Character shoes for theater
Over the years as a theater lover, I have gone through many pairs of different types of character shoes – heels and tap shoes being the most common purchases. Check out my favorite pairs below (and bonus pictures of me with the shoes from shows past!
(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.)
Capezio Women’s Manhattan character shoe
These shoes are probably my favorite basic heels for the stage. The heel is 2.5″, so if you are looking for a heel that’s a bit lower, this might not be the pair for you. I love the way my legs look in these shoes! I don’t know if it’s the height of the heel, or what, but I feel they look great with just about anything. I’d wear them out if I weren’t worried about ruining the soles on concrete! (I don’t recommend wearing your theatrical shoes outside, this will increase the wear and tear at a much higher rate.) This pair does also come in black.
Capezio Women’s Jr. Footlight Tap shoes
These are some of the most comfortable tap shoes I’ve owned. I have a pair of flat taps that I use to practice with at home, but they don’t give me the height needed for I would actually be wearing when dancing onstage. I purchased a pair of these Capezio Jr. Footlight shoes in tan and black from my local dance apparel store, but you can pick them up on Amazon for just under $82.
Black Victorian era heels by Funtasma
These are some of my most versatile heels! They are extremely comfortable and I’ve worn them for at least three shows (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at the Players Guild of Dearborn (2019), Murder Comes to Uptight Abbey at the Player’s Guild of Dearborn, (2022), and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at the Farmington Players Barn Theater (2023). With a 2 3/4″ heel, I felt very comfortable moving around the stage and dancing in these shoes. They are currently available on Amazon for just under $37.
Lacy cream Victorian era heels
These gorgeous Victorian-era heels were purchased for my role as Phoebe in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. They are extremely comfortable, and the laces are soft and stretchy. I received so many compliments on these shoes, and they are by far one of my favorite pairs I’ve worn for any character onstage! They are currently available on Amazon for just under $66.
Shoe accessories for the actor/dancer
If you, like me, tend to sweat after a rigorous choreography routine, I recommend grabbing some shoe spray or powder to prevent your feet from slipping around in your shoes, and to keep things fresh!
This Dr. Scholl’s spray is available on Amazon for under $5. You can also find sprays or powders at dance apparel stores or shoe stores near you!
If you tend to buy shoes that slip and slide around, it’s always a great idea to have some heel pads in your bag that can stick inside the shoe to prevent slippage. Try this pack on Amazon for $10.
What other essentials do you keep in your theatre bag that you can’t live without?
