Porter originated the role of Lola, and won a Tony Award for his work.
After more than 800 performances, Billy Porter plays his final performance as fabulous drag queen Lola in the Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, today, November 20.
Porter won a 2013 Tony Award for his work as the role's originator. He departs the show to take on the role of writer Aubrey Lyles in the new musical Shuffle Along Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed.
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 tomorrow, November 21.