Kinky Boots to Walk on Broadway?

The 2006 film Kinky Boots about a drag queen who helps save a shoe business with a line of fetish shoes has been acquired for the stage by producers Daryl Roth (August: Osage County) and Hal Luftig (Movin' Out), according to The Hollywood Reporter:

"Although the film is not a musical -- it contained just a few cabaret numbers -- and also played primarily as a comedy, producers say they want to emphasize the emotional aspects of the story in the theatrical production. 'The story is really about relationships,' Roth said, 'and I want to find the heart at the center of it.' After seeing 'Kinky Boots' at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006, Roth was attracted to its theatrical possibilities and eventually acquired the stage rights from Disney. Roth is one of several producers who has been bringing the theater and film worlds closer together; she recently joined with film producer Richard Gladstein to acquire the film rights for the the novel 'Apologize, Apologize' and will develop it for the big screen."

Jerry Mitchell, who Matthew Rettenmund recently interviewed for this site, is in talks to direct Kinky Boots for the stage.

Watch a clip from Kinky Boots (2006), AFTER THE JUMP...

Grin And Bare It

Tony-winning choreographer Jerry Mitchell created Broadway Bares—the annual fleshfest benefit on behalf of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS—in 1992 after losing several friends to the disease. Having choreographed The Full Monty, Mitchell provides somewhat less than that with these risqué revues, which consist of hundreds of the Great White Way's greatest performers shaking what will hopefully be their money-makers through a series of naughty sketches and elaborate dance routines set to familiar and sometimes original songs. Counting this year's $875,000+ haul, Mitchell’s creation has brought in nearly $6 million dollars for AIDS over the past 16 years from a show that's traditionally only performed twice a night, once a year.

The show has such beautiful advertising, production values, participants and intentions, it was only a matter of time before a coffee-table book was born—the red-hot Backstage Pass: Broadway Bares (Universe, $55) offers 160 pages of promotional images, behind-the-scenes peeks and live moments that are not to be missed.

Having attended my first Broadway Bares on June 22, where I picked up the book, I sent word that I’d love to speak with Mr. Mitchell for this blog and he followed the yellow-brick Towleroad, calling me yesterday for a warm chat on virtually no notice. I can see why his associate refers to him as "a big ball of YES."

AFTER THE JUMP, check out the full interview.

Jerry Mitchell on Elizabeth Berkley and the Nomi Malone 'Flick'

Choreographer Jerry Mitchell talks to AfterElton about his role as co-host of Bravo's new reality dance show Step It Up & Dance. Mitchell's co-host is Elizabeth Berkley, whose role as Nomi Malone rates as one of the great (unintentionally) camp performances of all time. Mitchell tells AE that Elizabeth "looooves that she was in that movie" and that it took the contestants on Step Up only a split second before they honored her for it.

Says Mitchell: "Elizabeth has always been a dancer. She studied dance and she still does dance. I knew that about her. We both grew up in the Detroit area, but we didn’t really know each other before this. And I was a huge fan of Showgirls — as is everyone. I said to her the very first day we were shooting, 'I want to time how long it takes until one of these dancers does that fabulous Nomi move where they flick their fingers in front of their face.' And, of course, the moment we walk out in the first episode… She did it because they did it. We came out and the dancers all went, 'Oh my God! Nomi!' and then — 'Whoosh!' they all did the move. It took a total of about seven seconds. But you know, that movie spoke to dancers in a camp way, but also in a very realistic way about what can happen in your career, the different types of dance you can get involved in and the cutthroat world it is. So, in a melodramatic way, it’s true."

An Interview with "Step It Up & Dance"’s Jerry Mitchell [after elton]

AFTER THE JUMP, a flashback clip of Nomi's first rehearsal...