‘HELL’S KITCHEN’: Kecia Lewis & Maleah Joi Moon. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

HELL’S KITCHEN
Music & lyrics by Alicia Keys
Book by Kristoffer Diaz
Directed by Michael Greif
Sam S. Shubert Theatre
225 West 44^th Street
https://www.hellskitchen.com/

By Scott Harrah

Loosely based on R&B superstar Alicia Keys’ real life, Hell’s Kitchen has arrived on Broadway after playing at the Public Theater downtown. The off-Broadway production received mixed reviews, but director Michael Greif has made many changes and the Broadway production is simply exhilarating and sublime, featuring some of the best songs and vocal talent on the New York stage in years. It received 13 Tony nominations, including one for Best Musical, and rightfully so.

The story focuses on Ms. Keys’ life in the 1990s, growing up in Manhattan Plaza, an affordable-housing complex that provides residences for many in the arts. Ali (beautifully portrayed by Maleah Joi Moon) is 17 when the show starts, raised by her single mom Jersey (Shoshana Bean). Her mother Jersey is protective of her daughter and doesn’t want her hanging out with the “wrong” crowd. Ali gets caught talking to Knuck (Chris Lee), a bucket drummer and part of a group that hangs out in the building. Her mother is not pleased.

Drummers in the complex practice in Manhattan Plaza’s courtyard, and Ali’s friends Tiny (Vanessa Ferguson) and Jessica (Jackie Leon) insist that she pursue Knuck. He turns her down, and shortly afterward her mother Jersey calls the police and has the group thrown out of the building. After leaving her apartment in anger, Ali visits the building’s music-practice area, the Ellington Room, and sees Miss Liza Jane (the outstanding Kecia Lewis) playing the piano. Miss Liza Jane is an older woman, wise and a piano virtuoso. She offers to teach Ali to play piano.

The plot focuses on several themes, from a single mother raising a biracial teenager daughter and struggles with the father who abandoned them long ago to racism, coming of age and grappling with grief when someone passes away. The musical showcases all of Alicia Keys’ iconic hits, from “Like You’ll Never See Me Again” and  “You Don’t Know My Name” and “Girl On Fire,” “Fallin’” to “If I Ain’t Got You,” “No One,” and “Empire State of Mind,” and many more.

The flawless performances and outstanding vocal talent are two of the best aspects of Hell’s Kitchen. Standouts include Ms. Moon as Ali. She has the spunk, sass and vulnerability required for the role. Shoshana Bean as Jersey gives a sincere and touching performance as the doting mother, and Ms. Bean’s powerful vocals are sheer heaven for listeners, particularly in the song “Pawn It All.”

The excellent Kecia Lewis is incandescent and brings down the house whenever she sings, especially at the end of the first act when she beautifully belts out “Perfect Way to Die,” a song about unjust killings of innocent people, police brutality and systemic racism. Brandon Victor Dixon’s vocals are wonderfully melodic on the song “Fallin’,” a jazzy duet with Ms. Bean that is another showstopping number.

Camille A. Brown’s choreography is inventive and wonderfully visual, especially during a new Alicia Keys song “Kaleidoscope” in which dancers twirl around Ali with beautiful kinetic energy.

Hell’s Kitchen is a quintessential New York story about how life is rough here on these mean and dirty city streets, but love from family and friends and neighbors gets us through tough times. It’s a tribute to all who have ever struggled in Manhattan, and one of the spring 2024 season’s best musicals.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published June 1, 2024
Reviewed at May 23, 2024 performance

‘HELL’S KITCHEN’: Shoshana Bean & Maleah Joi Moon. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘HELL’S KITCHEN’ Maleah Joi Moon, Chris Lee & cast. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘HELL’S KITCHEN’: The cast. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘HELL’S KITCHEN’: The cast. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

‘HELL’S KITCHEN’: Brandon Victor Dixon & cast. Photo: Marc J. Franklin.

The post ‘Hell’s Kitchen’: Alicia Keys’ tribute to NY life appeared first on StageZine.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Billy Crystal. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

MR. SATURDAY NIGHT
Book by Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel
Music by Jason Robert Brown
Lyrics by Amanda Green
Directed by John Rando
Nederlander Theatre
208 West 41st Street
(866-870-2717), https://mrsaturdaynightonbroadway.com/

By David NouNou

Mr. Saturday Night brings back the old-fashioned musical, and I say this in the best sense of the word. The show is structured and framed with a wonderful book that is tailor-made for its leading man/star. It has a pleasant score that can be heard and understood without the overuse of amplified miking and digital backtracking. Here we have simple songs that are sung and not shouted, all to be enjoyed to propel the narrative. A simple show that uses the strengths of its star, in this case Billy Crystal recreating the role of Buddy Young, Jr. from the 1992 movie of the same name.

Set in 1994, Buddy has just finished performing in a retirement home, and his act didn’t go over big. Sitting in his living room watching the 1994 Emmys, he sees his name in the “In Memoriam” segment, and reflects on his life on how it has come to this. Starting in a Catskills hotel as a last-minute replacement for Milton Berle, he becomes a big hit and meets his future wife, Elaine (Randy Graff), both taking place on the same night. That same night his brother, Sam Yankleman (David Paymer, recreating his Oscar nominated-role in this part), met Elaine earlier that evening to go out with her and was also supposed to go on with Buddy as a duo act, but nerves got the best of him. He lost the girl and the act and settled to become Buddy’s manager and gofer.

Buddy became TV’s beloved “Mr. Saturday Night” until temper tantrums and the pressures of the job get to him. He is fired from TV, and his career spirals downward. It affects his relationship with his wife, who plays referee between him and their daughter, Susan (Shoshana Bean), who craves his attention. The brothers have a falling out because Sam has had enough of Buddy’s abuse and moves to Florida. Buddy manages to insult and ostracize everyone in the business, until one day an assistant talent agent, Annie Wells (Chasten Harmon) gets to see Buddy, and gets told off by him. She researches his acts, and things start picking up in some bizarre ways.

As I stated earlier, old-fashioned musicals tailor their material for “The Star” and Billy Crystal, along with Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, have scripted this musical to showcase their star, Billy Crystal, in the best light possible—and shine he does. Mr. Crystal has lived Buddy Young. His delivery of one-liners and his act are among the funniest you’ll hear or see this year. We all loved him as the host of the Oscars for nine years and he brightened many a dreary telecast with his instantaneous impromptu quips. However, here he is Buddy Young Jr., an unlikable character, and I think younger audiences may have difficulty separating the two. Audiences who have been weaned on Mr. Crystal’s movies—City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally, Analyze This and Throw Momma from the Train—have loved him for these “nice guy” roles, but may have trouble accepting this cantankerous Buddy. Younger audiences now marvel over the drama of Phantom of the Opera, the musical diversification of Hamilton, the pageantry of Wicked. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed watching audience reactions and how tastes change. It’s such a pity that audiences today don’t understand Borscht Belt humor and the Jewish/Yiddish sensibility that makes it so hilarious, the gentle side of musicals, and songs that are not necessarily remarkable but sweet to listen to.

There are eight characters in this musical headlined by Mr. Crystal. You can see his heart is invested in the character of Buddy, and his scenes with David Paymer as his brother, when they do their schtick, is truly sidesplitting and their dramatic moments are heartfelt.

Randy Graff, as the long-suffering wife, is a breezy delight. She always tries to make things easier by making a brisket. Shoshana Bean is in excellent voice as Susan, trying to discover her self-worth. Chasten Harmon as Buddy’s ardent agent/believer, can deliver the goods in singing and acting. John Rando, the director, spotlights his casts to perfection. He also oversees three very hard-working actors each playing multiple roles: Jordan Gelber, Brian Gonzales, and Mylinda Hull.

The show is great fun for an evening in the theatre. Billy Crystal and David Paymer, you both look and are “mah-velous.”

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published May 5, 2022
Reviewed at May 4, 2022 press performance.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Billy Crystal (center) & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Jordan Gelber, Brian Gonzales & Billy Crystal. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Billy Crystal & Jordan Paymer. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Billy Crystal & Shoshana Bean. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Randy Graff & Billy Crystal. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Randy Graff. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Shoshana Bean. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Brian Gonzales, Mylinda Hull & Jordan Gelber. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: David Paymer. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Chasten Harmon. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MR. SATURDAY NIGHT’: Billy Crystal & Chasten Harmon. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

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