Hell’s Kitchen, the musical loosely based on the life of Alicia Keys, hits Broadway this spring. The show, with a score written by Keys and a book by Kristoffer Diaz, made its world premiere at the Public Theater on November 19. The show will transfer to the Shubert Theater on Broadway starting March 28, with opening night in April. 20.
“Good things take time and for 13 years I have been dreaming, developing and finding inspiration for a musical based on my experience growing up in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Hell’s Kitchen It’s inspired by my life, but it’s not a biographical story. It’s a story about family relationships and identity: Who are we? Who do we want to be? Who are we becoming?” Keys said, for The Hollywood Reporter. “The track features new songs that I’m so excited to share with the world, along with many of my album releases that you may know but have never heard like this – rearranged and reinterpreted.”
According to its synopsis, Hell’s Kitchen addresses “social issues young people face about identity, belonging, and finding themselves,” as well as navigating life and love. It follows 17-year-old Ali in a “cramped apartment” near Times Square as she strives to make her New York dream come true. “When Ali falls in love with a talented young drummer, mother and daughter must face hard truths about race, challenge and growing up,” the synopsis says. “There she feels trapped, until the sound of a neighbor playing the piano opens the door to an unexpected friendship and a radically different future.”
The show is choreographed by Camille A. Brown and directed by Michael Greif, who previously directed Rent, Close to normalIt is Dear Evan Hansen. Key’s AKW Productions is the show’s producer.
The cast for the Broadway production has not yet been announced. The main cast members of the off-Broadway show are Maleah Joi Moon, Shoshana Bean, Chris Lee, Kecia Lewis and Brandon Victor Dixon.
The musical takes over the Shubert Theater from Some like it hotwhich announced it will close on December 30th.
