I’ve always had the best time at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. In fact, Beef & Boards brings back fond childhood memories of my mother taking me and my sisters annually to see the Christmas show.
She would dress all of us up in our Sunday’s finest and drive — what seemed like nine days to get clear across town — us to the theater and restaurant. It was so exciting to get to go to the theater, but back then it was all about the buffet for me more so than the show.
Fast forward to 2022 and I must say as excited as I am about the buffet (it still delights the kid in me), it is definitely all about the show now. Y’all, “Kinky Boots” was all that. I loved, loved, loved it! I took a two-and-a-half-hour lunch break to see this movie at the Keystone Art Cinema back in 2006. (That is another story for another time). So, when I heard about it being at Beef & Boards for the first time I had to go. I had to see who portrayed Lola. I am here for Lola.
If you do not know what “Kinky Boots” is about, it’s about a generational family shoe factory now struggling to stay relevant to remain in business. As fate would have it, Charlie, the new owner who just inherited the shoe factory, meets Lola, an entertainer who performs as a fabulous drag queen, who convinces Charlie to do a line of sexy high-heeled boots. Insert conservative white male shoe company owner trying to figure out how he found himself working with a very intense Black drag queen and you get pure entertainment!
There is more to this musical than entertainment and comedy. It all comes down to the main message of accepting people for who they are. I was today years old when I found out this is based on a true story. This makes me love it even more.
Jonathan Studdard was wonderful to watch as Lola. He is fantastic. I was waiting on a death drop from Lola’s Angels the whole night. Did not get that, but I did get a split!
The whole cast is excellent! The music is great. The Beef & Boards atmosphere is perfect, and I already told y’all about the buffet.
“Kinky Boots” runs through March 27.
For ticket prices and show information, visit beefandboards.com or call 317-872-9664.
