One of my favorite activities to do is to go and support my friends at shows around the area. Not only is it super cool to know people in a show, but it also makes their day when you shower them in love and flowers after the show (I ask my friends to bring me iced coffee as part of my gift too. You get really tired from shows!). My mom also loves seeing shows with me, and if she knows someone in a show as well, it's a win-win for both of us. A while ago, we went to Peoria Players (one of our favorite theatres for shows) and saw three of my friends in their production of Kinky Boots.
Peoria Players has such a rich history, and every show I go to makes me want to go back for more. It is the oldest continuously running community theater in the state and the fourth oldest in the nation. Founded in 1919 (over 100 years ago!) by the Peoria Women's Club, they have been cranking out at least four shows a year, starting with The Maker of Dreams. Their first theatre was actually an empty firehouse on Jackson Street. When I-74 was built through downtown Peoria, the Jackson Street theater was demolished. Peoria Players then moved to the intersection of University Street and Lake Avenue and built a new theatre with the help from the late Peoria architect Les Kenyon. Through the years of the Great Depression, World War II, the Boom Years, and into the 21st Century, they have never closed for a season -- for 100 straight years!
The main plot of this musical (without giving any spoilers of course) is about Charlie, a factory owner struggling to save his family business, and Lola, a fabulous entertainer with a wildly exciting idea. With a little compassion and a lot of understanding, this unexpected pair learn to embrace their differences and create a line of sturdy stilettos unlike any the world has ever seen. But in the end, their most sensational achievement is their friendship. The casts consist of Charlie, Lola (also known as Simon), Charlie's high school sweetheart Nicola, and Lauren, a factory worker who ends up falling in love with her boss. Almost all of them go through character arches throughout the show, and they form unlikely friendships and romances as the story goes on.
Simon's story throughout the show is one of the most heartwrenching and emotional parts of Kinky Boots. The song "Not My Father's Son" brought me to tears. The support this show gives for LGBT+ rights is astonishing; even though it premiered on Broadway on 2013 because of the 2005 movie, it was way ahead of its time and continues to make an impact in the theatre community today. Not only does it show through Lola's character the struggle to be accepted by society, it also emphasizes one moral: always treat others with respect.
I believe that everyone, theatre nerds or novices, should go attend a version of this wonderful show. I wasn't expecting to be so moved by a story that I thought I wouldn't have any connection to. I feel like this show is appropriate for all audiences; there are drag queens keep in mind, but honeslty they were my favorite part of the show. It is truly an incredible show that has not gotten enough praise.