An hour and a half of make-up, plus another 45 minutes of costumes and hair, plus some vocals, and a ritual of tea and ginger candy to prepare the throat before going on stage. With that preview, Federico Bal gets ready, in every function, from Thursday to Sunday, to do Kinky Boots, at Villa Carlos Paz and literally put himself in the shoes of Lola, his character.

The show, a successful Broadway musical that already had a Buenos Aires version performed by Martín Bossi, premiered before Christmas, at the Luxor theater in the city of Cordoba, with a cast led by Bal along with Federico Salles and Laura Esquivelamong others, directed by Ricky Pashkus.

A man looking for challenges

“This It’s the biggest challenge of my career“, says Bal. “For the theme, the script, having to sing, dance and so much more,” says the actor. “What I feared the most was singing, but I give my humble contribution and more doors open for me To continue studying”.

In the Extravagant bootss, Charlie, heir to the family business, a bankrupt shoe factory, decides to accept the help of Simon, a drag queen who uses the stage name Lola and starts making special boots for her and her friends, such as a way to get the business back. .

“I didn’t want to fall into crudeness or caricature and dealing with the theme of transformation with great sensitivitysays Bal.

Broadway success

Fede Bal saw the original Broadway show way back in 2015 during a trip she took with her mother, Carmen Barbieri. “At that point I had no idea that one day they might call me to star in it. As a spectator I became a fan and it also seemed fantastic that in a play by mainstream this issue will be touched upon,” he says.

And he adds: “Because of all this, when Ricky Pashkus called me, I accepted the challenge, because I’m in a moment where I have to take risks to move forward“.

For Bal, Extravagant boots It involves an entire pre-ceremony that begins four hours before each show, with a bit of stretching, vocalizing and preparing to be on stage atop six-inch heels singing and dancing.

The character of Lola requires an hour and a half of make-up, during which Federico is left in the hands of an expert in the field: the make-up artist. Tefi Giraldowho also created the character design.

The show calls for six costume changes involving as many wigs as well. “Some changes have to be done in 60 seconds, it’s like a synchronized dance, one more exercise which, fortunately, I have incorporated since the days of the magazine. I experienced it as a kid behind the scenes and in my time in the genre as well.”

That’s why there are five assistants attentive to all those behind-the-scenes changes. “There is also a person exclusively to hand me a glass of waterIt seems crazy but it is necessary due to the exhausting pace – he explains – Everything must be synchronized just like in the Formula 1 pit lane”.

huge platforms

In that transformation from Simón to Lola, there are also five changes of shoes, with a pair of ever higher wedges. “It’s a lot of adrenaline, but it’s a lot of fun, I love it,” says the actor.

Of the six wigs that the character wears on stage, many were borrowed from Carmen Barbieri. “She always sends me a new accessory, a cloak, a cape, everything.” And he adds: “I’m related to many people who have worked with her for years, now I have brought them together for myself.”

Bal says it this character allows him to connect with his feminine side and play. “Lola has a lot of me, my energy and that’s why, after every show, it’s hard for me to get off.” On the days he’s not performing, Bal promises to take the opportunity to rest (not much), see other work, and have fun with his friends at his rented house in the mountains.

“People love work and that’s no different, because it’s a song to life, it’s about embracing each other, no matter how different they may be, breaking mandates and transmitting joy,” she says. “It’s nice to be able to talk about this in the theatre, in a family environment, with young people and I think it’s because in the show there is a lot of humor and a lot of love“.

When does the summer season end? Extravagant bootsin March, Bal will put Lola’s tacos aside and resume his job as host of the travel cycle Rest of the world (elthirteen) and you already have the list of places you will visit: Germany, France, Denmark and Holland.

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