Paul Fagamalo a knockout as Lola in Kinky Boots at Regent On Broadway

Lola (Paul Fagamalo) on stage at Regent On Broadway for Kinky Boots. Photo / Ben Pryor Photography

A “knockout” performance from a lead character of the Kinky Boots musical, currently on stage at Regent on Broadway, has been years in the making.

Paul Fagamalo pent an entire season as an understudy for the role of Lola at premier showings held at Auckland and Wellington last year, never once getting an opportunity to take centre stage.

All the anticipation and rehearsal burst into life when the curtain fell last week and Fagamalo finally got the chance to portray Lola at opening night of Kinky Boots.

His performance, and that of the entire cast, was well-received by an audience that rose from their seats giving a standing ovation at the end of the show.

Lola and the angels on stage at Regent on Broadway for the opening night of Kinky Boots. Photo / Ben Pryor Photography

Fagamolo said he fell in love with the character. It was a role he had always hoped he would have the chance to play so he jumped at the chance to audition for the Palmerston North show.

“It was quite fortuitous the opportunity to play Lola came along. I saw they were auditioning and thought, why not?” he said.

“It’s like visiting an old friend. It’s such a fun role to play.”

The role requires dexterity as it is swings between two personalities, Lola and Simon, and the challenge was to portray both determination and vulnerability in a way that is authentic, he said.

Lola (Paul Fagamalo) and cast during a scene of Kinky Boots from opening night at Regent on Broadway. Photo / Ben Pryor Photography

“One has a very out there and really loud persona, but behind that is someone seeking validation from a father figure that didn’t offer it,” he said.

There were parallels between the story line of Kinky Boots and Fagamalo’s own life that he enjoyed confronting and portraying.

“None of us are one-dimensional. We are all varying textures of what it means to be human,” he said.

“As a gay person, the story holds true with anyone who experiences and confronts some of those challenges, and the idea of what is a stereotypical man.”

A solo performance by Paul Fagamalo as Lola during Kinky Boots at Regent on Broadway. Photo / Ben Pryor Photography

“One of the first strong relationships a child has is with your parents, so I can relate to those challenges... there were challenges for me, but on the whole I knew that my father loved me.”

“Parents are their own people too, and only want what’s best for their child. Eventually, he got there in the end.”

Fagamalo’s own father had success as an amateur boxer, so it’s ironic that a scene in Kinky Boots requires Lola to don gloves and get in the ring.

“It was an added layer of real life,” he said.

Fagamalo, one of the most talented stage performers in New Zealand, had worked with Kinky Boots director Richard Neame before more than a decade ago in Rent.

Lola and the Angels on stage at Regent on Broadway in Palmwerston North during opening night of Kinky Boots. Photo / Ben Pryor Photography

He had 20 years experience as a performing artist both in New Zealand and internationally, including producing, directing, singing, dancing, and acting on both stage and screen, after completing a Diploma in Pacific Performing Arts at the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts (PIPA).

“I’ve been singing and performing most of my life,” he said.

In his early teens he was involved in Riverdance. He had toured New Zealand with Pirates of Penzance and Rent, and has toured UK and Australia with shows like The Factory and Where We Once Belonged.

There was a huge cast and support crew involved in Kinky Boots. The rest of the cast was entirely local talent, from all walks of life.

Charlie (Jackson Kingston) and Mr Price (Stephen Gregory) during the opening scene of Kinky Boots, currently showing at Regent On Broadway. Photo / Ben Pryor Photography

Fagamalo said everyone involved in the production is supportive and encouraging.

“I started out in community theatre so it is near and dear to my heart. I’m blown away by the talent,” he said.

“You go into these types of things wondering if people will like you, but it’s been a wonderful experience with everyone. It takes a village and there is a really great village here.”

Kinky Boots continues at Regent on Broadway until September 21. It is the second major production from theatre company Act III this year, hot on the heels of a sold out Matilda show earlier in the year.

The show was an original Broadway hit production based on a book by Harvey Fiersten, with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper.