New Musical HELL'S KITCHEN, Based on the Life of Alicia Keys, to Premiere This Year

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 9:40am

A new musical is in the works based on the life of singer/songwriter Alicia Keys! According to an Equity casting notice, the production is set to premiere off-Broadway as part of the New York Shakespeare Festival in May or June.

The musical features music and lyrics by Alicia Keys herself, with a book by Kristoffer Diaz, and is directed by Michael Greif, with choreography by Camille A. Brown, and musical direction by Adam Blackstone and Erskine Hawkins.

The musical tells the story of Ali, a young girl growing up in NYC's Hell's Kitchen in the 1990s.

Roles that have already been cast include the lead, Ali, and her mom, Jersey, as well as Knuck, Ali's love interest; her piano teacher, Miss Liza Jane; her father, Davis; and two ensemble roles, Tiny and Crystal.

Auditions will be held on Friday, February 17, 2023. Learn more about the casting call, including which roles are available, on BroadwayWorld here.

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 9:46am

Ooh, this sounds interesting! I don't know if this would be possible but Maiyah Quansah-Breed (OG Parr in Six in London) would be great for this role. 

[emilyfaye48]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 9:46am

I'm excited about this show!!!

[Ke3]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 11:42am

Her writing has become hit or miss over the years, but that tends to happen with most songwriters who need to write *hits* not just good songs. Still, I'm keeping an eye out for this. It needs a better name, though. If this is about her childhood and not a love letter to her neighborhood, then that title tells us nothing. 

I think this will do better than some expect. She's well liked by many in a similar way to Groban or Bareilles but unlike them, she was Billboard's 5th biggest pop star of the 2000s and in the top 20 for the 2010s, so her name reaches further. 

(I'm a bit of a pophead in addition to my love of theatre if you couldn't tell lol)

[BETTY22]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 12:02pm

Please let this be an original score by Alicia. She is a brilliant songwriter and should be welcomed with open arms by the theatre community.

I'm hoping, this is not her greatest pop hits sort of show. 

[bdn223]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 12:07pm

BETTY22 said: "Please let this be an original score by Alicia. She is a brilliant songwriter and should be welcomed with open arms by the theatre community.

I'm hoping, this is not her greatest pop hits sort of show."

I second this and hope its more in like with Sting's The Last Ship, were is was mostly an original score telling a semi-autobiographical tale with a few of their hits that make sense worked in, as I have to imagine Girl on Fire will be worked in and maybe Empire State of Mind, but I really hope this is mostly an original score. 

[amiyagi]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 6:33pm

Dylan Smith4 said: "Ooh, this sounds interesting! I don't know if this would be possible but Maiyah Quansah-Breed (OG Parr in Six in London) would be great for this role."

Would love to see her in another project. I'm hopeful that the 'Lady M' musical she was involved with will have some kind of run in London in the next few years. 

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 6:52pm

It looks like this is a workshop... which likely will not be open to the public. I'm excited about the prospect but a production could be far, far off.

[EvanHansen]

Posted: 2/7/23 at 10:51pm

The production is happening in the Public's upcoming 23-24 season (likely this fall). 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 6/1/23 at 2:13pm

https://www.theatermania.com/news/shoshana-bean-brandon-victor-dixon-to-lead-alicia-keys-musical-hells-kitchen_1704134/

The season’s musical is Hell’s Kitchen, a world premiere with a new score by Alicia Keys, book by Kristoffer Diaz, choreography by Camille A. Brown, and direction by Michael Greif. Running October 24-December 10, the loosely autobiographical piece follows Keys’s teenage years living near Times Square as she attempts to figure out her dream.

Leading the company is Maleah Joi Moon as Ali, alongside Shoshana Bean as Jersey, Brandon Victor Dixon as Davis, Chris Lee as Knuck, Kecia Lewis as Miss Liza Jane, Lamont Walker II as Riq, and an ensemble that includes Chad Carstarphen, Reid Clarke, Chloe Davis, Nico DeJesus, Timothy L. Edwards, Vanessa Ferguson, Crystal Monee Hall, Jackie Leon, Rachelle Manalo, Sarah Parker, Niki Saludez, Mariand Torres, and understudies Badia Farha, Gianna Harris, Onyxx Noel, William Roberson, and Donna Vivino.

Updated On: 6/1/23 at 02:13 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/1/23 at 2:33pm

Agreed title is bland and this doesn’t seem like the perfect fit for Grief’s style… I’m gonna guess it’ll be a hot mess but they’d have to close the show with her “New York… concrete jungle where things are made of..” right?

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 6/1/23 at 2:36pm

This is a a strong fit for Grief after he saved The Notebook.  Excited to see it with this cast too!

[BETTY22]

Posted: 6/1/23 at 2:49pm

I wish it was a totally original score however I understand why producers would want to slip in some of her hits.

Too bad! I guess this is the norm now with creatives who are also pop stars.

I'm so happy KINKY BOOT'S did not go in this direction. 

[Voter]

Posted: 6/7/23 at 1:41pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Video-Alicia-Keys-Teases-New-Musical-HELLS-KITCHEN-on-GOOD-MORNING-AMERICA-20230607

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 12:21pm

Tix onsale now and unless they're holding a lot back, this is going to sell out FAST. Got a decent pair of tickets but there's not a lot to choose from.

[steven22]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 2:44pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Tix onsale now and unless they're holding a lot back, this is going to sell out FAST. Got a decent pair of tickets but there's not a lot to choose from."

Thanks for flagging this! I was able to get two tickets for November. Excited! 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 3:26pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Tix onsale now and unless they're holding a lot back, this is going to sell out FAST. Got a decent pair of tickets but there's not a lot to choose from."

Think they'll hold any for rush...lottery?

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 3:39pm

hearthemsing22 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Tix onsale now and unless they're holding a lot back, this is going to sell out FAST. Got a decent pair of tickets but there's not a lot to choose from."

Think they'll hold any for rush...lottery?"

Yes... not sure why that's a question anymore. Every show as of late, no matter how big of a hit it's been, has held some tix for rush or lottery. Music Man, Merrily, Prima Facie, Suffs (for a Public example) all had at least some form of discount ticket initiative. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/18/23 at 10:02am

jkcohen626 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Tix onsale now and unless they're holding a lot back, this is going to sell out FAST. Got a decent pair of tickets but there's not a lot to choose from."

Think they'll hold any for rush...lottery?"

Yes... not sure why that's a question anymore. Every show as of late, no matter how big of a hit it's been, has held some tix for rush or lottery. Music Man, Merrily, Prima Facie, Suffs (for a Public example) all had at least some form of discount ticket initiative."

Because we're allowed to ask. Thanks! 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 9:15am

Full cast & creative team announced; run extended another two weeks

[inception]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 9:25am

ls Alicia Keys in this? Or just wrote the music?

 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 10:35am

wrote the music and the story is inspired by her life

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/12/23 at 11:18am

They had me at Tom Kitt co-orchestrating. Hope this is a smash hit and transfers to Broadway. 

[inception]

Posted: 9/13/23 at 8:20pm

All the evening performances, even weekends, start at 7pm.  This doesn't work for me, as the day I was looking at I'll be Uptown until almost 6.  I can see why they do it though, as more older audiences really aren't interested in being out late.

I guess if this is any good, I'll have plenty of opportunities to see it sometime in the future.

All the discussion in the Days of Wine etc thread makes me curious about what Grief's direction will be like here? I guess he came up with the idea of just using scaffolding 30 years ago. Too bad that's become such a cliche. Yet at the same time, I don’t know that there's another city where scaffolding is so prevalent? Will he reuse the mirror & catwalk from If/Then?  He's really from the old school of "park & bark" for so many of his shows.  I guess if you've got an Idina Menzel, why not use her like you would Ethel Merman?  It's almost enough to keep audiences happy.

I found a video of the actress here the other day, and she does have a sweet voice. 

[inception]

Posted: 9/13/23 at 8:24pm

Here's the video of Maleah Joi Moon