Members of the Kinky Boots team, including book writer Harvey Fierstein, took to social media to share the news that the Obama family was part of the audience at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre today. Representatives for the show confirmed the First Family's attendance.
Michelle Obama@ the matinee of KINKY BOOTS on B'way today. The SS tried 2 get them 2 exit during the bow, bt they stayed 2 dance & clap.
— Harvey Fierstein (@HarveyFierstein)
July 11, 2015
According to the show's reps, Secret Service urged the First Family to make their exit during the curtain call, but the Obamas stayed to applaud the cast until the very end. The First Lady also sent a note to the cast, praising the production, saying that they "loved every minute" of the uplifting, inclusive musical.
The note can be read below:
The Obama family has attended Broadway shows on several occasions. The President and First Lady attended the 2009 revival of Joe Turner's Come and Gone and the Tony-winning 2014 revival of A Raisin in the Sun. In recent months, audiences at the Public Theater found themselves in historic company when the First Lady took in a performance of the acclaimed Lin-Manuel Miranda musical Hamilton. The First Lady, her mother and daughters have also attended productions of The Trip to Bountiful, Motown, Memphis and The Addams Family.
Based on the 2005 film of the same title, Kinky Boots has a new book by Tony winner Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles, Newsies) and a score by Grammy and Tony Award-winning "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "True Colors" hit-maker Cyndi Lauper.
Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (On Your Feet, Hairspray, La Cage aux Folles, Legally Blonde, Catch Me If You Can) directs and choreographs Kinky Boots.
Kinky Boots premiered on Broadway March 3, 2013, following an out-of-town engagement at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago. It opened to acclaim April 4, 2013.
In addition to taking Best Musical and Tony wins for Lauper (Best Score), Mitchell (Best Choreography) and Porter (Best Actor), Kinky Boots also saw awards to go Stephen Oremus (Orchestrations) and John Shivers (Sound Design).
Check out highlights from Kinky Boots!
