Hell’s Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen, set within the incredibly diverse and transformative musical rhythms of the '90s, is inspired by the life and music of Alicia Keys. From the book by Kristoffer Diaz, with music and lyrics by Keys, it's one of the plays Chicago theater lovers have been waiting to travel from the concrete jungle where dreams are made of New York to Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre. The story follows Ali, a rebellious 17-year-old fighting for her independence, while her overprotective mother, Jersey, tries to keep her daughter safe without the support of Ali's absentee father. In an effort to protect her daughter, Ali, from the harsh realities of their neighborhood known as Hell's Kitchen—marked by violence, gangs, and poverty, Jersey sought assistance from friends, the police, and the doorman to ensure that Ali remained safely confined within the walls of their apartment. Still, Ali wanted to find her voice, hang out with friends, and meet boys, and she met an older boy named Knuck. Struggling to find the right way to connect with him, she hastily labels him a thug, a judgment that Knuck vehemently rebukes. He likes Ali but fears that if he lets his guard down, he will lose focus on his goals. Additionally, with Ali's mother opposing their relationship—believing he is a thug and too old for her daughter—he worries that being with Ali could lead to him being arrested. In the midst of her conflict with her mother, Ali encounters the wise, yet stern Miss Liza Jane in the Ellington Room. Within the walls of this room, her nurturing presence offers Ali more than just a mentor; she provides a haven where Ali can process her fears and frustrations. Through her lessons, Miss Liza Jane guides Ali, teaching her to express her emotions through music, transforming the kaleidoscope of her life into a Girl on Fire! Although Hell's Kitchen is a coming-of-age story, it mainly focuses on the mother-daughter relationship. Hell's Kitchen also explores the fractured romantic relationships between teens and how their lives passionately collide, leaving a child living without one of its parents: perspectives on racism and critical race perspective, community, resilience, love and loss, and artistic empowerment. Loosely based on the life of Alicia Keys, Hell's Kitchen shares similarities with Keys' early years as a young woman seeking wisdom, independence, and freedom. It connects facts with fictional situations surrounding her parents' relationship, her teenage love interest, and her inspirational piano teacher, who was inspired by her high school teacher, Linda Aziza Miller. The jukebox musical Hell's Kitchen is not a biographical narrative similar to MJ, the play about the life of Michael Jackson. Still, it enchantingly shares the same life experience of two iconic musical superstars, albeit in two drastically different musical scopes. MJ is the story of Michael; however, Hell's Kitchen is a story inspired by Alicia Keys and features a fictional character named Ali. Both showcase an electrifying burst of energy, featuring captivating dance moves and stunning vocal performances that leave you spellbound.

The Two-Act musical features 22 songs by Grammy Award-winning icon Alicia Keys, with several drawn from her classic hits, including Fallin', No One, You Don't Know My Name, and Empire State of Mind. She wrote three songs —Seventeen, The River, and Kaleidoscope — specifically for the musical. The 28 cast members featured an incredible performance by Maya Drake as the 17-year-old Ali, who amazingly captivated our hearts throughout the entire two hours plus production. Kennedy Caughell played her mother, Jersey, and her father (Davis) was played by the suave and smooth singing of Desmond Sean Ellington, who provoked a few screams from the ladies in the audience.

Caughell, who played the role of Carole King in my all-time favorite musical, Beautiful, was outstanding as Jersey, the overprotective mother, and blew us away with her vocals, singing "Pawn It All." And speaking of vocals, I would love to be seated in the theater when understudy Marely Soleil plays Ali. Her voice, singing "This Girl Is on Fire," is exceptional. Jon Avery Worrell, who had some of the ladies in the audience excited about the prospect of moving to Chicago during the play to leave his pains in New York, provided another impressive performance as the mild-mannered Knuck. But the show-stealing performance came from Roz White as Miss Liza Jane, Ali's teacher. Her commanding presence filled the room, enchanting the audience and serving as a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience embodied by a remarkable Black woman. While I found Act I of the play captivating, it didn't quite match the intensity and depth of the second act. It lacked the robust engagement that came to life in the second act, when the narrative really seemed to hit its stride! Still, this play is on fire and definitely a Must-see. With the government shutdown ending, we plan to travel to the Shubert Theatre in New York to do one of our New York-Chicago comparison reviews, as we did for MJ and Moulin Rouge. Fingers crossed.

⭐⭐⭐1/2 Stars

James M. Nederlander Theatre

Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen

Book by Kristoffer Diaz

Music and Lyrics by Alicia Keys

November 11 - November 30, 2025

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