He Said – By Stephen Dubois
It would be an injustice to simply label Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen a “jukebox musical,” even if that is technically accurate. Drawing on nearly 20 songs from Keys’ repertoire, two previously unreleased tracks, and one song written specifically for this semi-autobiographical work, the musical transcends the label. Much of Keys’ music already tells stories rooted in her own life, experiences, and struggles, giving the songs an authenticity as opposed to most jukebox musicals that simply construct a contrived narrative around an existing catalogue.
Here, we meet Ali (Myia Ann Butler) at a pivotal point in her teenage years, as she tries to discover not only who she is but who she is meant to become. Helping her find her way is Miss Liza Jane (Roz White), a pianist and mentor who guides Ali toward self-discovery through the transformative power of music.
The story is frequently heartbreaking, its emotional tension rooted in Ali’s troubled family life. She and her single mother, Jersey (understudy Melanie Sierra performed the role on opening night), have a strained, often combative relationship. Although Ali is nearly an adult, her overprotective mother continues to see her as a child. Ali yearns for the freedom to date and pursues Knuck (Jonavery Worrell), a commercial painter and street musician, further straining an already volatile household. Compounding the situation is her mostly absent father, Davis (Desmond Sean Ellington), who repeatedly promises to become a more present figure in her life, only to disappoint her time and again. It is difficult not to sympathize with Ali and hope she can break free of the circumstances that threaten to hold her back.
The scenic design is bright, colorful, and inventive, incorporating an impressive array of projections, both static and animated. Complex moving elements continually combine to create visually engaging stage pictures. Rather than presenting Manhattan in a single sweeping panorama, the production assembles the city as a collage of vignettes: graffiti, storefronts, skyscrapers, and street signs. The result is a vibrant, constantly shifting urban landscape that feels alive without requiring a literal recreation of the city.
Michael Greif’s familiar directorial aesthetic is still evident in the exposed scaffolding and the band positioned onstage, but the scenic design offers considerably more visual complexity than the spare, skeletal environments often associated with his productions. Here, the projections, moving scenery, and structural elements work together rather than compete for attention, integrating seamlessly into the drama.
The lighting design deserves special mention for the way color is used to reinforce the storytelling. During one particularly charged scene, Davis auditions for a piano gig that would take him to San Diego, only to have Jersey storm into the jazz club with a fiery, impassioned plea for him to be offered the job thus enabling him to get out of their lives for good. The stage is enveloped in deep orange-red hues, reflecting the intensity of Jersey’s outburst, while Davis sits isolated at the piano in an icy wash of blue light. The stark contrast makes him appear diminished and defeated, visually underscoring the emotional power dynamic at play.
In the finale, “Empire State of Mind,” all the elements of Hell’s Kitchen come together in a dazzling celebration. The colorful city imagery transforms New York into a larger-than-life character in its own right, a place where Ali finally feels she belongs. The musical’s emotional tension gives way to an exhilarating sense of liberation and jubilation, making the finale feel genuinely earned. The response from the audience was equally moving, with numerous patrons wiping away tears throughout the performance. It is a powerful reminder that beneath the music and spectacle, Hell’s Kitchen is ultimately a story about finding your place in the world.
She Said – By Cherie Messore
Alicia Keys’ Hells Kitchen is a high-energy send up to teen agita, finding your way, and coping with the pathos and pain of growing up. I admit to not knowing much of Keys’ music before the show was announced (shout out to my Theatre Companion for pointing me to some outstanding tracks), but – much like Movin’ Out (the dance musical featuring Billy Joel’s music), this show arranges Keys’ tunes into a story that transcends each original song.
The concept itself is a clever way to rearrange familiar songs into a storyline regardless of their original published dates or contexts. Keys’ took elements of her life story (she was indeed the daughter of a single parent in a mixed race family) and wove them into – to borrow a song from the musical Chess – “someone else’s story.” Myia Ann Butler’s Ali is the typical twitchy teen who wants to hang out with her friends and have fun and meet the cute guy working at a construction site, while her working-three-jobs mom wants her in the apartment above all the urban chaos. Along the way, her chance meeting with her neighbor Miss Liza Jane (brilliantly portrayed by Roz White) introduces her to the piano and the transformative power of music. These were some of the most touching moments of the show as Miss Liza Jane teaches Ali the mechanics of music almost as the sidebar to how music can heal the most wounded soul.
Where this show excels is in the energy, the exuberant dancing, and the scenography that sucks you right into New York City. The ensemble took Camille A. Brown’s choreography to a new level. It was hip hop with interpretive and lyrical woven into free form and every step told a little bit more of the story and the individuals the dancers were portraying.
The opening sequence when Ali is riding the elevator in her building and describing her most colorful neighbors is brilliant tone setting and stage magic. Similarly, the lighting and video and set movement in the closing number “Empire State of Mind” is dazzling and puts the dance in your walk to the parking lots.
Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen runs to Sunday, November 1. It’s a solid two hours with a 15-minute intermission. You’ll dance your way to the lobby. Tickets and details at https://www.sheas.org/performances/hells-kitchen/.
