HELL'S KITCHEN Reviews- Page 3

[guitarperson]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 7:48pm

Jade Milan went on as Ali during today's matinee.  It was my second time seeing the show and was looking forward to seeing Maleah Joi Moon again, but Jane Milan was honestly incredible--she had her own take on the character and vocals were top notch.  It was her first time covering the role on Broadway, so I suspect she will only get better.  I enjoyed the show just as much the second time--Maleah is a star for sure, but never underestimate an understudy.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 8:00pm

She’s been out a lot lately, I believe. Hopefully she’s ok. Possibly just exhausted with previews/Opening/Tony stuff. 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 8:02pm

Bad time to be out when Tony voters will be trying to see her and don’t have much time to do so. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 8:10pm

The worst time. I hear Brody Grant is missing just as many, as well. 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/4/24 at 8:20pm

Coming out of tech into previews while continuing rehearsals into opening and then directly into the awards press junket is pretty brutal, and I imagine even more so on younger performers who likely have never experienced anything like it before.

Updated On: 5/4/24 at 08:20 PM

[BwayinVan]

Posted: 5/5/24 at 12:56am

Saw the show tonight and the full cast were in. The show was fantastic. A great way to end my annual week of theatre in NY. Maleah was wonderful and is definitely a star in the making. She was so sweet and genuine at the stage door and really took time with each person. Kind of surprised that she was taking photos and hugging people with the month she has ahead but she seemed to really be enjoying the love the was deservedly heading her way. 

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 5/12/24 at 1:46pm

Donna Vivino is having her debut performance as the Jersey s/b today. 
 

Does anyone know why that role is the only one to have a standby? Is the role particularly difficult or is that something Shoshana would have gotten as part of her contract?

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 5/12/24 at 3:57pm

im guessing its a combo of both-- the lead is probably the busiest role in the piece with the most stage time/choreo, but the show is meant to stop dead in its tracks for Sho Beans vocal pyrotechnics. Like if shes not in form, I dont see her being able to fake it.  very curious to hear how Vivino did. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 5/30/24 at 11:18pm

Alicia Keys will appear and the company will perform on The Kelly Clarkson Show tomorrow. 

[brenway]

Posted: 5/30/24 at 11:42pm

Saw this tonight, absolutely loved it. 

Maleah injured herself during one of the first songs, fell off one of the benches and looks like she sprained her ankle, was rubbing it for the next song or so. She ran off stage (crying in pain) after the first verse of Kaleidoscope. I truly felt awful for her. Got an announcement that the show was paused for injury and 10 minutes later Gianna Harris went on as Ali for the remainder of the show. 
 

Hoping Maleah is okay but Gianna killed it. Cast were very very supportive of her at curtain call.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 5/31/24 at 12:26am

This was really bland for us.  Some nice performances but often over sung despite strong vocals.  The plot is thin and some of the songs make no sense in the show.

The biggest weakness is the book.  How was this book nominated for a Tony?!  

Updated On: 5/31/24 at 12:26 AM

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 5/31/24 at 1:05am

CoffeeBreak said: "

The biggest weakness is the book. How was this book nominated for a Tony?!"

I had a great time at Hells Kitchen, but the idea that this book was nominated for anything is simply unserious. All the derision of the messiness at Lempicka struck me as odd given this clunky tale of a teenage girl who tricks an adult into criminally sleeping with her. 

[LRey95]

Posted: 5/31/24 at 8:13pm

Saw the show last Friday and absolutely loved it. Shoshana got a mid-show standing ovation, and Kecia Lewis's act 1 finale was absolutely chilling. 

Not surprised to read that Maleah's been missing performances - I'm surprised the role of Ali doesn't have an alternate, as it seems to be a very physically, emotionally, and vocally demanding role and she rarely leaves the stage.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/1/24 at 12:27am

Maleah Joi Moon and the company performing “Heartburn” on The Kelly Clarkson Show:

 

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 6/4/24 at 11:46pm

Was at the show this evening. Maleah was struggling vocally during the second song and it was very clear she was not 100%. She ran offstage halfway through the song and an announcement came on that they were addressing an issue. 10 minutes later, they announced that Jade Milan would be performing the role for the rest of the show. Jade was fantastic and the audience really rallied around her and went wild cheering after she sang her first notes. 

Shoshana Bean and Kecia Lewis were the standouts for me. What a gift to get to hear such incredible vocalists have a chance to really flex their talents. Though I have to say: those new orchestrations for Fallin'... why?? As others have said, the book is just not good enough - and it is insane it received a nomination - but I didn't even care because it was a treat to watch such talented performers.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/5/24 at 11:07am

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel said: "Was at the show this evening. Maleah wasstruggling vocally during the second song and it was very clear she was not 100%. She ran offstage halfway through the song and an announcement came on that they were addressing an issue. 10 minutes later, they announced that Jade Milan would be performing the role for the rest of the show. Jade was fantastic and the audience really rallied around her and went wild cheering after she sang her first notes.

Shoshana Bean and Kecia Lewis were the standouts for me. What a gift to get to hear such incredible vocalists have a chance to really flex their talents. Though I have to say: thosenew orchestrations for Fallin'... why??As others have said, the book is just not good enough - and it is insane it received a nomination - but I didn't even care because it was a treat to watch such talented performers."

 

It wasn't a vocal issue. During last Thursday's performance she landed badly jumping from a table during "Kaleidoscope" and sprained her ankle, and the understudy finished the show.  She was out all weekend and last night was to be her first night back -- but early in the show she realized she wasn't ready yet.  Hopefully it won't hurt her Tony chances too badly. She has been one of the closest things to a "lock" this year.

 

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 6/5/24 at 1:44pm

She’s out today as well.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/5/24 at 2:00pm

starlightlocamotion said: "She’s out today as well."

I hope she's taking care of her voice and that this experience won't be causing her any further vocal grief down the road.  She's so talented but clearly the 8x a week is taking a toll (how could it not? She's singing her face off. Wonder if they'll implement an alternate after the Tonys...). 

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 6/5/24 at 4:45pm

JSquared2 said: "Dirty Rotten Scoundrel said: "Was at the show this evening. Maleah wasstruggling vocally during the second song and it was very clear she was not 100%. She ran offstage halfway through the song and an announcement came on that they were addressing an issue. 10 minutes later, they announced that Jade Milan would be performing the role for the rest of the show. Jade was fantastic and the audience really rallied around her and went wild cheering after she sang her first notes.

Shoshana Bean and Kecia Lewis were the standouts for me. What a gift to get to hear such incredible vocalists have a chance to really flex their talents. Though I have to say: thosenew orchestrations for Fallin'... why??As others have said, the book is just not good enough - and it is insane it received a nomination - but I didn't even care because it was a treat to watch such talented performers."



It wasn't a vocal issue. During last Thursday's performance she landed badly jumping from a table during "Kaleidoscope" and sprained her ankle, and the understudy finished the show. She was out all weekend and last night was to be her first night back -- but early in the show she realized she wasn't ready yet. Hopefully it won't hurt her Tony chances too badly. She has been one of the closest things to a "lock" this year.

"

How interesting. I'd watched the cast on Kelly Clarkson and knew that Maleah's performance last night was not representative of her abilities. I had assumed it was a vocal issue because her voice sounded so strained, and because she left the stage so abruptly. Perhaps she was just in too much pain and it was impacting everything. Whatever the reason, I wish her a swift and healthy recovery! In the meantime, the show seems to be in very capable hands with her understudies. 

Updated On: 6/5/24 at 04:45 PM

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/12/24 at 10:01am

After A 40-Year Broadway Career, Kecia Lewis Gets Her First Tony Nomination for Hell's Kitchen

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerylbrunner/2024/06/11/after-a-40-year-broadway-career-kecia-lewis-gets-her-first-tony-nomination-for-hells-kitchen/

[Melissa25]

Posted: 7/31/24 at 7:16pm

AT HOME WITH Kecia Lewis

A Tony Award winner makes a home away from home in Manhattan.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/31/realestate/kecia-lewis-tony-winner-nyc-home.html?unlocked_article_code=1._U0.b0V-.107OpvtDcu76&smid=url-share

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 7/31/24 at 7:42pm

FYI, 

Kecia Lewis will not perform on September 3 - 8.

Maleah Joi Moon does not perform at Wednesday matinees.
She will not perform on Sunday evening - August 25, Sunday evening September 1 and all performances September 17 -22

[MezzA101]

Posted: 8/20/24 at 12:02pm

Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen and ESPN Partner With US Open
 

https://variety.com/2024/sports/news/alicia-keys-hells-kitchen-us-open-partnership-espn-1236110394/

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 8/24/24 at 4:12pm

Why doesn’t she perform on Wednesday matinees?  She’s a Tony award winning actress in a role that made her a star.  I’m seeing the show tomorrow matinee, so I’ll see her in it.  Audra McDonald is doing 8x a week as Mama Rose but this young girl can’t do it.  She doesn’t have the stamina for Broadway. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/24/24 at 5:10pm

Broadway Flash said: "Why doesn’t she perform on Wednesday matinees? She’s a Tony award winning actress in a role that made her a star. I’m seeing the show tomorrow matinee, so I’ll see her in it. Audra McDonald is doing 8x a week as Mama Rose but this young girl can’t do it. She doesn’t have the stamina for Broadway."

I see the grand tradition of trolling hasn’t abated.

The Tonys performance didn’t really give the full scope of the SINGING and the CHOREO that this show requires. This isn’t the 70s and 80s (and before) when performers didn’t have a chance to care for themselves or work out a deal to help them perform their best, ESPECIALLY in a post-pandemic world.

A Tony at this age means she has a LONG career ahead of her. If you are so bothered by that, then hock your ticket on Theatr and buy another.