Photo Flash

Billy Porter Takes His Final Bow and Passes His Kinky Boots to Wayne Brady

After 800 performances, Porter says goodbye to the role that netted him a Tony Award.

Billy Porter takes his final bow as Lola in Broadway's Kinky Boots.
Billy Porter takes his final bow as Lola in Broadway's Kinky Boots.
(© David Gordon)

After more than 800 performances, Billy Porter said goodbye to the role of fabulous drag queen Lola in the Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots on November 20. Porter won a 2013 Tony Award for his work as the role's originator at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

During Porter's final curtain call, his successor in the role, Wayne Brady, was called up on stage so Porter could ceremonially pass the torch — in this case, the show's signature thigh-high red boots. Check out TheaterMania's photos in the gallery below.

Inspired by the 2005 British film of the same title, Kinky Boots features a Tony-winning score by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. The musical tells the story of Charlie Price, the owner of a failing shoe factory who realizes that a sassy drag queen named Lola has the key to the business' success.

As previously announced, Wayne Brady takes over the role of Lola beginning November 21.

For tickets and more information, click here.

Featured In This Story

Kinky Boots

Closed: April 7, 2019