Kinky Boots to have first UK revival for regional premiere, marking show's tenth anniversary

Exclusive: Kinky Boots will have its first UK revival in September.

Telling the story of a young shoe-factory owner making strides to escape his father's shadow (and finding release in unexpected ways), the show is based on Geoff Deane and Tim Firth's hit 2005 film of the same name and was first seen a decade ago at Chicago's Bank of America Theatre in 2012.

The same production, helmed by Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde) ran on Broadway from 2013 to 2019, with a West End premiere in 2015 and a tour starting in September 2018.

The multi-award-winning musical is now to be directed by Tim Jackson (freshly appointed creative associate at Queen's Theatre Hornchurch), who will be staging the 2022 Olivier Awards Ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall and will choreograph Merrily We Roll Along, directed by Maria Friedman and starring Daniel Radcliffe, at New York Theatre Workshop later this year.

Jackson said today: "I'm thrilled to be directing the first UK revival of this fabulous musical. It's a show that's got it all: big laughs, a banging pop score and an uplifting story about community, identity and embracing ourselves and each other.

"Ten years since it took the world by storm, I'm relishing the opportunity to re-explore Kinky Boots in a brand-new production for a new generation. The piece remains as potent as ever, and I cannot wait to join audiences in celebrating our beautiful kaleidoscope of a world."

The show has a Tony-Award nominated book by Harvey Fierstein and Tony and Grammy award-winning music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. Numbers in the show include"The History of the Wrong Guys", "Sex Is In the Heel", "Land of Lola" and "The Soul of a Man".

The production will open at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich from 1 to 24 September and Queen's Theatre Hornchurch from 28 September to 22 October.

Cast and creative team for the show are to be revealed in due course. There will be BSL, audio described and captioned performances at both theatres.

Mathew Russell, executive director of Queen's Theatre Hornchurch said: "We're thrilled to be working with the New Wolsey Theatre again, after a string of brilliant co-productions, including our acclaimed actor musician versions of Made in Dagenham and Once, which we were able to tour together too.

"We're equally excited that QTH's new creative associate, Tim Jackson, will be directing, and know that he and the team will do a great job of making a fresh, warm hearted, sassy and gloriously working class take on this hit show, which we're sure audiences are going to adore."

Douglas Rintoul, incoming chief executive of New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich said: "I can't think of a better way to mark the start of my new role at the New Wolsey Theatre than with this very special regional premiere.

"Made by my favourite theatres, and directed by a supremely talented director, Kinky Boots is going to be a smart and gloriously uplifting night out."

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