Shubert Theatre New York, NY
Contact: audienceservices@shubertorg.com
Web: hellskitchen.com
Players: Maleah Joi Moon, Kecia Lewis
Jukebox musicals are a tricky beast. Too many shows deliver the hits but lack enough narrative drive and juice to make classics truly sing in a theater setting. In the case of Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen, the hit Broadway show wisely takes a “less is more” approach, telling a narratively simple yet emotionally complex coming-of-age story that allows Keys’ beloved hits to flourish.
The Michael Greif-directed and Kristoffer Diaz-written show is semi-autobiographical, based on Keys’ experience growing up in Manhattan. Tony Award winner Maleah Joi Moon isn’t doing an Alicia Keys impression, but as Ali, she embodies the essence of the singer-songwriter’s experience. There’s young infatuation, a fractured but loving mother-daughter relationship, a beautiful mentor, and the greatest love story of them all—the one between Ali and the piano.
The show is a true celebration of music, not just Keys’ life-affirming catalog. The most moving chapters of Hell’s Kitchen are between Ali and her piano teacher, Miss Liza Jane (Kecia Lewis), always full of music history. The piano is more than Ali’s escape in the story; it is a connection to her ancestors, a link to the past, and a tribute to the groundbreaking Black artists before her. Miss Liza Jane passes the torch, filling Ali with gratitude for pianists who paved the way for young artists like herself.
Music fans will feel these scenes beating with an aching love for soul-feeding tunes. Sometimes, the main story of Hell’s Kitchen is a little busy and leaves a few chapters and characters hanging, like Ali’s wonderful friend group, but the scenes between the burgeoning star and her mentor sing with the sincere power Alicia Keys fans hope for and expect from the maestro.
For hardcore Keys fans, they’ll revel in the new arrangements and presentations of some of her most classic songs. "Fallin’," "You Don’t Know My Name," and "Girl on Fire," they’re all sung with gusto and accompanied by hypnotic, smile-inducing choreography by Camille A. Brown.
"Empire State of Mind" is saved for the grand finale, but it’s "No One" that steals the show. Sung between Ali and her mother Jersey, it captures their rediscovered love and trust in one another. The song is performed with minimal instrumentation, just those two voices telling the story of the simple but powerful song.
It’s the musicianship and passion that elevate Hell’s Kitchen beyond the average jukebox musical.
