New cast announced for Kinky Boots

Olivier award-winning actor Matt Henry extends his role in West End hit KINKY BOOTS and David Hunter joins the cast as Charlie Price from 15 August 2016

Kinky Boots, now the winner of every major Best Musical award, is pleased to announce that Matt Henry, who received the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, is extending his acclaimed performance as Lola into 2017. He will be joined by David Hunter (Once; One Man, Two Guvnors) who will take on the role of Charlie Price.

Also joining Kinky Boots from Monday 15 August 2016 will be Elena Skye, who will be making her professional West End debut as Lauren, Alan Mehdizadeh (Billy Elliot the Musical; Swap!; Watership Down) as Don and Cordelia Farnworth (Sunset Boulevard; Rock of Ages; Mamma Mia!) as Nicola.

New cast members also include, James Ballanger, Jemal Felix, George Grayson, Melissa Jacques, Charlotte Jeffery, Suzie McAdam, Jane Milligan, Robin Mills, Jon Reynolds, Simon-Anthony Rhoden, Ben Sell, Craig Thomas, and Jason Winter.

Continuing with the show are current cast members Michael Hobbs (George), Paul Ayres, Emma Crossley, Robert Grose, Chlöe Hart, Robert Jones, Adam Lake, Catherine Millsom, Sean Needham, Dominic Tribuzio, Alan Vicary and Michael Vinsen.

Killian Donnelly (Charlie Price), Amy Lennox (Lauren), Jamie Baughan (Don) and Amy Ross (Nicola) will all play their final performances on Saturday 13 August 2016.

Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre has become a favourite with UK theatregoers having won three Olivier Awards for Best New Musical, Best Costume Design and Best Actor in a Musical for Matt Henry who plays Lola. Kinky Boots also won the London Evening Standard BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical as well as three WhatsOnStage Awards for Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical, and Best Choreography.

With a book by Broadway legend and four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage Aux Folles), and songs by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind.

Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.

With direction and choreography by two-time Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray), Kinky Boots is the winner of every major Best Musical award including three Olivier Awards, three WhatsOnStage Awards as well as six Broadway Tony® Awards.

Matt Henry (Lola) appeared as a finalist on Series 2 of ‘The Voice’. Theatre credits include Avenue Q (National Tour); The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Northampton); The Harder They Come (Theatre Royal Stratford East, Nottingham Playhouse and National Tour); The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas, The Frontline (Shakespeare’s Globe); Hair (English Theatre Frankfurt); Saturday Night Fever (National Tour) and Miss Saigon (Cameron Mackintosh). Feature film credits include Muppets Most Wanted and Gulliver’s Travels. In 2016 he received the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Kinky Boots. His debut album Red Flare was released in April 2016.

David Hunter (Charlie Price) has numerous theatre credits including Guy in Once (Phoenix Theatre); One Man, Two Guvnors (National Theatre, Adelphi and UK tour); Tommy (Prince Edward), Seussical (Arts); The Hired Man (Leicester Curve and Colchester Mercury); Pub (The Royal Exchange); Spinach (The Royal Exchange) and The Mayor of Zalamea (Liverpool Everyman). In 2012 David reached the semi-finals of ITV’s Superstar, competing to play the role of ‘Jesus’ in Jesus Christ Superstar. As the front man of Pop/Rock band Reemer, he has earned huge support slots playing alongside The Feeling, Scouting for Girls and McFly on their UK arena tour.

Elena Syke (Lauren) will be making her professional West End debut in Kinky Boots after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music.

Alan Mehdizadeh (Don) has appeared on stage in Billy Elliot the Musical (Victoria Palace, including the live cinema broadcast, DVD release, and 10th anniversary gala performance); Swap! (UK tour); The Incredible Book Eating Boy (The MAC Belfast and Cahoots NI); Robin Hood (Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury); Jack & the Beanstalk (Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds); Watership Down (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (UK tour) and Reg in Table Manners (What Was That Productions). Alan has also appeared on television in Grange Hill (BBC).

Cordelia Farnworth (Nicola) has extensive theatre credits including Sunset Boulevard (London Coliseum); Ultimate Broadway Shanghai (GWB Entertainment); Rock of Ages (UK tour, Shaftesbury Theatre and Garrick Theatre); Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (Cliffs Pavillion); The Wizard of Oz (Larnaka Patticion Ampitheatre) and Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales and international tour). Credits whilst training: Copacabana and Hot Mikado. Her film credits include Beauty and the Beast (Mandeville Films).

Michael Hobbs (George) has appeared on stage in Darling of the Day (Union Theatre); Radio Times (Watermill Theatre); Aladdin (Salisbury Playhouse); Who Ate All The Pies (Ladida Productions) and Johnny Johnson (Lost Musicals). Michael has also appeared on screen in A Fairytale of London Town (Mutt & Jeff Pictures) and My Week With Marilyn (Trademark Films).

Kinky Boots is produced by Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Playful Productions, 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 and Phil Suarez, Bryan Bantry, Ron Fierstein & Dorsey Regal, Independent Presenters Network, Jim Kierstead/Gregory Rae, BB Group/Christina Papagjika, Brian Smith/Tom & Connie Walsh, Warren Trepp, and Jujamcyn Theaters, in association with Cameron Mackintosh.