before The Gala

When the opportunity to attend the Kinky Boots Gala arose, I was too late to jump at the opportunity and unfortunately – someone else took it. The theatre buff in me was disappointed. That was until a kind Radio Heatwave junior offered me the opportunity to attend the gala. I am forever grateful for that. To be very honest, I did not have to do much research as I remember the plot, characters and basis of Kinky Boots pretty well, ever since I saw the company being awarded Best Musical at the 2013 Tony Awards (a very coveted and huge feat I must add). I binge-listened to the original cast recording of the songs days prior to the gala, and surprisingly, the songs did not seem to excite me as much as it did when I first listened to it. Nevertheless, I told myself there must be a reason why the show won Best Musical at the Tony Awards. Have faith!

On The Red Carpet

Before the show started, we were tasked to interview celebrities and invited guests of the media on the red carpet right outside Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands. I can honestly say this was one of the most daunting tasks I have ever had to do in my entire life thus far. I interviewed the likes of Chua Enlai, had the best conversation with one of my favourite Singaporean YouTubers – Hirzi, from MunahHirziOfficial and I spoke to Constance Lau – who is one of the Singaporeans that appeared in Crazy Rich Asians. In case you were wondering, she was Celine a.k.a. Radio1Asia, a.k.a. the person who made Nick and Rachel’s relationship known to the world. They gave amazing answers on what they expected from Kinky Boots, how they felt after watching it, and what were some of the inspirations for their looks on the red carpet! You’re not gonna believe the price of the robe Hirzi wore during the gala. Stay tuned to our socials as well as Radio Heatwave/CTV’s YouTube page for the video coming very soon! Ok, enough rambling. Let’s get on to the action in Kinky Boots!   As we wrapped up our red carpet interviews, the ushers were shouting at us to get into the theatre quickly if not we would only be allowed entry after the opening act. And a Broadway fan knows to NEVER miss the opening act of any musical. So, you could imagine the look on our faces when the ushers said, “Sorry. You have to watch outside on the TV screen for 10 minutes then can go in.” They locked the theatre doors as the opening act started, and many other media personnel were stuck outside the theatre with us, waiting to enter. Well, luck was not on our side I guess. But it’s alright – I’ve learnt to count my blessings.

As the opening act ended, and the actors belted out the last note, we were quickly ushered into the theatre during a scene change. The rest of the night was pure magic. The actor who plays Lola, one of the leads in the musical, had one of the best voices I have ever heard. He plays the character of a drag queen, and carries himself with such sass, class, wit and humour. Without spoiling too much, the musical took us on a rollercoaster ride: from laughing out loud in one scene, to weeping during the next (I might have shed a tear or two)…  Lola’s entrance song is aptly titled Land of Lola, a high energy track that features Lola and her fellow drag queens from the club; an introduction to their lives as drag performers. Another good track is Soul of a Man, performed by the musical’s protagonist (turned antagonist), a riling and poignant song sung by the character Charlie Price, lamenting the decisions he has made in his life, specifically with regards to the shoemaking business his father left behind. Everything you would want from a musical theatre solo song. Inspired by true events, the musical explores various themes, such as the importance of looking at things from different perspectives and accepting people for who they are. It’s a laugh-out-loud, feel-good kinda show. The songs were written by Grammy and Tony winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper. The musical even won 6 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Choreography. The whole CTV team and I enjoyed the show so much. I’m getting my own tickets to watch the show again!

The final number titled Raise You Up / Just Be is performed by the entire cast, and it is also one of the more emotional ones. It ended the musical off with a big bang, or specifically, on a runway in Milan. Everyone in this number is wearing high heels. Not gonna tell you why. To find out, catch Kinky Boots, running for a limited time until 14 October, at the Marina Bay Sands, Sands Theatre!

Written By: Foo Wee San