The Cast Photo by Marc J Franklin

Hell's Kitchen is loosely based on Alicia Keys' teenage years growing up in the New York neighborhood that gave the show its title. Ali and her mother live in an apartment high-rise for artists. Ali's strict mother attempts to keep her safe, but 17-year-old Ali wants to live a little, including pursuing a romance with a man named Knuck. Simultaneously, she discovers her gift for piano, thanks to lessons from a musician in her building.

Alicia Keys is a fifteen-time Grammy Award winner and considered one of the best composer-lyricists of her era. She is a gifted songwriter, with each song telling a mini-story on its own, with memorable melodies and descriptive lyrics. Most scores written for a theatre piece chronicle specific moments in the story, so using existing songs can often seem ill-fitted. Thankfully, the songs for Hell's Kitchen feel more organically interwoven into the plot than most jukebox musicals. "The River" is an effective want song for Ali, and the soulful "You Don't Know My Name" is fun and well-integrated. "Kaleidoscope," a new song written for the show, captures the joy of discovering a new passion (piano for Ali), but could have more specific lyrics to express that emotion even more strongly. Many of Keys' most famous songs are also included, such as "Fallin'," "No One," and "Girl on Fire," and "Empire State of Mind" serves as the show's finale.

The book by Kristoffer Diaz is somewhat hit or miss. The show contains many universal themes, sufficient conflict, and enough comedy to keep the tone accessible. The main characters have depth, and the coming-of-age story, with obstacles to overcome and inspirational elements, has wide appeal. Narration by the lead character is used sparingly, yet impactfully. However, despite taking place in a gritty setting, the book generally plays it safe and is quite predictable. At times, the dialogue feels like a TV afterschool special rather than a sophisticated Broadway show.

The national tour cast of Hell's Kitchen is a talented one. As Ali, Maya Drake, who is a recent high school graduate, displays the charisma and stage presence of a seasoned stage veteran. She provides strong vocals and a likeable character throughout. As her mother Jersey, Kennedy Caughell is saddled with some of the more cringy dialogue, but skillfully embodies the protective mom and tears the roof off the theater with her impassioned singing of "Pawn It All." Roz White is charming as the wise piano teacher, Miss Liza Jane, and shows off wonderful vocals. Desmond Sean Ellington (as Ali's father Davis) and JonAvery Worrell (as Ali's love interest Knuck) are both soulful singers and give detailed portrayals of their characters. The hardworking ensemble deserves kudos for their singing and dancing.

Director Michael Greif supplies apt blocking and tone as well as smooth transitions, though there is an overuse of an on-stage chorus. The athletic and vibrant dances by choreographer Camille A. Brown dominate many scenes and bring high-energy visuals to the show. Emily Orr leads a great-sounding six-piece band.

Robert Brill's unique scenic design features sliding panels representing the skyscraper apartment building where much of the action takes place, along with several levels and well-integrated projections by Peter Nigrini. Natasha Katz supplies captivating lighting, and the costumes by Dede Ayite evoke the 1990s time period in which the show takes place.

It's been said that great musicals deal with either a big event or big characters. Hell's Kitchen is more of a slice-of-life piece. And while it might not have the nostalgic cache of some other jukebox musicals for the majority of the audience on tour, it is solidly crafted and a crowd pleaser based on the strong score and wonderful performances.

Hell's Kitchen runs through January 25, 2026, at the Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati OH. For tickets and information, please call 513-621-2787 or visit cincinnati.broadway.com. For information on tour, visit hellskitchentour.org.