Kinky Boots UK tour cast announced

Casting has been announced for the upcoming UK tour of Kinky Boots which opens at Royal and Derngate in Northampton this September.

Callum Francis will play Lola – a role he has been playing in the Australian production – until 15 December, with Kayi Ushe (Motown) taking over from 17 December.

Joel Harper-Jackson (Jesus Christ Superstar) will play Charlie alongside Paula Lane (Coronation Street) as Lauren. Demitri Lampra (The Wind in the Willows) will play Don, Adam Price (Hairspray) will play George and Helen Ternent (Jersey Boys) will play Nicola.

Completing the cast is Charlie Allen, Nicola Avino, Lizzie Bea, Joshua St Clair, Connor Collins, Daniel Conway, Shaun Dalton, John Dempsey, Niki Evans, Mary Fox, Scarlet Gabriel, Damon Gould, George Grayson, Portia Harry, Joshua Lovell, Jacob McIntosh, Chileshe Mondelle, Alfie Parker, Fred Smiley, Toyan Thomas-Browne, Andy Watkins and Jason Winter.

Based on the hit 2005 film with a screenplay by Tim Firth, the musical garnered positive reviews when it first opened at the Adelphi Theatre. It has music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein.

The play tells the story of Charlie Price, who inherits a suffering shoe factory. Following a meeting with drag queen Lola, Price starts embracing a more flamboyant business model.

First opening on Broadway in 2012, with direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell. It earned 13 Tony Award nominations, winning six including Best Musical and Best Score. In 2016 it went on to win three Olivier Awards following its West End premiere.

After opening in Northampton, the production tours to Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh, Canterbury, Stoke, Llandudno, Oxford, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Nottingham, Sheffield, Sunderland, Plymouth, Cardiff and Southampton.

The West End production of the show will close on 12 January 2019 after more than 1400 performances at the Adelphi Theatre.