Alicia Keys’ “Hell’s Kitchen” Dazzles at the Pantages Theatre

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Alicia Keys’ “Hell’s Kitchen” Dazzles at the Pantages Theatre

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Lady Beverly Cohn

Well, there's musicals and then there's the Musical. There's singing and then there's Singing. There's talented ensembles and then there's a Talented Ensemble. There's choreography and then there's Choreography. Having reviewed multiple splendid musicals over the years, multi-Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys' "Hell's Kitchen" is a jukebox* production making its L.A. Premiere at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre. Almost in a class of its own, the show was created around her hits such as “Fallin,” “No One,” “Empire State of Mind,” and “Girl on Fire” along with her new songs, all seamlessly blending together.

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Now, getting down to basics, let's start with Book by Kristoffer Diaz, which, when you analyze it, has familiar elements touching on some pretty basic aspects of the human condition. Through dialogue, song, and dance, we see a highly theatrical treatment of those elements from young forbidden love, mother-daughter struggles, an absentee father, to someone who becomes a safe harbor in a young girl’s turbulent sea of emotion. Taking these common elements and molding them into what emerges as an extraordinary production is quite challenging, to say the least.

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That said, director Michael Greif took the ordinary and transformed it into just that, delivering a spellbinding, joyous evening of theatre much to the delight of the very vocal, sometimes raucous audience who invested themselves not only in the emotional content of the action, but the amazing performances that unfolded on that stage. Choreography has been the lynchpin of musicals and there have been some highly gifted choreographers who have created unforgettable original dance movements including Bob Fosse, (Chicago,) Jerome Robbins (West Side Story,) Agnes de Mille, (Oklahoma,) Michael Bennett, (A Chorus Line,) Gower Champion (Hello, Dolly,) Tommy Tune, (Grand Hotel,) Susan Stroman, (The Producers,) Andy Blankenbuehler, (Hamilton,) Sergio Trujillo, (Jersey Boys,) and Jerry Mitchell, (Hairspray,) their collective work defining dance as an integral partner to the Book in storytelling. Camille A. Brown’s choreography clearly gives her a place in that revered exclusive “club.”

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She took a gifted ensemble of young dancers and introduced them to her unique perception of production numbers with complex dance movements that the dancers clearly mastered as they executed the dazzling 15 production numbers including “The Gospel,” “Seventeen,” “You Don’t Know My Name,” “Teenage Love Affair,” “Girl on Fire,” “If I Ain’t Got You,” and “Empire State of Mind,” to name but a few. Performed on Robert Brill’s unique set where he abstractly reproduced Manhattan Plaza, one of two residential towers located on West 43rd Street. These subsidized high-rise buildings in the infamous Hell’s Kitchen area of New York are home to people in every aspect of the entertainment industry. His intricate set replicates the ever-busy elevator servicing hundreds of show ‘biz people daily. Adding to the overall dazzling special effects of this production are Natasha Katz’s kaleidoscopic light design, Gareth Owen’s Sound Design, Peter Nigrini’s Projections (loved the pouring rain) and the multi-colored dazzling costumes by Dedeayite.

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Adding to the visuals, are the outstanding legit performances enhanced by these eye-candy production values. A young Maya Drake makes her debut as the lead character of 17-year-old Ali and commands the stage with her acting, dancing, and strong voice throughout this 135-minute production. The rest of the principals deliver exhilarating performances including Desmond Sea Ellington as Ali’s unreliable father, Ali’s piano teacher, Miss Liza Jane, skillfully characterized by Roz White, and JonAvery Worrell as Knuck, Ali’s love interest. (She tells him she’s 18 which creates trouble for him.) All this said, many shows have that one moment that takes your breath away and in this production that moment is delivered by the uber talented Kennedy Caughell who play’s Ali’s mother and the ex-wife of Davis. In the second act, drenched in a spotlight, she sings “Pawn It All” delivered with deep emotion, her vocal range spanning multiple octaves and musical colors. On her very last gut-wrenching note, the audience sprang to its feet in a standing ovation with thunderous applause, shouts, and whistles, such vocal accolades generally reserved for curtain calls and not in the middle of an act. It’s not an exaggeration to say that between the excellent production values and a Broadway-caliber cast, this is truly a unique production and a brief respite from the turbulent times in which we live – even if only for 135 joyous minutes.

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If there is any room in your entertainment budget, do consider seeing “Hell’s Kitchen.” I can almost guarantee this will be one of your happiest theatrical experiences.