David Cook became a household name in 2008 when he won the seventh season of the iconic reality competition American Idol. The singer-songwriter went on to release three studio albums after Idol and a 2018 EP Chromance. This year, he also made his Broadway debut as shoe factory heir Charlie Price in the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots
. He headlined the musical from April to May and then returned to the production in July. His final performance is September 9, and you don’t want to miss how incredible his voice sounds on that Cyndi Lauper score.
BroadwayBox caught up with David to talk about his experience with Kinky Boots, his upcoming acoustic tour, and the best sushi in Nashville.
1. How is this run as Charlie Price different than the first time in Kinky Boots?
I think the most obvious is that the first time I was starting effectively from “step one”. I really started from the beginning, figuring out my voice within Charlie and where I can get Charlie to sit. This time, I was starting with more of a base, and what I love about that is that it’s allowed me to find new things and nuances with this character that either I couldn’t last time or just didn’t have the time to find last time. This time has been more challenging, in the context of just trying to find the nuance within Charlie.
2. Having gone to college on a theatre scholarship, you must have been over the moon when this offer came in. Who was the first person you called to tell them about your Broadway debut?
Well, I told my wife first, but the first person I called was my mom. It’s been a very circuitous route to this experience, and this was not one I thought I’d be fortunate enough to get for a while. It’s such a cool opportunity, and she was over the moon. She’s been [to see Kinky Boots] a few times since.
3. What’s been your most notable Kinky mishap?
There have been a few, but the one that sticks out the most is the first time my mom actually came to the show. At the end of the show, I’m supposed to dip Lauren—played by Kirstin Maldonado at the time—and I went to dip her and my boot slipped. I almost dropped her—like noticeably almost dropped her.
4. What are three things you always have in your Broadway dressing room?
I do hot water with Manuka honey; there’s an elixir my dresser Ginny [Hounsell] makes and that’s a normal go to; and there’s a Juice Generation right around the corner from the theatre, and they do this drink called a Lemon Lezenge that I get pretty much every day.
5. You are about to embark on a new acoustic tour. How is caring your voice on tour different than a Broadway run?
You can get away with a little more on tour without the eight-show-a-week schedule. There’s more discipline to this for sure, and it’s a different style of singing. My stuff I can sit on the larynx a little more and grit it out, but if I did that here, I’d be done by Thursday. [On Broadway], you have to know your body and know your voice and learn how to pick your spots. I would compare it to a boxer verses a brawler. It’s finding your jab where my stuff is more just let your arms flail and see what happens. [Laughs]
6. Do you think you’ll include any Kinky Boots songs in your tour set list after the show?
I’m sure to some degree. The fans will decide on that. I’m not opposed to it. If the fans want to hear it, I’ll probably play it.
7. You’re in NYC for the run but you normally make your home in Nashville. What’s a cool spot in Nashville that locals know but tourists might miss?
There’s a little block in Midtown called M Street, and it has all these really, really good restaurants. But my favorite spot is just outside of town in Brentwood. It’s a sushi spot in a strip mall that is so good! I know it sounds sketch but it’s really good. It’s called Peter’s Sushi & Thai.
Don't miss David Cook's killer Broadway debut as Charlie Price in Kinky Boots at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre through September 9.
