Alicia Keys' 'Hell's Kitchen', a musical with an all-star soundtrack, is worth attending for its dazzling vocals alone. The show, which boasts 17 Grammy awards and has sold over 65 million albums worldwide, brings together nearly two dozen of Keys' most beloved songs in a celebration that truly does the music justice.
However, the plot of the musical falls short. While it tackles themes of racism, parental abandonment, and teenage rebellion, these storylines feel thinly sketched and heavy-handed, particularly compared to the richness and depth of Keys' own life story. One might expect more insight into her experiences as a young artist navigating an industry notorious for exploiting talent.
Despite this, the show is elevated by Alicia Drake's stunning performance as Ali, the protagonist. Her voice soars through songs like "Gospel," which captures the vibrant spirit of Hell's Kitchen in 1990s New York. The ensemble delivers strong performances, with highlights from choreographer Camille A. Brown's electrifying dance numbers that blend hip-hop, breaking, and underground ballroom movements.
A standout performance comes from Roz White as Miss Liza Jane, Keys' piano teacher who serves as a mentor to Ali. White brings depth and charisma to the role, imbuing her vocals with the pain, fury, and resilience of generations past. The musical also features impressive work from Kennedy Caughell as Jersey, Ali's mother, whose raw emotion is matched by her powerful belting.
Costumes designed by Dede Ayite capture the essence of 1990s streetwear, while projection designer Peter Nigrini uses creative set pieces to enhance the show's visual impact. The overall production is a testament to Alicia Keys' remarkable music, bringing a full-body immersion that spans emotions from anger to elation.
Ultimately, 'Hell's Kitchen' is worth attending for its music alone – but may leave audiences wanting more in terms of character development and narrative depth.
However, the plot of the musical falls short. While it tackles themes of racism, parental abandonment, and teenage rebellion, these storylines feel thinly sketched and heavy-handed, particularly compared to the richness and depth of Keys' own life story. One might expect more insight into her experiences as a young artist navigating an industry notorious for exploiting talent.
Despite this, the show is elevated by Alicia Drake's stunning performance as Ali, the protagonist. Her voice soars through songs like "Gospel," which captures the vibrant spirit of Hell's Kitchen in 1990s New York. The ensemble delivers strong performances, with highlights from choreographer Camille A. Brown's electrifying dance numbers that blend hip-hop, breaking, and underground ballroom movements.
A standout performance comes from Roz White as Miss Liza Jane, Keys' piano teacher who serves as a mentor to Ali. White brings depth and charisma to the role, imbuing her vocals with the pain, fury, and resilience of generations past. The musical also features impressive work from Kennedy Caughell as Jersey, Ali's mother, whose raw emotion is matched by her powerful belting.
Costumes designed by Dede Ayite capture the essence of 1990s streetwear, while projection designer Peter Nigrini uses creative set pieces to enhance the show's visual impact. The overall production is a testament to Alicia Keys' remarkable music, bringing a full-body immersion that spans emotions from anger to elation.
Ultimately, 'Hell's Kitchen' is worth attending for its music alone – but may leave audiences wanting more in terms of character development and narrative depth.
. Don't get me wrong, the performances are fire 
especially Roz White's turn as Miss Liza Jane... that girl's got some serious pipes! 
And can we talk about the costumes? 90s streetwear is so underrated right now 
! Alicia Keys' vocals are insane, I mean I've heard her sing live before but the energy in that show was electric 
. The costumes and set design were straight fire too 
. But yeah, I felt like the plot could've been more fleshed out, it was kinda light and easy to predict 
!
! The way she sang "Gospel" gave me chills 
. But, I felt like the story was kinda rushed and didn't really explore Alicia's life as much as it could've 
. That being said, Alicia Drake's performance as Ali was amazing! 
. The costumes and set design were on point too 
. If you're a music lover like me, you gotta check this out for Alicia Keys alone 
!
. The all-star soundtrack is definitely a highlight, and Alicia Drake's performance as Ali is super impressive. But, I gotta say, the plot feels kinda shallow compared to the depth of Keys' life story. I mean, come on, 17 Grammys isn't just about the music alone, right? 
.
The dance numbers were also super impressive, I loved how they blended different styles. But, you know, the plot kinda felt a bit rushed and didn't really go into Alicia Keys' life story as much as I would've liked 
. It's like they took some cool themes and turned them into a watered-down story that just didn't quite live up to my expectations, you feel? 
- that woman can SANG 
, too! I mean, who wouldn't want to rock 90s streetwear on stage? It was like stepping into a time capsule 
. The only thing holding me back from giving it 5 stars is that the plot needed more depth, you know?