Just be.

Kinky Boots

Jun. 23, 2018 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Broadway & Feb. 22, 2026 at the Citizens Opera House in Boston

*** 有雷慎入 ***

是2013年的東尼獎最佳音樂劇!六月是同志驕傲月，很適合來說說Kinky Boots的故事。這個音樂劇是改編自2005年的同名電影，而電影則是以一個真實的英國鞋工廠作為靈感來源。

音樂劇的開場是從兩個主角們的小時候開始。查理雖然家裡四代以來都在Northampton做鞋子，是個在鞋工廠長大的男孩，但對鞋子並沒有特別的情感，甚至是對任何事都沒有特別的熱情。蘿拉則是個小時候開始就愛穿紅色高跟鞋的特別男孩。鏡頭快轉到查理長大後，查理跟著迫不急待搬離Northampton小鎮的女朋友，一起到倫敦開始新生活。結果生活還沒真正開始，就收到爸爸突然過世的噩耗，必須回到家鄉繼承家業，而且一開始就得面對鞋子訂單被大量退貨的挑戰。就在他四處奔走，請人幫忙賣掉被退貨的鞋子的時候，剛好遇到被小混混騷擾的蘿拉。好心的查理本來見義勇為，想要幫蘿拉趕走小混混，結果反而被蘿拉失手打暈。在這樣的因緣際會下，查理有機會看到蘿拉精彩的變裝皇后秀，還有他們穿的靴子是為了女生打造的靴子。回到鞋工廠之後，查理覺得唯一的路就是把工廠關掉，於是開始跟大家宣布壞消息。結果其中一個員工蘿倫提出了尋找藍海市場的想法，剛好讓查理想到蘿拉他們穿的靴子都是為女生做的，沒辦法承受男生的體重。於是查理和蘿倫跑去倫敦找蘿拉討論，想要做出能承受男生重量的靴子 ，這樣也許在米蘭的鞋子展覽大會裡可以開發藍海市場拯救工廠。本來查理想說鞋子做好之後送到倫敦給蘿拉，因為怕鄉下小地方會不歡迎蘿拉這樣的變裝皇后。天生叛逆的蘿拉當然不從，一定要親自到Northampton拿靴子。結果查理做出來的樣品鞋不只顏色不對(酒紅 vs. 紅)，看起來也像是烏克蘭民俗舞蹈舞者會穿的鞋子。也就是在這邊，查理發現了蘿拉作為設計師的潛力，邀請蘿拉留在小鎮一起完成新靴子的開發。

剛開始蘿拉一度試著融入小鎮換上男裝，結果不只自己尷尬，也換來另一波的嘲笑。這邊不得不說泰勒絲寫的haters are gonna hate真的是普世真理。蘿拉躲進男廁之後，查理跑去安慰她，也在這個過程中更加了解蘿拉的故事。原來蘿拉的爸爸是個專業拳擊手，雖然知道蘿拉愛穿女裝，還是從小訓練蘿拉打拳擊，而蘿拉也贏了很多拳擊比賽。直到一次比賽蘿拉穿了白色洋裝出場，蘿拉的爸爸就跟她斷絕了父子關係。查理也誠實告訴蘿拉其實他從來沒有想過要做鞋子，一抓到機會他就離開了小鎮。查理和蘿拉也在這裡了解到他們其實沒有什麼不同，都和他們爸爸期待的兒子很不一樣。這邊唱的Not My Father's Son好讓人心碎。家人的期待有時候真的有點沉重。

在查理和蘿拉重新振作開始打造新產品之後，蘿拉還是一直被不友善的工廠同事唐騷擾。蘿拉於是提議他們來一場比賽，輸的人要完成一件贏的人覺得很man的事。結果唐居然選擇了要比拳擊。拳擊比賽的現場慢動作實在太精彩有趣了！蘿拉一開始當然完全佔上風，但後來她選擇了讓自己被打昏而讓唐贏，因為蘿拉知道自己不需要這個勝利來證明自己。唐自己當然也知道是蘿拉讓他贏的，所以跟蘿拉表示他會完成蘿拉覺得很man的事。結果蘿拉竟然只是要求唐無條件接受一個人，而且這個人不需要是蘿拉。隨著米蘭鞋子展覽大會的逼近，大家的壓力也越來越大，然後查理就變成了一個追求完美剛愎自用的壞老闆。不只讓工廠員工受不了到集體辭職，還責罵蘿拉要蘿拉負起責任像個男人。雖然查理後來有反省自己，但傷害已經造成。結果居然是唐出來當英雄，兌現他對蘿拉的承諾，無條件接受查理的無理，說服工廠的大家回到工作崗位繼續為米蘭趕工。出發到米蘭前，查理給蘿拉留了言，跟她道歉。本來查理打算自己當靴子的模特兒，幸好蘿拉帶著她的天使們一起出現解救危機，然後迎向整個劇的歡樂結局。

Cyndi Lauper為這部音樂劇寫的歌也得到了東尼獎最佳原創音樂的肯定，也是東尼獎的歷史上第一次由女生獨得這個獎項。第一次聽的時候覺得一點都不芭樂，有點難跟著唱。不過越聽越有味道，和劇情還有對話交織得很好。Raise you up / Just be就是這部劇的歡樂總結。不只有著變裝皇后的燦爛繽紛感，最後也溫暖地提醒大家愛和包容是成功不可或缺的要素。這部劇現在有北美巡迴，倫敦的West End也正在上演中。有機會就去看看可以怎麼改變自己的想法，讓世界變得更有愛吧。❤️🌈😘

Raise you up / Just be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwFwUvjgd_c

[All]

Ooh ooh

[Lola]

Once I was afraid, but then you came along 我曾經害怕，但你出現了

Put your faith in me and I was challenged to be strong 對我有信心，也讓我更堅強

When I lost my way, you were there to see me through 當我失去方向，你看著我穿越迷惘

Now let Lola lend some love and do the same for you 現在讓Lola借你一點愛，為你做一樣的事

[All]

Feed your fire, to take you higher 為你的火加油，讓你飛更高

We'll light you up like a live wire 我們會像是條火線點亮你

Celebrate you, to elevate you 慶祝你，提升你

When you struggle to step, we'll take a helping hand 當你寸步難行，我們會伸出援手

If you hit the dust 如果你吃了土

Let me raise you up 讓我扶你起來

When your bubble busts 當你的泡泡破了

Let me raise you up 讓我扶你起來

If your glitter rusts 如果你的光芒生鏽

Let me raise you up 讓我幫你拋光

[Lola]

And up 起來

[All]

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

[Charlie]

Never put much heart in anything before 從來沒有認真專心做任何事

You strut into my life and help me go for something more 你大搖大擺走進我的人生裡，讓我追求更有意義的事情

Now I stand up for myself 現在我可以為自己挺身而出

Now I stand out from the crowd 現在我鶴立雞群

Now I'm standing on high heels, if Dad could see me now 現在我穿著高跟鞋站著，如果爸爸現在看到

[All]

Feed your fire, to take you higher 為你的火加油，讓你飛更高

We'll light you up like a live wire 我們會像是條火線點亮你

Celebrate you, to elevate you 慶祝你，提升你

When you struggle to step, we'll take a helping hand 當你寸步難行，我們會伸出援手

If you hit the dust 如果你吃了土

Let me raise you up 讓我扶你起來

When your bubble busts 當你的泡泡破了

Let me raise you up 讓我扶你起來

If your glitter rusts 如果你的光芒生鏽

Let me raise you up 讓我幫你拋光

[Lola]

And up 起來

[All]

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

[Lauren]

I knew you had it in you 我就知道你可以

I knew what you could do 我知道你的潛力

[Charlie]

You believed in me 你相信了我

Let me be right for you 讓我為你當個對的人

[Lauren]

Your stumbling days are done 你跌跌撞撞的日子已經結束了

Now we're walking on air 現在我們在空中漫步

[Charlie]

I was a loose shoe but you need two to make a pair 我是隻鬆掉的鞋但你需要兩隻才能配成一雙

[Lauren]

Wait wait wait wait wait wait hold it right there, buster 等等等等等等一下給我暫停

Are you saying you'd like to take me out? 你是在說你想約我出去嗎？

[Charlie] Yes 是

[Lauren] Are you saying you are Nikola are through? 你是在說你跟Nikola結束了嗎？

[Charlie] Yes 是

[Lauren] Are you saying you are actually available? 你是在說你真的單身嗎？

[Charlie] Yes 是

[Lauren] And you still like girls? 然後你還是喜歡女生？

[Charlie] Yes! 是

[Lauren] Oh! Carry on! 噢，好，大家繼續！

[All]

Feed your fire, to take you higher 為你的火加油，讓你飛更高

We'll light you up like a live wire 我們會像是條火線點亮你

Celebrate you, to elevate you 慶祝你，提升你

When you struggle to step, we'll take a helping hand 當你寸步難行，我們會伸出援手

[Don]

Look out, Milan 看啊，米蘭

Here comes Don 唐來了

And Don has brought some friends along 而且唐還帶了一些朋友

When you're stuck inside uncertainty 當你受困在不確定性之中

The ones you love 你愛的人

Are gonna set you free 會讓你自由

Yeah!

Woo!

[All]

Feed your fire, to take you higher 為你的火加油，讓你飛更高

We'll light you up like a live wire 我們會像是條火線點亮你

Celebrate you, to elevate you 慶祝你，提升你

When you struggle to step, we'll take a helping hand 當你寸步難行，我們會伸出援手

If you hit the dust 如果你吃了土

Let me raise you up 讓我扶你起來

When your bubble busts 當你的泡泡破了

Let me raise you up 讓我扶你起來

If your glitter rusts 如果你的光芒生鏽

Let me raise you up 讓我幫你拋光

And up 起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

If you hit the dust 如果你吃了土

Let me raise you up 讓我扶你起來

When your bubble busts 當你的泡泡破了

Let me raise you up 讓我抬你起來

If your glitter rusts 如果你的光芒生鏽

Let me raise you up 讓我幫你拋光

And up 起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

Just be 就做自己

Raise you up 扶你起來

Raise you up 扶你起來

[Lola]

We're the same 我們是一樣的

Charlie boy 查理男孩

You and me 你和我

[All]

Just be 就這樣

Who you wanna be 當你想當的人

Never let'em tell you who you ought to be 絕對不要讓人告訴你你該成為什麼樣的人

Just be 就做自己

With dignity 有尊嚴的自己

Celebrate yourself triumphantly 為自己大肆慶祝

You'll see 你會看見

You'll see 你會看見

Just be 就做自己

Just be 就做自己

[Lola, Charlie]

Ladies, gentlemen 女士們，先生們

And those who have yet to make up their minds 還有那些還沒決定好的人

As people all over the world clamor for kinky boots 隨著全世界的人們都想要買kinky boots

It's time for us to get back to work 我們該回去工作了

But before we go 但在我們走之前

We would like to leave you with the Price and Simon secret to success 我們想要跟你們分享Price和Simon成功的秘訣

[Lola]

Alright, now we've all heard of the twelve step program, have we not? 好的，我們都有聽過12步驟計畫吧？

Yes, but what you can do in twelve 好，但你可以在12個步驟裡完成的

I want you to know that we all can do in six now 我想讓你們知道我們全都可以在6個步驟裡完成

And it goes like this 像是這樣

[All + solo]

One: Pursue the truth 一，追求真理

Two: Learn something new 二，學習新東西

Three: Accept yourself and you'll accept others too! 三，接受自己也接受別人

Four: Let love shine 四，讓愛發光

Five: Let pride be your guide 五，為自己感到驕傲

Six: You change the world when you change your mind! 六，當你改變想法，世界就跟著改變

[All]

Just be 就這樣

Who you wanna be 當你想當的人

Never let'em tell you who you ought to be 絕對不要讓人告訴你你該成為什麼樣的人

Just be 就做自己

With dignity 有尊嚴的自己

Celebrate yourself triumphantly 為自己大肆慶祝

You'll see (it's beautiful) 你會發現 (這樣很美麗)

You'll see (it's beautiful) 你會發現 (這樣很美麗)

Just be (it's beautiful) 你會發現 (這樣很美麗)

Just be 就做自己

You'll see (it's beautiful) 你會發現 (這樣很美麗)

You'll see (it's beautiful) 你會發現 (這樣很美麗)

Just be (it's beautiful) 就做自己 (這樣很美麗)

Just be 就這樣

Beautiful 做最美的自己

*** Spoiler Alert ***

Tony Award for Best Musical in 2013! June is the Pride Month so it seems fitting to talk about Kinky Boots. The musical is adapted from a 2005 movie of the same name, which is actually based on a true story about a shoe factory in England.

The musical started with the childhoods of the two leading characters. Charlie Price's family has been in the shoe business for 4 generations in Northampton. He practically grew up in the shoe factory, but he wasn't really passionate about shoes, or even anything. Lola, on the other hand, was a special boy who liked to wear red high heels. The plot fast forwarded to a grown-up Charlie, who was moving out of Northampton with his girlfriend to start a new life in London. Before the glamorous life in London could even begin, Charlie got the devastating news that his father passed away suddenly and he had to return to Northampton to take over the family business. To make things worse, he was faced with the disaster right away that big orders were canceled. While Charlie was running around trying to get people to help sell the shoes, he happened to see Lola being harassed by some little punks. Charlie tried to be a knight in shing armor and rescue Lola, but he ended up getting knocked out by Lola. That gave Charlie an opportunity to see Lola's amazing drag queen show, and that their boots were designed for women. After getting back to Northampton, since Charlie could not see other solutions than closing down the factory, he started to give people notices. One of the employees, Lauren, came up with the suggestion that Charlie should find a niche market so that people would buy their shoes, and it struck Charlie that the shoes that Lola and her Angel friends wear were for women, which could not possibly endure men's weight. Charlie and Lauren then went to London to talk to Lola, thinking that if they made boots that could bear men's weight, maybe they could showcase at the World Shoe Exhibition in Milan and get to the niche market. Charlie was thinking that once a sample pair was made, he would send the shoes to Lola in London, with the secret mindset that a small town like Northampton might not welcome the presence of a drag queen like Lola. Lola being Lola, of course she saw through this and insisted that she would go to Northampton to pick up the shoes. It turned out that the sample shoes that Charlie made, were not right, not only in color (burgundy vs. red), but also looked like shoes for Ukrainian folk dancers. Through this, Charlie saw the potential in Lola as a designer, and invited her to stay in town to work on the kinky boots.

Lola tried to fit in in the beginning and put on men's clothes, which not only made her feel foolish, but also got her another round of mocking. I'll have to say that Taylor Swift was so right about "haters are gonna hate." After Lola went into the Men's room, Charlie went after her and learned more about Lola's past. It turned out that Lola's father was a professional boxer. Even though he knew about Lola's passion for putting on women's clothes, he still trained Lola for boxing, and Lola did win some boxing titles. But one time when Lola appeared in a white cocktail dress for a match, her father disowned her. Charlie shared with Lola that he never really wanted to make shoes and he rode the train out of Northampton first chance he got. Lola and Charlie came to the realization that they were the same, in the way that they were both very different from what their fathers expected in them. The song Not My Father's Son here was heartbreakingly beautiful. Family expectation can be heavy at times.

As Charlie and Lola regrouped and dived into making the boots, Lola continued to get harassed by the unfriendly Don at the factory. Lola then proposed that they have any kind of challenge. If she loses she would do whatever Don said she needed to do in order to be a man, and vice versa. As fate would have it, Don chose a boxing match as the challenge. (The live theater slow motion performance about the boxing match was so hilarious! I would highly recommend it.) Lola was understandably having the upper hand in the beginning, but eventually she chose to let Don knock her out because she knew she didn't need that victory to prove herself. Of course Don knew that Lola let him win, so he accepted that he would do the thing that Lola wanted him to do to be a real man. Lola only had a simple ask: "Accept someone for who they are." And it doesn't have to be Lola. As the World Shoe Exhibition was getting close, the pressure was increasing, and Charlie turned into an ill-tempered, stubborn, perfectionist boss. He didn't just push all the factory workers to the point that everyone quit, he even yelled at Lola and asked her to act like a man. Even though Charlie realized how big of a mistake he had made, the hurt was already there. And then a surprising hero came to the rescue: Don honored the promise he gave to Lola and accepted Charlie for who he was, and convinced everyone to get back to work. Before flying to Milan, Charlie left Lola a ton of voicemails to apologize. Charlie was planning on being the model himself for the show. Luckily Lola and the Angels showed up last minute and gave everyone a happy ending.

The songs in the musical got great recognition as Cyndi Lauper won the Tony Award for Best Original Score. It was also the first time in Tony Awards history for a women to win this award solely. I have to admit that the first time I heard the songs, they were not really catchy for me. But the more I listened to them, the more I learned to appreciate the way the songs intertwined with the plot and the dialogues. Raise you up / Just be is the grand happy finale of the show. It not only carries the glamour and dazzle that is a must for a drag show. At the end, it also reminds people gently that love and inclusiveness are essential to success. There is currently a North American tour and a London production for this musical. If you get a chance, maybe go and see how you can change the world by changing your mind. ❤️🌈😘