KINKY BOOTS and the New Drag Renaissance

When KINKY BOOTS first hit Broadway in 2013, it was celebrated as a beacon of inclusivity. With a score by Cyndi Lauper, a book by Harvey Fierstein, and a plot that paired drag culture with small-town resilience, the show strutted into the mainstream with unapologetic glamour. Now, more than a decade later, a brand-new US tour is set to launch with Onya Nurve, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, taking on the iconic role of Lola. But this is not just another reboot. This new tour is quietly staging a cultural intervention by investing in regional queer theatre at a time when LGBTQIA+ rights are under renewed scrutiny across the United States.

There has been much attention on casting choices and celebrity drag cameos in recent productions, but far less has been written about what it means to tour a drag-focused musical to small towns in 2025. In an era where both theatre and queer identities are being politicised, KINKY BOOTS might just be the subversive revival we didn’t know we needed.

Beyond Glitter and Glam

Drag has never been apolitical. From Shakespearean gender play to the underground ballrooms of Harlem, drag has historically been a response to societal repression. Today, with over a dozen US states pushing legislation to restrict public drag performances, the decision to tour KINKY BOOTS in 2025 feels almost insurgent.

Regional touring has often been seen as a commercial expansion rather than a political one. But in this case, bringing a queer-positive, drag-centric show to cities beyond the Broadway bubble acts as a deliberate act of outreach. It is theatre meeting people where they are. “We’re not just performing Raise You Up, we’re literally doing it,” said Noah Silverman, who plays Charlie Price. “Every town we visit, every community we engage, becomes part of the message.”

In towns where pride flags may be sparse and drag brunches are rare, the mere presence of KINKY BOOTS becomes powerful. It invites local audiences to laugh, sing and, most importantly, empathise. Representation ceases to be a buzzword and becomes tangible.

Drag Stars in a Musical Theatre Landscape

The casting of Onya Nurve marks a new chapter in the intersection of drag and musical theatre. In recent years, the drag world has gained unprecedented visibility, largely through RuPaul’s Drag Race and similar platforms. But while drag queens have been invited into cabarets and concert versions of shows, few mainstream tours have trusted drag artists to carry the emotional and narrative arc of a principal musical theatre role.

This shift is not just cosmetic. Drag performers bring a unique sensibility to roles like Lola. Years of live performance in unpredictable venues have trained them in audience engagement, improvisation, and commanding presence. But drag artists are also deeply versed in vulnerability, identity play, and survival,  all core themes in KINKY BOOTS.

Justin Woody spoke of Onya Nurve’s ability to blend larger-than-life performance with devastating sincerity. “She doesn’t just perform Hold Me in Your Heart. She breaks it open. You feel every note, every syllable. It’s a masterclass in how drag can deepen, not dilute, a theatrical experience.”

This blurring of lines between drag artistry and musical theatre acting could signal a broader shift in casting sensibilities. Where once drag performers were relegated to novelty or camp, they are now being trusted with nuance and gravitas. If this tour succeeds, we may soon see more drag artists leading not just parades, but productions.

The Power of Regional Queer Storytelling

Mainstream media still tends to depict queer stories through a metropolitan lens. Queer lives are imagined in big cities, from RENT’s Alphabet City to FUN HOME’s Pennsylvania college scenes. Yet queer people exist in every postcode. That is why regional productions of overtly queer works are more than just artistic ventures, they are lifelines.

KINKY BOOTS touring through places that may not have a local queer arts scene brings a rare and invaluable visibility. For young LGBTQIA+ audience members, seeing Lola thrive on stage could be their first taste of queer joy and resilience. For others, it may challenge ingrained assumptions or stir unexpected empathy.

And it’s not just about audiences. These tours provide jobs for queer artists, build local partnerships, and even influence school programming. Community talkbacks, youth outreach, and drag literacy workshops are just a few of the potential ripple effects of such a production.

Noah Silverman adds, “When we were in pre-production, we talked about how this wasn’t just a show about acceptance. It’s a show about action. About choosing to show up for someone. And in some towns, that choice means everything.”

Conclusion: A Heel in Every Town

Theatre has always thrived in the push and pull between entertainment and enlightenment. KINKY BOOTS, with its glittery heels and gospel finale, walks that line beautifully. But this new tour suggests something even more profound — that queer theatre, particularly drag-infused narratives, belong everywhere. Not just on Broadway, not just in liberal capitals, but on the local stages of regional America.

At a time when culture wars often target performance art, the choice to centre a drag queen in a beloved musical, and to take that show on the road, is brave. It is also necessary. As Onya Nurve steps into those iconic red boots, she does so not just for laughs or applause, but for visibility, dialogue, and hope.

And maybe, just maybe, in a small town theatre on a Saturday night, someone will see her, feel seen in return, and leave the auditorium believing that their own fabulous, complicated, worthy story might also find its way to centre stage.