“Kinky Boots” director has acting roots from Center Players

By Lee J. Green

“Kinky Boots” kicks up its heels starting June 3 at Red Mountain Theatre in Birmingham, and the Tony-award-winning musical with a story about community, tolerance, and self-acceptance also represents a homecoming for director/choreographer Robin Lewis.

“The message of Kinky Boots is about acceptance, self-worth, discovery and empathy,” said Lewis. “I love doing big musicals and especially one so beloved as ‘Kinky Boots’ with such a diverse, talented community of actors.”

The Birmingham-area native acted in his first musical in 1977 at the Levite Jewish Community Center, under the direction of the legendary Irving Stern. “I was 11 years old at the time and Irving helped instill in me that love and appreciation for the art form.”

Growing up, Lewis was a competitive figure skater, and James Hatcher of Birmingham’s Town and Gown Theatre invited him to audition for Summerfest Theatre in 1987. At the time, Lewis was majoring in marketing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2003, Summerfest would become Red Mountain Theatre.

“I knew then that this was what I wanted to do with my life,” said Lewis, who, after earning some post-graduate professional theatre opportunities in Birmingham, did some cruise gigs as well as a Vegas run and even worked with Disney.

He would go on to a successful Broadway career — acting, dancing and choreographing. His credits include “Fosse,” Dance Captain of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” and Dance Captain of “A Christmas Carol” at Madison Square Garden. He toured with the first national tour of “The Producers” with Jason Alexander and Martin Short in Hollywood as well as tours with “A Chorus Line,” “Hello Dolly” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Currently he is a theatre professor at Rider University in New Jersey and has recruited some students who came through the Red Mountain Theatre youth programs.

“I worked with Ben Vereen on ‘Fosse’ and he said, ‘it is your duty to give back.’ I have been inspired by so many along the way and I’m now fulfilled through helping young talent to live their dreams.”

The RMT “Kinky Boots” production, which runs through June 26, features a mostly local, talented cast of adult and youth performers. With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, the show debuted in 2013, based on the 2005 film of the same name. The musical follows the story of Charlie Price (Davis Haines), who has inherited the family’s failing shoe factory.

A chance meeting with a drag entertainer, Lola (Cecil Washington Jr.), leads to an unlikely partnership making high-heeled boots in a plan to save the business.

Lewis said he is excited to have some family in Birmingham see the show along with his husband, Todd Dellinger, and seven-year-old daughter, Piper. The first show he directed for Red Mountain Theatre was “Legally Blonde” 10 years ago.

“It really is very special to be coming back and sharing this show with friends and family,” he said. June is also perfect timing with it being National Pride Month, Lewis added. “I have traveled around a lot and lived in several places, but Alabama and RMT are always number one in my heart.”