If you wait long enough, your favorite recording artist will create a musical based on their catalog of songs. Neil Diamond, Huey Lewis, Michael Jackson, and the Who are currently performing on Broadway. Theatrical pop is clearly cash in the bank.
So it's no surprise that Alicia Keys would jump on the semi-autobiographical musical bandwagon. hell's kitchen. Reviews were pretty solid and this jukebox tuner generated a lot of buzz when it premiered at New York's Public Theater late last year.
The production didn't even finish its run in January until Keys and the producers announced its move to Broadway, opening in April.
New Yorkers, especially those who live in the Midtown neighborhood from which the show takes its name (now a predominantly gay mecca), will appreciate the attention the area is receiving. Given the reaction from critics and audiences, it should be expressed over a fairly long period of time.
This is one of the few shows on Broadway that consistently features incredible singing from stage veterans to debut artists, all performing music and lyrics by the 15-time Grammy Award winner. No matter what anyone thinks of Keys, she is undeniably a great composer, and her music quickly became part of the cultural zeitgeist.
Although Keys does not appear on the show, the 17-year-old will be played by newcomer Marea Joy Moon, who has received rave reviews from TV networks. new york times At only 21 years old, Moon is an overwhelming presence whose performance straddles the fine line between combativeness and determination.
Young Ali wants what every teenager who has ever lived wants: finding acceptance and a purpose in life. For Ali, she finds both through Miss Liza Jane (Keshia Lewis), an older woman who lives in Manhattan Plaza, an artist hub. After an argument with her mother Jersey (Shoshana Bean), Ali finds solace in the Ellington Room, an activity space in an apartment complex.
Jane protects Ali and slowly develops her into a musical genius. Spending time with Jane also distracts from the fact that her father, Davis (Brandon Victor Dixon), is a traveling musician who has little time to raise her.
Meanwhile, Ali confidently enters the mind of the slightly older Nak (Chris Lee), who Ali thinks is 18 years old. Of course, when Jersey finds out about the relationship, all hell breaks loose. “A 17-year-old's love doesn't last because a 17-year-old's love is not love,” her mother declares.
There are very few blunt or heartless people who do not understand and sympathize with the emotional pain caused by young love and the distance and discord between parents and children. But that's as far as author Christopher Diaz goes.
The lack of dramatic tension makes it seem like a sanitized version of a young man's life rather than a gritty story with a little more substance. One might wonder why Mr. Keyes, who was influential in guiding the project, would play it safe. What's even more mysterious is why the show doesn't walk us through her path to stardom.
For now, it's just a slice of '90s life as seen through the lens of a young woman living in a rough part of New York City.
Orchestrators Adam Blackstone and Tom Kitt let Keys' melodic music shine, sung by a cast who know how to deliver it. With consistent vocal power, Bean is at her best, especially on the meditative “Pawn It All.” The fact that Bean is such a talented actor makes this song even more impactful.
The show's most tender moment comes at the end of the first act, when a pensive Jane, seated at the piano, sings “Perfect Way to Die.” This song is about the tragedy of young black men and women dying young and never reaching their potential. . With gravitas and wisdom, Lewis transforms a manipulative attempt to tug at her heartstrings into a quiet, painful, introspective meditation.
Given these gold nugget performances, Tony voters must have noticed even better qualities. hell's kitchen It's the most nominated musical of the season. Lewis' performance alone (for which he was nominated) is worth the ticket.
Hell's Kitchen (★★★☆☆) is playing an open-ended show at the Shubert Theater, 225 West 44th St. in New York City. Tickets range from $58 to $344. Visit www.hellskitchen.com.
