Auditions Announced for Pre-Broadway Premiere of 'Kinky Boots' Musical

A new musical based on the movie "Kinky Boots" is expected to open on Broadway next year after an out-of-town tryout in Chicago, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell ("Hairspray"). Rehearsals begin in August in New York City, and the production moves to Chicago for its world premiere in early October at the Bank of America Theatre. Auditions will be held April 18-20 in New York.

"Kinky Boots" is an adaptation of the 2005 British film starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as a drag queen named Lola who helps save a family shoe factory owned by Charlie (Joel Edgerton). Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein ("Newsies," "La Cage aux Folles") wrote the book and '80s pop star Cyndi Lauper makes her debut as a musical theater composer for the project. No dates have been announced for the possible Broadway production, but producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig intend to open the show in 2013.

Casting director Justin Huff of Telsey + Company is casting principal roles, as well as ensemble singers and dancers. In addition to various adult roles, two young boys will be cast to play the principal roles of Lola and Charlie as 10-year-old children.

Equity principal auditions will be held Friday, April 20 in New York. An Equity chorus call for dancers will be held Wednesday, April 18 and a chorus call for singers will be held Thursday, April 19. For more information and audition details, view the full casting notices on BackStage.com. (Subscription required.)

The lead roles of Lola and shoe business heir Charlie Price have been cast, according to the casting notice. Although no formal announcement has been made, prior workshop readings in New York featured Billy Porter (Off Broadway revival of "Angels in America") as Lola and Tony Award nominee Stark Sands ("Journey’s End," "American Idiot") as Charlie.

Justin Huff is a CSA member who recently cast the Broadway production of "Newsies The Musical."