Kicking off Multi-Grammy Award-Winner Alicia Keys' career as a musical theatre composer is her new production "Hell's Kitchen" which premiered last Sunday, Nov. 19, at The Public Theater in New York, and will run until January 14.
The production features music and lyrics written by Keys herself, with the book written by Kristoffer Diaz. It is loosely based on the global megastar's own personal life, with the story centering around 17-year-old Ali, played by Maleah Joi Moon, and her mother Jersey, played by Shoshana Bean.
Directed by Michael Greif and choreographed by Camille A. Brown, the Off-Broadway musical had reportedly been in development since February, kicked off by a casting call that The Public Theater production company shared.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 19: Alicia Keys attends "Hell's Kitchen" opening night at The Public Theater on November 19, 2023 in New York City.
Alicia Keys as the Central Narrative and Musical Piece
The show mainly uses Keys' impressive catalog of songs, beginning with one of her more underrated songs "Gramercy Park," from her recent 2020 album, "Alicia." In addition to that, the production also has exclusively made songs, with the more hard-hitting Alicia Keys songs like "Girl on Fire" reserved for pivotal dramatic moments.
Even though "Hell's Kitchen" is based on Keys, it isn't a one-to-one recreation, limiting the parallels between the artist and the show's main character. One such similarity is that Keys and Ali both have estranged dads, and both have a relentless love for the piano.
Another element drawn from Keys' experience is Ali's upbringing taking place in 1990s Manhattan Plaza, in an artists' housing complex West of Times Square.
In its essence, Keys' "Hell's Kitchen" is a down-to-earth New York tale about a mother and daughter's love story underscored by music's role in inspiring and healing, all inspired by the artist's artistry and long-standing career.
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