Kinky Boots' Billy Porter Waited His Whole Life To Perform In Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - It's not often the Tony award-winning star of a Broadway musical joins a traveling cast, but Pittsburgh's own Billy Porter had a lifelong goal he wanted to accomplish.

Porter joined the KDKA Morning News with Larry Richert and John Shumway to talk about appearing in Pittsburgh CLO's "Kinky Boots," his latest album and why making a rare off-Broadway appearance in his hometown was important to him.

When Porter is in Pittsburgh he says the first thing he does is visit his mother, then he sees friends from high school but he says, "I can't really do that this time because I actually have a gig."

Why did he decide to do the Pittsburgh engagement of Kinky Boots?

"I have been in this business for over 25 years and this is a moment I have been waiting for my whole life. Coming from the hood, the expectation was that I would be a statistic and that didn't happen and I'm very grateful and I'm very blessed."

He adds, "I wanted to make sure that I came back so that I could be a representative to my community and to those that might not have a voice to be able to say you can be something other than what you are."

Kinky Boots is running at the Benedum Center through Aug. 9. For more information visit: www.PittsburghCLO.org.

For more information on Billy Porter visit: www.BillyPorter.com

Listen to the KDKA Morning News with Larry Richert and John Shumway weekdays from 5 to 9 a.m. on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA.

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