Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears Makes His Broadway Debut in Kinky Boots

Jake Shears, lead singer of the glam-pop group Scissor Sisters, makes his Broadway debut on January 8 in Kinky Boots. Shears takes on the role of Charlie Price in the Tony-winning musical for a run through April 1. He succeeds original cast member and Tony nominee Stark Sands, who played his final performance of a return engagement in the show on January 7.

"I've gotten to work on musicals from the other side of the proscenium, and I've loved every minute of it. Now I get to experience an alternate view, and learn a whole new aspect of being onstage." Shears told Broadway.com exclusively. "I've always loved the theater world, but now I'm not just dipping my toe; I'm going thigh high!"

Shears is the primary songwriter of the multiplatinum-selling band Scissor Sisters. He wrote the music for Tales of the City, a 2011 stage musical based on Armistead Maupin's best-selling book series of the same name. Shears recently finished his debut solo album, which will be released this year.

Kinky Boots tells the tale of Charlie Price (Shears), a young man reluctantly taking over his family's struggling shoe factory and looking for a fresh idea. Charlie meets and finds inspiration in a drag queen named Lola, and together they discover that it takes a good friend to make a great pair. Shears co-stars alongside J. Harrison Ghee, who takes over the role of Lola on January 8 from Tony winner Billy Porter, who played his final performance on January 7. The current cast of Kinky Boots also includes DeLaney Westfall as Lauren and Shannon O'Boyle as Nicola.

The winner of six 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Kinky Boots features a Tony-winning score by Cyndi Lauper, a book by Tony winner Harvey Fierstein and direction and choreography by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell.