Callum Francis, Star of the U.K. & Australian Tours of Kinky Boots, to Join Broadway Production

Callum Francis is booting up for Broadway. The acclaimed star of the U.K. and Australian touring productions of the hit musical Kinky Boots will step into the heels of Lola at Broadway's Hirschfeld Theatre on January 11, 2019 for a limited run through March 17. Francis succeeds J. Harrison Ghee, who will depart the show on January 10 and return beginning on March 19 through the show's final performance on April 7. Kinky Boots will mark Francis' Broadway debut.

"I am so excited and honored to be able to join the incredible Kinky Boots company on Broadway," said Francis. "I've been so lucky to have been able to play the fabulous Lola to audiences in the U.K. and Australia. Broadway has always been a dream of mine and I am thankful that I get to continue to play this role that inspires love and acceptance."

Francis reprises his turn directly from the Kinky Boots U.K. national tour where he has been starring in the show since it began on September 19, 2018. His run in that tour will conclude on December 15, 2018. Prior to the U.K. tour, he starred as Lola in the musical's Australian tour, where he received the 2017 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical. Francis also appeared in the original London production of Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre. His other West End credit include Miss Saigon, The Lion King and Ghost.

In other Kinky Boots news, U.K. pop sensation Conor Maynard, who was recently announced to take over as Charlie Price on November 20, will now begin performances a day earlier, on November 19, for a run through January 10, 2019. Maynard will take over for Mark Ballas, who will play his last performance on November 18.

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.