Kinky Boots: Piano Book

Dan Coates' arrangements capture the theatrical warmth of Lauper's score while keeping the piano part genuinely playable for developing musicians. The inclusion of full-color production photography transforms this from a functional folio into a gateway to Broadway, motivating students who might otherwise dismiss musical theatre repertoire as outside their reach.

The music pulses with Broadway warmth and accessibility. You'll find moments of quiet introspection alongside infectious, rhythmically driving passages. The arrangements invite playfulness without demanding virtuosity, creating a sound that feels theatrical and accomplished without overwhelming the player.

This book reaches piano students at the early intermediate level who respond to contemporary music and musical theatre repertoire. Singers working with a pianist collaborator will find these arrangements transparent and supportive, while solo pianists can enjoy the songs as standalone pieces or recital openers.

• Attend to the song's character before worrying about technical accuracy. Each title suggests a different emotional landscape (joy in 'Land of Lola,' vulnerability in 'Not My Father's Son'), and your interpretation of tempo and dynamics should reflect the dramatic context.
• Balance the melody with accompaniment textures. Coates' arrangements often distribute the tune between both hands; resist the urge to make the accompaniment overly thick, especially in songs designed to support a vocalist.
• Use the color photos as interpretive guides. Looking at staging and costume choices can inspire your phrasing and help you understand why certain musical moments land the way they do.

Open a spring concert or recital with one of the lighter selections like 'Take What You Got' to immediately engage your audience with recognizable, contemporary material. Alternatively, pair a song or two with other musical theatre repertoire from different eras to demonstrate the breadth and emotional range of the genre.

• Coordinating melody and accompaniment across two hands
• Phrasing to support lyrical content (whether playing for a vocalist or singing while playing)
• Recognizing and executing theatrical character through tempo and dynamic shaping
• Reading and interpreting popular music notation in a theatrical context