Charlotte Blumenthal Arts, Kinky Boots, April 2026

BLUMENTHAL ARTS

JASON DANIEL CHACON FINDS HIS VOICE IN KINKY BOOTS

STORY BY Keith Loria

Before he was stepping into character onstage of Don in Kinky Boots, Jason Daniel Chacon was preparing to call the action from behind a microphone. A broadcast journalism major at Arizona State, he once envisioned a career in sports media, until an unexpected pivot led him to the theatre, where he discovered not only a passion for performance, but a voice he didn’t know he had.

“I have a little bit of a strange career path from most actors as I didn’t study theatre or do any of that stuff; I was in the drumline in high school and I never did any singing,” Chacon said. “I wanted to be a broadcaster, but I graduated at a time where they didn’t know what to do with the internet and a lot of places weren’t hiring, so I couldn’t find a job after college.”

6 | encorecharlotte

At Arizona State, he had enjoyed participating in a sketch comedy group, so he tried out for a play and fell in love with the experience. After that, he wanted to try a musical, and he realized he could sing pretty well.

“It was always on my bucket list and I did it, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my adult life,” Chacon said. “All of a sudden, theatre became what I did.”

EMOTIONAL JOURNEY

Among his early credits were playing Hopper in Stranger Sings: A Musical Parody ; Miles in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ; and the Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Then came an opportunity to perform in Kinky Boots on Norwegian Cruise Lines, a job that not only sharpened his skills but also introduced him to the role he plays today. That familiarity proved valuable when he auditioned for the national tour. After submitting a tape, Chacon was called in to audition in person, only to find several familiar faces waiting behind the table.

“As soon as I walked in, I saw the casting director, the director and the choreographer who I had worked with, and I said, ‘Oh, okay—these are people I know,’” he said. “I was thrilled when I was offered the role.”

Now on tour, Chacon finds Don especially compelling because of his emotional journey throughout the show.

SHIP LIFE IS STRANGE

“I think he’s got probably the biggest character arc in the show,” Chacon said. “He comes the furthest way—from not really accepting the fact that men can wear women’s clothes and feel confident, to realizing he’s got love in his heart.”

For Chacon, that transformation is at the heart of what makes Kinky Boots resonate with audiences.

“If you change the world, you change your mind,” he said. “That’s just a beautiful piece of growth to be written out.”

While the role demands emotional depth, it also requires physical stamina, including performing in heels, something that might intimidate some actors. Chacon, however, takes it in stride.

“It’s not hard; I spend a lot of time in the gym,” he said with a laugh.

Life on tour has also given him a chance to explore new places and connect with audiences across the country. It’s a stark contrast to his earlier experience performing aboard a cruise ship, where the environment was more contained.

“Ship life is strange,” he said. “It becomes like its own town, and people come through every week as tourists, whereas the tour is the exact opposite. I’m the tourist coming into someone else’s town.”

Despite the constant travel, Chacon has found ways to make each stop his own.

“I’m a big hiker, so I love getting outdoors and exploring the nature of the place,” he said. “And I collect postcards, so I always try to find one in each city.”

LEAP OF FAITH

Beyond the personal experiences, what he values most about touring is the opportunity to bring live theatre to audiences who might not otherwise have access to it.

“We can inspire a whole new generation of people to love theatre without having to go to New York City,” Chacon said.

That sense of connection extends to the cast as well. Spending months on the road together naturally creates a bond, even if there are occasional challenges along the way.

“It’s like being part of a team,” he said, reverting back to his sports background. “Sometimes there’s friction, but you find a way to get over it. I like to save my drama for the stage.”

Though his path to theatre was unconventional, Chacon hasn’t completely closed the door on his original passion for storytelling. During his time at Arizona State, he worked as a sports anchor and did play-by-play broadcasting, and he still has an interest in documentary filmmaking.

“My capstone project was making a documentary, and that is something I would absolutely love to do someday,” he said.

For now, however, his focus remains firmly on performing and building momentum in his career.

“After this run, I’ll just be looking to book another gig,” Chacon said. “It happens quite often that you end a project and it takes some time to get to your next one, so I’d like to have something lined up.”

It’s a pragmatic outlook, but one grounded in gratitude for a career that began with a leap of faith and a willingness to try something new.

CROSSROADS LIVE WILLOW WEALTH

present

Book by

Music & Lyrics by

HARVEY FIERSTEIN CYNDI LAUPER

Based on the Miramax motion picture Kinky Boots Written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth starring

NOAH SILVERMAN OMARI COLLINS

SCARLETT D. VON’DU

SOPHIA GUNTER JOHN ANKER BOW EMMA DEAN JASON DANIEL CHACON

CARLYN BARENHOLTZ CONNOR BUONACCORSI BRIANNA CLARK DARGAN COLE FELIPE CRISTANCHO-RODRÍGUEZ

BLAKE DU BOIS JONATHAN BLAKE FLEMINGS PEYTON GAIDA JAYNA GLYNN BILLY GOLDSTEIN BRANDIN JAY ROBERT MILLER VAL MORANTO DOMINIC PAGLIARO THOMAS ED PURVIS BLAISE ROSSMANN TJ STATEN KYLE WILLIAMSON NATALIE LILAVOIS YUSTY

Scenic Design

Costume Design

Lighting Design

Sound Design DAVID ROCKWELL GREGG BARNES KENNETH POSNER GARETH OWEN

Hair Design

Make-up Design Casting JOSH MARQUETTE JEFF KNAGGS MURNANE CASTING

CHAD ERIC MURNANE, CSA AMBER SNEAD, CSA

Music Coordinator

Music Director

Production Stage Manager Company Manager

TALITHA FEHR CALEB MIDDLETON NATE COFFEY JOANNE HOLDEMAN

Tour Management

Production Manager

General Manager Executive Producer CROSSROADS LIVE GREGG DAMANTI ANDREW TERLIZZI JAYNA NEAGLE NORTH AMERICA

Tour Booking

Marketing & Press Representative Social Media THE ROAD COMPANY ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING THINK TANK

STEPHEN LINDSAY & BRETT SIROTA

Direction Recreated by

Choreography Recreated by

Music Supervison by DB BONDS RUSTY MOWERY WILL VAN DYKE

Arrangements and Orchestrations by STEPHEN OREMUS

Original Broadway Production Directed & Choreographed by JERRY

MITCHELL

Original Broadway Production Produced by DARYL ROTH HAL LUFTIG

JAMES L. NEDERLANDER TERRY ALLEN KRAMER INDEPENDENT PRESENTERS NETWORK CJ E&M JAYNE BARON SHERMAN JUST FOR LAUGHS THEATRICALS/JUDITH ANN ABRAMS

YASUHIRO KAWANA JANE BERGÈRE ALLAN S. GORDON & ADAM S. GORDON KEN DAVENPORT HUNTER ARNOLD LUCY & PHIL SUAREZ BRYAN BANTRY RON FIERSTEIN & DORSEY REGAL JIM KIERSTEAD/GREGORY RAE

BB GROUP/CHRISTINA PAPAGJIKA MICHAEL DeSANTIS/PATRICK BAUGH

BRIAN SMITH/TOM & CONNIE WALSH WARREN TREPP and JUJAMCYN THEATERS

12 | encorecharlotte

CAST

(in order of appearance)

Mr. Price DOMINIC PAGLIARO

Charlie Price NOAH SILVERMAN

Nicola EMMA DEAN

George JOHN ANKER BOW

Don JASON DANIEL CHACON

Lauren ........................................................................................................................... SOPHIA GUNTER

Pat ...................................................................................................................... CARLYN BARENHOLTZ

Harry ............................................................................................................................... BLAKE DU BOIS

Lola ............................................................................... OMARI COLLINS “SCARLETT D. VON’DU”

Angels....................................................

DARGAN COLE, FELIPE CRISTANCHO-RODRÍGUEZ,

JONATHAN BLAKE FLEMINGS, PEYTON GAIDA, BLAISE ROSSMANN, TJ STATEN

Trish VAL MORANTO

Richard Bailey KYLE WILLIAMSON

Simon Sr. THOMAS ED PURVIS

Milan Stage Manager JAYNA GLYNN

Ensemble CARLYN BARENHOLTZ, BLAKE DU BOIS, JAYNA GLYNN, BILLY GOLDSTEIN, BRANDIN JAY, VAL MORANTO, DOMINIC PAGLIARO, THOMAS ED PURVIS, KYLE WILLIAMSON, NATALIE LILAVOIS YUSTY

STANDBYS AND UNDERSTUDIES

Standbys and understudies never substitute for listed performers unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

Understudy for Lola THOMAS ED PURVIS, TJ STATEN; for Charlie BLAKE DU BOIS, KYLE WILLIAMSON; for Lauren JAYNA GLYNN, NATALIE LILAVOIS YUSTY; for Nicola BRIANNA CLARK, NATALIE LILAVOIS YUSTY; for Don BILLY GOLDSTEIN, BRANDIN JAY; for George BILLY GOLDSTEIN, BRANDIN JAY; for Mr. Price CONNOR BUONACCORSI, BILLY GOLDSTEIN; for Trish— CARLYN BARENHOLTZ, BRIANNA CLARK; for Pat BRIANNA CLARK, JAYNA GLYNN; for Harry BLAISE ROSSMANN, KYLE WILLIAMSON; for Richard Bailey ROBERT MILLER, BLAISE ROSSMANN; for Simon Sr.—JONATHAN BLAKE FLEMINGS, BRANDIN JAY; for Milan Stage Manager—NATALIE LILAVOIS YUSTY, BRIANNA CLARK.

DANCE CAPTAIN ROBERT MILLER

ASSISTANT DANCE CAPTAIN BRIANNA CLARK

SWINGS

CONNOR BUONACCORSI, BRIANNA CLARK, ROBERT MILLER

THERE WILL BE ONE 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION

The use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs, either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited.

CAST

16 | encorecharlotte

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

“Price & Son Theme” .......................................................................................................Full Company

“The Most Beautiful Thing in the World” ................................................................Full Company

“Take What You Got” ................................................................................ Harry, Charlie, Ensemble

“Land of Lola” Lola, Angels

“Land of Lola” (Reprise) Lola, Angels

“Step One” Charlie

“Sex Is in the Heel” Lola, Pat, George, Angels, Ensemble

“The History of Wrong Guys” Lauren

“Not My Father’s Son” Lola, Charlie

“Everybody Say Yeah” Charlie, Lola, Angels, Ensemble

ACT II

“Entr’acte/Price & Son Theme” (Reprise) Full Company

“What a Woman Wants” Lola, Pat, Don, Ensemble

“In This Corner” Lola, Don, Pat, Trish, Angels, Ensemble

“Soul of a Man” Charlie

“Hold Me in Your Heart” Lola

“Raise You Up/Just Be” Full Company

Kinky Boots Touring Orchestra

Music Director/Keyboard CALEB MIDDLETON

Assistant Music Director/Keyboard MARC SOKOLSON Guitars DEREK BOMBACK, CALLUM MURPHY Bass DANNY SANTIAGO Drums JASON CHAFATELLI

Music Coordinator TALITHA FEHR

Ableton Programmer/Electronic Drum Programmer SAMMY MERENDINO Keyboard Programmer RANDY COHEN, RANDY COHEN KEYBOARDS

WHO’S WHO in the CAST

OMARI COLLINS “SCARLETT D.

VON’DU” (Lola) is thrilled to be back in the Boots for the seventh time! A KCMO native and NYC-based drag artist. Regional: Kinky Boots, NCL, RWS Global, Cedar Fair: Live Entertainment. @scarlettd.vondu. @omari_collins.

NOAH SILVERMAN (Charlie Price) is honored to be touring across North America telling this fun and important story! National tour: The Book of Mormon (Ensemble, u/s Elder McKinley). Regional: The Prom (Kevin), On the Town (Ozzie), The Curious Incident… (Christopher). AIDA Cruises (Lead Vocalist). Penn State B.F.A. MT, Walnut Hill School for the Arts. Huge thanks to his family, friends and team at Henderson Hogan. For Mom and Dad, this one’s for you! @ndsilverman.

SOPHIA GUNTER (Lauren). National tour debut! Previous credits include Legally Blonde (Theatre Aspen), Singin’ in the Rain (SSMT), Million Dollar Quartet (SSMT), Chicago (Virginia Musical Theatre). “All my love and gratitude to my family, friends, Shenandoah Conservatory and The Hybrid Agency.” @sophiahalegunter.

JOHN ANKER BOW (George). Rider University class of ’03. Touring: Come From Away (Nick and Others), Cats (Bustopher/Gus), Ragtime (Henry Ford), A Christmas Carol (Jacob Marley), Kinky Boots (George, 2017–18 tour), Disney Cruise Line. Off-Broadway: Slam Frank. Podcast: “Flop of the Heap.” Hudson Artists Agency, NYC.

EMMA DEAN (Nicola) is a recent graduate from Ithaca College with a B.F.A. in musical theater and is so excited to be making her national tour debut! Thank you to her family, friends and CLA Partners, for their love and support!

JASON DANIEL CHACON (Don) is thrilled to be back in boots after completing a stint with Kinky Boots on Norwegian Cruise Lines. Other

credits: Stranger Sings: A Musical Parody (Hopper), Beauty and the Beast (Beast), A Funny Thing Happened… (Miles Gloriosus). All the love to his family and friends for their unwavering support. Insta: @jdchacon25.

CARLYN BARENHOLTZ (Pat/ Ensemble) Born-and-raised New Yorker. Recently: The Argyle, NYGASP, Disney Cruise Line. Currently: pinching herself. Proud alumnus of Boston Conservatory (B.F.A .MT) and LaGuardia High School (Vocal Music). As always, for Mom and Darah. Rep: @adunnirosetalent. “To life!”

CONNOR BUONACCORSI (Swing) is thrilled be joining the Kinky Boots family. Previous tours: Mean Girls, Hairspray. Associate artistic director of Rhode to Broadway. Proud Boston Conservatory graduate! Thanks to family, friends and Avalon Artists Group! @connorbuonaccorsi.

BRIANNA CLARK (Swing). Credits include Pretty Woman (national tour, Swing), Margaritaville at Sea and Eve in Children of Eden. Eternal thanks to her family and friends for being the wind beneath her…heels. @breeehapppy. #swingnation.

DARGAN COLE (Angel/Ensemble) is a recent graduate from Boston Conservatory at Berklee and is thrilled to be making his national tour debut! All the love to his family and The Price group for their endless support! @dargan.cole.

FELIPE CRISTANCHO-RODRÍGUEZ (Angel/Ensemble) is honored to make his national tour debut! Regional: Sister Act (Pablo), La Cage aux Folles (Swing), In the Heights (Sonny). “Muchísimo amor para Ma, Pa, Sebas, y Tía Pepa!” AMDA ’24. IG: @felipec_r.

BLAKE DU BOIS (Harry/Ensemble) is an actor/writer from San Carlos, Calif. Past credits: Metamorphosis! (Edinburgh Fringe), Rent (Theatre Aspen) and Dune! The Dunesical! (Co-writer/Paul; TNC). Special

20 | encorecharlotte

thanks: Baker Management, Taylor, Joey, Peter, Mom and Dad.

JONATHAN BLAKE FLEMINGS (Angel/Ensemble). Tour debut! Regional: Carnegie Hall, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Musical Theatre West, PCPA, Moonlight Stage, Olney Theatre, MGR Playhouse. TV: “Elementary,” CBS. Other: Disney Live Entertainment. “Love to my family, FSE, Team KB, LA, HOU, PGH!” B.F.A., Point Park University. @itsjblake.

PEYTON GAIDA (Angel/Ensemble) is ecstatic to make his national tour debut! A Shenandoah Conservatory senior (B.F.A. MT ’26), he also stuns local stages as Sienna Rae Skye. Endless love to family, friends, professors and fabulous supporters! @peytongaida. @siennaraeskye.

JAYNA GLYNN (Milan SM/Ensemble). Filled with joy to make her tour debut! Recent credits: Beautiful (Stages St. Louis), …Spelling Bee (Dr. Phillips Center) and vocalist with APO (Lincoln Center). Missouri State MT. Thanks to PMA, her family and, above all, God, the anchor of her art! jaynaglynn.com.

BILLY GOLDSTEIN (Ensemble) is honored to make his national tour debut! Regional credits include Ragtime, Waitress, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago and more. Grateful to family, friends, Dan and the creative/casting teams for this opportunity. Reps: @mtaagency. IG: @itsbillygoldstein. TikTok: @billygoldstein.

BRANDIN JAY (Ensemble). National tour debut! Brandin was featured on NBC songwriting series “Songland”. Film credits: Disney Channel’s Let It Shine, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. TV: “House of Payne,” “Meet the Browns.” Regional: Chasin’ Dem Blues, The Wiz, Dreamgirls, Annie Follow Brandin @brandin.jay.

ROBERT MILLER (Swing). Touring credentials: Pretty Woman: The Musical (Swing, Dance Capt.), Tootsie (Swing, Asst. Dance Capt.). Thank you friends,

family and The Price Group for your undying support. Love yinz! Check out more on website: robertbpmiller.com.

VAL MORANTO (Trish/Ensemble) is thrilled to be getting back into the Boots for her third time! Select regional credits include ACT of CT, Gulfshore Playhouse, Ogunquit, Fulton, Riverside in Vero Beach and the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. B.F.A. Boston Conservatory. “Thanks to the amazing creative team, Murnane Casting and my Beloved Husband TJ!”

DOMINIC PAGLIARO (Mr. Price/ Ensemble) (he/him/his). National tour: Pretty Woman (Stuckey, u/s Edward), Anastasia (u/s Vlad, u/s Gleb). Select regional: NSMT, Legacy, Engeman, New Paradigm, Cardinal Stage. B.F.A. Indiana University. “All my love to Mom, Dad, family and friends, CXLNA and MTA.” dompagliaro.com. @dom.pags.

THOMAS ED PURVIS (Simon Sr./ Ensemble). Tours: Rent 25th Anniversary (U.S./Japan), The Book of Mormon (Golden Plates). Regional: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Paper Mill Playhouse), Choir Boy (SpeakEasy Stage). B.F.A., Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Represented by Ally Taylor Artist. @thomasedpurvis.

BLAISE ROSSMANN (Angel/ Ensemble) is thrilled to strut into Kinky Boots! Big—huge—thanks to the fabulous creative team and to Zelda for the emergency makeup lessons. National tour: The Cher Show, Pretty Woman. Regional: Music Theatre Wichita, Theatre By The Sea, Syracuse Stage, The Glimmerglass Festival. Proud Syracuse alum. “Love to my family, friends and The Collective.” @blaiserossmann.

TJ STATEN (Angel/Ensemble) is thrilled to make his national tour debut with Kinky Boots. Regional and Off-Broadway credits include Dreamgirls (The Muny), Ragtime, Newsies, The Color Purple, The Wiz

and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. @tjstaten.

KYLE WILLIAMSON (Richard Bailey/ Ensemble) is thrilled to make his national tour debut with Kinky Boots. Favorite credits include Sweeney Todd (Anthony) and Joseph… Dreamcoat (Joseph). “All my love to family and friends. With God, no fear.”

NATALIE LILAVOIS YUSTY (Ensemble). Tours: Sister Act Asia, Dog Man: The Musical. Off-Broadway: Cause For Applause NYC. Regional: Rent. Grateful to God, family, friends and agents at Avalon. It takes a village to “Raise You Up!” @natalie.lilavoisyusty.

HARVEY FIERSTEIN (Book) is the author of the smash hit Newsies as well as Torch Song Trilogy (Tony, Drama Desk and Obie awards), La Cage aux Folles (Tony and Drama Desk awards), The Sissy Duckling (Humanitas Award), A Catered Affair (12 Drama Desk nominations), Safe Sex (Ace Award), Legs Diamond, Spookhouse, Flatbush Tosca, Common Ground and more. His political editorials have been published in The New York Times, TV Guide and The Huffington Post and broadcast on PBS’s “In the Life.” His children’s book, The Sissy Duckling, is now in its fifth printing. As an actor, Mr. Fierstein is known worldwide for his performances in films like Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day, and on stage in Hairspray (Tony Award), Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy (Tony Award) and TV shows such as “Smash,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “The Good Wife,” “Cheers” (Emmy nomination), “The Simpsons” and “Nurse Jackie.”

CYNDI LAUPER (Music and Lyrics) is a Grammy, Emmy and now Tony Award-winning (for her Kinky Boots score) artist, who, after 30 sterling years and global record sales in excess of 50 million albums, has proven that she has the heart and

soul to keep her legion of fans compelled by her every creative move. With her first album, She’s So Unusual, Lauper won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist and became the first female in history to have four top-five singles from a debut album. Since then, Lauper has released 10 additional studio albums, with her most recent, the Grammy-nominated Memphis Blues, ruling the Billboard Blues Chart for 14 consecutive weeks to become the best-selling blues album of 2010. Overall, during her storied music career, Lauper has been nominated for 14 Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, seven American Video Awards and 18 MTV Awards. She recently captured her journey through music and life in her New York Times best-selling autobiography, Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir. As an actress, Lauper made her Broadway debut in The Threepenny Opera alongside Alan Cumming in 2006. She has appeared in “Mad About You” (Emmy Award) and “Bones” and films including The Opportunist with Christopher Walken, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Life With Mikey, Off and Running and Vibes. Cyndi returned to television in 2013, this time as herself, in the limited docu-series “She’s So Unusual” on WE TV. Lauper also continues her philanthropic work through her foundation, the True Colors Fund.

JERRY MITCHELL (Original Director and Choreographer) is a threetime Tony Award winner, first for his choreography in the revival of La Cage aux Folles, second for his choreography in the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Kinky Boots (for which he was also Tonynominated for his direction) and most recently for his philanthropic activities as the creator and executive producer of the yearly charity event called Broadway Bares. His most recent Broadway show is BOOP!, which he directed and choreographed and for which he won

the Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle awards, as well as his ninth Tony nomination as choreographer. Prior to BOOP!, Jerry directed and choreographed Pretty Woman and prior to that, the Gloria Estefan musical, On Your Feet!, both shows for Broadway and the West End. Jerry has been nominated for four Olivier Awards for his choreography in Hairspray; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which he also directed and co-produced in London; Legally Blonde; and Kinky Boots, which he also directed. Currently, he is the director and choreographer of Elton John’s The Devil Wears Prada on the West End. In the 35 preceding years, Jerry has been involved with more than 50 Broadway, West End and touring productions. His Broadway debut as choreographer, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, was followed by The Full Monty (Tony nominated), The Rocky Horror Show, Hairspray (Tony nominated, NBC Live), Gypsy, Never Gonna Dance (Tony nominated), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony nominated), La Cage aux Folles, Imaginary Friends, Legally Blonde (Tony nominated, which he also directed on Broadway and in London), Catch Me If You Can and Kinky Boots. For film, Jerry created memorable dance sequences for Scent of a Woman, The Object of My Affection, In and Out and Drop Dead Gorgeous, among others.

STEPHEN OREMUS (Arranger and Orchestrator). Broadway: Kinky Boots (Tony, Grammy), The Book of Mormon (Tony, Drama Desk, Grammy), Wicked, Avenue Q, All Shook Up, 9 to 5: The Musical, Smash, Frozen Off-Broadway: tick, tick…BOOM! Film: Executive music producer of Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025); vocal arranger/conductor for Disney’s Frozen and Frozen 2. TV: Music director of the 2015 Oscars (Emmy nomination), “Annie Live!,” “The Wiz Live!,” “Rent Live!,” “A Very Wicked Halloween Special,” “Into the Unknown: The Making of Frozen 2.”

DB BONDS (Direction Recreation) is the worldwide associate director of Kinky Boots. He has worked on the show on Broadway, all U.S. tours, West End, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Australia and Toronto. He directed the regional premiere of the show at The Muny in St Louis. He has also served in the same capacity on BOOP! The Musical and Pretty Woman: The Musical with Jerry Mitchell.

RUSTY MOWERY (Choreography Recreation). Recently served as director/choreographer for the Australian premiere of Pretty Woman. Associate choreographer: Kinky Boots (Broadway, U.S. tour, London, Toronto, Seoul, Tokyo, Australia, Germany), Pretty Woman (London). Production dance supervisor: Hairspray Broadway/national tour, Toronto; Legally Blonde (London). Dancer on Broadway: Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Seussical, Ragtime and Cats.

WILL VAN DYKE (Music Supervisor) is a Grammy-nominated musical multi-hyphenate. As a composer: fuzzy (BSC), Ten Brave Seconds (PTC), Writing Kevin Taylor (Village), among others. Broadway MD: Mamma Mia!, Swept Away, The Heart of Rock and Roll, Little Shop of Horrors, Pretty Woman, Kinky Boots and Rent Founding partner of Joy Machine Records. Stream his music online! willvandyke.com. @wvdmusic.

DAVID ROCKWELL (Scenic Designer). Broadway: Chess, Art, BOOP!, Into the Woods, She Loves Me (Tony, DD, OCC awards), On the Twentieth Century (Tony nom.), You Can’t Take It With You (Tony nom.), Kinky Boots (Tony nom.), Hairspray (Tony, DD, OCC noms.). Off-Broadway: Ragtime, Oliver!, Shakespeare in the Park. Film/TV: 81st, 82nd, 93rd Oscars; 2010 and 2021 Emmy Awards. Founder, Rockwell Group.

GREGG BARNES (Costume Designer). Broadway: BOOP! (Tony nom.), Some Like It Hot (Tony Award), Pretty

Woman, Mean Girls (Tony nom.), Tuck Everlasting (Tony nom.), Something Rotten! (Tony nom.), Aladdin, Kinky Boots (Tony nom., Olivier Award), Follies (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award), Legally Blonde (Tony nom.), The Drowsy Chaperone (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Flower Drum Song (Tony nom.), Side Show. Other: Kinky Boots (Olivier Award).

KENNETH POSNER (Lighting Designer) designs extensively on and OffBroadway for resident theaters, opera companies and touring productions throughout the United States as well as internationally. He has over 75 Broadway and West End credits, including Once Upon a One More Time, Beetlejuice, Mr. Saturday Night, Pretty Woman, Mean Girls, War Paint, Tuck Everlasting, Disgraced, On Your Feet!, If/Then, Kinky Boots, Pippin, Cinderella, Hairspray, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Legally Blonde, Catch Me If You Can, The Coast of Utopia: Shipwrecked, Other Desert Cities, The Merchant of Venice, The Little Foxes, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Finding Neverland and Wicked. He is the recipient of the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic’s Circle, Lucille Lortel, Joseph Jefferson, Henry Hewes and Obie awards.

GARETH OWEN (Sound Designer). BOOP!, Hell’s Kitchen, Tommy, MJ: The Musical (Tony win), Back to the Future (Olivier nom.), & Juliet (Tony nom.), Starlight Express, The Devil Wears Prada, Bad Cinderella, Elf, Come From Away (Olivier win), A Bronx Tale, End of the Rainbow (Tony nom.), A Little Night Music (Tony nom.), Diana, The Devil Wears Prada, Bat Out of Hell (Olivier nom.), Memphis (Olivier-win), Summer, Top Hat (Olivier nom.), Merrily We Roll Along (Olivier win). @garethowensound.

JOSH MARQUETTE (Hair Designer). His work has been seen all around the world in such shows as The Greatest Showman, Some Like It Hot, Prom,

Pretty Woman, Mean Girls, Dreamgirls, School of Rock, Aladdin, Kinky Boots, The Book of Mormon, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Altar Boyz and Mamma Mia! Television faves: “30 Rock” and “Saturday Night Live.” Insta: @josh_ marquette.

JEFF KNAGGS (Make-Up Designer). Broadway: 25th anniversary Mamma Mia! Selected regional: Come From Away, South Pacific, Clue, Beautiful, Beauty and the Beast, Jersey Boys, Waitress, Heartbreak Hotel, Memphis, Dreamgirls, Into the Woods, The Rocky Horror Show, Heathers, Mary Poppins, Sweet Potato Queens, Bonnie & Clyde, A Christmas Story, Joseph, A Christmas Carol, Little Mermaid and Newsies, Pittsburgh CLO—2017–2025 seasons. Cruise Lines: Kinky Boots, Footloose, Six, After Midnight, The Wizard of Oz, Hairspray, Flight, The Effectors. Other regional: Peepshow, Dancing With The Stars, America’s Got Talent and Into the Woods at The Hollywood Bowl.

MURNANE CASTING (Casting) casts for Broadway, tours and regional theater. Current and recent tours include Tina, Dear Evan Hansen, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Sound of Music, Grinch and Kinky Boots. Developmental work includes Anne of Green Gables, The Boy Who Loved Batman, and Fremont Ave. Murnane regularly collaborate with major theaters nationwide, including Arena Stage, Asolo Rep, Bay Street, Denver Center, Goodspeed and The Hollywood Bowl. Learn more at murnanecasting.com.

TALITHA FEHR (Music Coordinator). Selected highlights include Mamma Mia!, Sister Act, School of Rock, The Phantom of the Opera, Come Fly Away, A Christmas Story, Cats, Love Never Dies and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. She dedicates this work to her mentor, Sam Lutfiyya.

CALEB MIDDLETON (Music Director). National tours: Elf The Musical (first national, 2025), Tina: The Tina Turner

26 | encorecharlotte

Musical. Regional: The Muny, Come From Away (Paper Mill Playhouse), West Side Story (Maine State Music Theatre), Springer Opera House. Thanks to Mom, Zion and Gg. Go Blue! @thecaleb.

NATE COFFEY (Production Stage Manager). National tours: Pretty Woman (North America and Japan), Tootsie and Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Other credits include Walnut Street Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. Nate has a B.F.A. in stage management from Syracuse University.

KRISTEN BENNER (Assistant Stage Manager). Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., Kristen is thrilled to work on another incredible touring production! Previous touring credits: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical Other select credits: Great River Shakespeare Festival, 92NY. SUNY Purchase graduate. Much love to the family and friends who’ve influenced her path.

JOANNE HOLDEMAN (Company Manager). Previous national tours: My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman: The Musical and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. Regional company management work: Utah Shakespeare Festival and San Diego Dance Theater. DFTBA!

WILSON JONES (Assistant Company Manager) is thrilled to be making his professional debut on a national tour! An Arkansas native, Wilson holds a B.F.A. in acting. Special thanks to his family, friends and mentors who have always believed in him.

GREGG DAMANTI (Production Manager) has been lucky enough to spend the past 25 years working in theater. He got his start as a production stage manager at Busch Gardens and later served as production manager for Blue Man Group in New York City. Since joining Crossroads Live in 2018, he’s helped bring shows like On Your Feet! (first national), Cats, Lincoln Center’s My Fair Lady (first national), Pretty Woman, Dear Evan Hansen, Elf and

now Kinky Boots to the road. All the love to Jen and Ripley—his support system and favorite people to come home to after every tour.

ANDREW TERLIZZI (General Manager) has spent almost two decades touring productions worldwide before joining Crossroads Live as senior general manager. Highlights of his career include Kinky Boots, The Bodyguard: The Musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and West Side Story. He is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

JAYNA NEAGLE (Executive Producer) left her job at The Wall Street Journal Online in 2004 to study theater at Columbia University, where she transitioned her love of creating things with people from news to theater. Since then, she has produced shows for CXL, Running Subway, Cirque du Soleil and BASE Entertainment.

CROSSROADS LIVE (Producer and Tour Management) brings together some of the world’s top producers of live entertainment, now all under one banner. With offices in London, New York, Washington, D.C., Sydney and Melbourne, Crossroads has a global platform that ensures the best-loved titles from Broadway and the West End can be embraced by audiences around the world. Crossroads Live North America, under the leadership of Angela Rowles, is an innovative, full-service theatrical production company delivering the Broadway experience to audiences in North America and beyond. Its 2025–2026 season: Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Elf The Musical, Kinky Boots, The Phantom of the Opera (Asia), Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. xroadslive.com/team/ na.

WILLOW WEALTH (Co-Producer) provides curated access to private markets across real estate, private credit, private equity and more. Choose from individual investments, diversified funds or its automated investing solution. Get started at willowwealth.com.

THE ROAD COMPANY (Tour Booking). Founded in 1997 by Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota. In addition to Kinky Boots, current representation includes Wicked, The Outsiders, The Sound of Music, Death Becomes Her, The Great Gatsby, Dirty Dancing, Back to the Future, Beetlejuice and more.

ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING (Tour Marketing & Press) is an integrated agency working with the world’s largest entertainment, consumer and lifestyle brands, including 90+ Broadway shows over three decades. Current tours: Back to the Future, Beetlejuice, The Book of Mormon, The Great Gatsby, Hadestown, Mamma Mia!, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Notebook, The Outsiders, Riverdance, Some Like It Hot, Suffs. Upcoming tours: Dirty Dancing; Elf; Just in Time; Mystic Pizza; Oh, Mary!; Operation Mincemeat; Waitress

MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the

greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theater as a vibrant and engaging art form. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 70,000 professional, community and school theaters in the U.S. and in over 60 countries worldwide. MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theater and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle schoolaged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students. MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).

STAFF FOR KINKY BOOTS

For Crossroads Live North America

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Jayna Neagle

GENERAL MANAGER

Andrew Terlizzi

Associate General Manager .Emily Miu

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Gregg Damanti

Assistant Production Manager Drew Neitzey

COMPANY MANAGER

Joanne Holdeman

Assistant Company Manager ....................... Wilson Jones

TOUR PRESS AND MARKETING ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING

Andrew Damer

Jennifer Gallagher Scott Praefke

Jessica Cary Davis Anne Waisanen Adina Hsu Emily Toppen

Maria Bonucchi Amenkha Sembenu Kate Wyman

TOUR BOOKING THE ROAD COMPANY

Stephen Lindsay Brett Sirota

Shawn Willett Gracie Lewis Rosa Taylor

Shane Parksmith AnaBella Kalish Marissa Brotz trc.nyc CASTING

MURNANE CASTING

Chad Eric Murnane, CSA Amber Snead, CSA, Elaina Crockett Aly Wein

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER ............. Nate Coffey

Assistant Stage Manager ...........................Kristen Benner

Dance Captain

Robert Miller

Assistant Dance Captain Brianna Clark

Scenic Coordinator ................................. Maddie Goddard

Production Carpenter G.E. Simmons Falk

Assistant Production Carpenter ................... Greg McGuire

Costume Coordinator Kaitlyn Barrett

Production Stitcher Darrell Wagner

Associate Lighting Designer ....................... Kirk Fitzgerald

Assistant Lighting Designer Paul Vaillancourt

Moving Light Programmer .......................... Jackson Miller

Production Electrician Joel Bulthuis

Assistant Production Electrician Matthew Sallee

Associate Sound Designer ........................ Russell Godwin

Production Audio Matt Davis

R Tracks Programmer ............................... Alyssa Marrero

Hair & Wig Coordinator Liz Printz

Associate Keyboard Programmers

Vocal Dialect Coach

Sam Starobin, Tim Crook, Nick Schenkel

Adrianne Moore

Production Assistant .................................. Simon Luckow

HEAD CARPENTER .......................... Matthew Lamers

Flyman ....................................................... Alyssa Cargill

Head Props Indy Sulleiro

Assistant Props ........................................... Quinn Mishra

Head Electrician Aaron Kurland

Assistant Electrician—Spot Sam Owings

Head Audio ................................................. Mitchel Rieth

Assistant Audio Meg Schelling

Wardrobe Supervisor ............................ Melina Hernandez

Assistant Wardrobe Carly Peterson

Star Dresser Tristen Taylor

Head Hair & Makeup Felicia Deatherage

Crew Swing ................................................. Jake Gomez

Physical Therapy Company NEURO TOUR

Physical Therapy, Inc.

Physical Therapist Kendra Vanness

Travel/Housing Road Rebel Entertainment Global Payroll Services ................................................. Paychex

Insurance EPIC Entertainment & Sports

Social Media Think Tank

Production Photography.......................... Matthew Murphy

Merchandise Provider The Araca Group

Merchandise Manager.................................. Jessica Gray

For Crossroads Live North America

Chief Executive Officer ............................... Angela Rowles

Executive Producer Jayna Neagle

Executive Producer .......................................... Kori Prior

Vice President of People Operations Charisse Fontes

Vice President of Finance Brian Jacob

Vice President of Marketing ................. Michael Yuen-Killick

Senior General Manager Andrew Terlizzi

Director of Production .......................... Heather Chockley

Director of Booking and Engagements Tyler Soltis

Production Manager Gregg Damanti

General Manager ............................... Christine Adamczyk

General Manager Deana Marie Kirsch

Engagement Manager............................. Barrett Newman

Associate General Manager Emily Miu

Tour Operations Manager Suzayn MacKenzie-Roy

Assistant Production Manager ...................... Drew Neitzey

Production Accounting Manager Sheila Lewis

Production Accountant .................................Travis Huebel

Staff Accountant Electra Walker

Tour Project Manager Wendy Joy Beckwith Administrative Apprentice .................. Lindsay Weidenfeller

Learn more about Crossroads Live North America and its team: xroadslive.com

CREDITS

Lighting equipment from PRG Broadway. Scenery automation and show control by Show Motion, Inc. Using the AC² computerized motion control system.

SPECIAL THANKS

Kinky Boots rehearsed and held previews at the Clemens Center, Elmira, NY.

Cyndi Lauper wishes to thank her collaborators: Sammy James Jr., Steve Gaboury, Rich Morel and Tom Hammer, Stephen Oremus.

KinkyBootsTheMusical.com

The Director and Choreographer are members of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union.

Backstage and Front of the House Employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or I.A.T.S.E.).

United Scenic Artists represents the designers and scenic painters for the American Theatre.

SO LVE:

Move one toothpick in such a way that all of them together still spell WIN

If you gured it out, congratulations. Moving the orange toothpick from rst to last creates the word WIN again—if you turn the page upside down. e puzzle demonstrates that nding solutions sometimes requires looking at a problem from an unexpected angle. at’s the way Brooks Pierce lawyers approach legal issues—always questioning the conventional answers, and nding uncommon ways to solve problems. BUSINESS LAW • Charlotte | Greensboro | Raleigh | Wilmington