Maya Drake and the company of the North American Tour of Alicia Keys’ Hell”s Kitchen (Photos by Marc J Franklin)
By Oline H. Cogdill
This girl is on fire—which no doubt is how many critics and writers have started their reviews or features about Hell’s Kitchen, the jukebox musical based on the life of singer Alicia Keys, now at the Broward Center through March 22. So count me among those using that phrase, which is, of course, the title of one of Keys’ most famous songs.
But it also is true in this high-energy musical that is now on tour after spending two years on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre where Hell’s Kitchen won two 2025 Tony Awards as well as the 2025 Grammy Award for best musical theater album.
Actually, that “fire” is true of this entire production of Hell’s Kitchen at the Broward Center—including the top-flight acting, singing, precision dancing and production values.
A little history: Keys spent 12 years developing this loosely—very loosely—autobiographical jukebox musical that premiered at the Public Theater where it played to mostly sold-out audiences and garnered mixed, but respectful reviews. The musical was retooled before transferring to Broadway where it earned rapturous reviews and near sold-out crowds.
While some musicals lose their steam when on tour, this Broadway Across America production has not—it is fresh and invigorating incorporating such hits by Keys as “Girl on Fire,” “Fallin’,” “Empire State of Mind” and “No One.”
While Hell’s Kitchen contains some elements of Keys’ life, she chose to make this a fictional, very entertaining musical about a teenage girl. Keys was raised by a single mother who worked three jobs to support her and her daughter; she had an absent father; and her talent for songwriting and singing blossomed early and she did live in Manhattan Plaza, an apartment building where many artists, musicians and singers also lived. Keys’ mother is white and her father Black.
But the musical varies a lot from Keys’ real life.
Instead, enjoy this terrific musical for what it is—an engrossing, engaging, coming-of-age story about a sometimes fraught relationship of a mother and daughter, learning to find your purpose—in this case music—and the perils and heartbreak of growing up. Keys’ songs truly move the story along, never faltering to that and-then-I-wrote cliché that many jukebox musicals succumb.
Hell’s Kitchen revolves around 17-year-old Ali (a mesmerizing Maya Drake) who is stifling while living with her controlling mother Jersey (a solid Kennedy Caughell). Jersey’s protectiveness, what we would call helicopter parent today, stems from the fact that mother wants to keep Ali safe from the streets, from rough teenagers and concentrating on her education. Jersey also doesn’t want Ali to get pregnant at such a young age, as she did.
Ali, being a teenager, is resentful of this intrusion. She just wants to hang with her friends and pursue her crush on Knuck (an appealing Jonavery Worrell), who plays drums on buckets outside her building with his buddies. Ali won’t give up her pursuit of Knuck, who is in his early 20s. At first, Knuck is not interested, avoiding Ali, rebuffing her when she tracks him down at a job site where he is painting buildings. But eventually she wears him down. The chemistry between Ali and Knuck is believable, especially in their duets such as “Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)”. (To his credit, he is upset when he eventually learns her age.)
Knuck is definitely not who Jersey wants for her daughter—she believes he doesn’t work, just lives on the street and (gasp!) is a musician like Ali’s father, so therefore unreliable. Even his name, Knuck, sets her on edge. Jersey enlists her neighbors, friends, the kindly doorman Ray and the police in keeping Knuck away.
Furious, Ali won’t speak to her mother, and stumbles into the Ellington Room in the Manhattan Plaza where she meets Miss Liza Jane (a wonderful Roz White) who practices the piano every day. Liza Jane, described as the building’s “heart, soul and conscience,” shows Ali the power of music, of loving what you do, of creating an art form and finding a home in music. These are lessons Ali needs. When the rendition of “Empire State of Mind” begins, we know Ali has found her way.
Maya Drake as Ali and Kennedy Caughell as Jersey
As Ali, Maya Drake is a revelation. This recent high school graduate making her professional stage debut shows a maturity and acting and singing chops beyond her years. She shows the angst of being a teenager, the joy of finding your fit with music and the need to belong. Her beautiful voice is matched by her dance skills.
Kennedy Caughell is believable as the concerned mother but in the first act her voice is drowned out by the orchestra, her words nearly unintelligible. But in the second act when Caughnell lets loose with Jersey’s solos “Love Looks Better” and “Pawn It All,” these are among the show-stopping movements.
Roz White is nothing short of magnificent, commanding the stage as fhe no-nonsense Miss Liza Jane with her poignant “Perfect Way to Die” and “Authors of Forever.”
Desmond Sean Ellington as Davis, Ali’s absentee father, shows why Jersey fell for this handsome, sexy, rakish and irresponsible man. His smooth vocals seduce the audience and again, almost, Jersey with “Fallin’” and the rousing “Hallelujah/Like Water.”
Jonavery Worrell’s lovely voice adds to his layered performance as Knuck. Chikezie “Chike” Nwankwo makes the most of his several roles, including as the doorman Ray.
The talented dance ensemble under the guidance of dance captain Timothy Wilson and assistant dance captain Stemarciae Bain, are meticulous, acting as a kind of Greek chorus to move along the story and back up Ali. Each dancer also gets a moment to shine so applause is due Destini Hendricks, Christopher Miller, Usman Ali Mughal, Marques Furr, Sangeetha “Sang” Santhebennur, Mae-Lynn Flores, and Ethan Zundell.
Kudos are also due the orchestra, under music director Emily Orr and assistant conductor Joy Brown.
The multi-tiered scaffolding set is enhanced by outstanding lighting. Projections of an apartment building, graffiti and street scenes add to the ambience. Projections of the faces of young men in the background as Liza Jane sings “Perfect Way to Die” add to the song’s poignancy.
It should come as little surprise at the entertainment value of Hell’s Kitchen given the team behind it. These include music and lyrics by Grammy winner Keys; book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kristoffer Diaz; music supervision by Emmy and Grammy winner Adam Blackstone; choreography by Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown and directed by Tony Award nominee Michael Greif.
Hell’s Kitchen runs through March 22 in the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale, as part of the Broadway Across America series. Times vary. Running time 2 hours, 10 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission. Tickets run from $48.75 to $173.75. For tickets visit www.browardcenter.org, ticketmaster.com; by phone 954-462-0222.\
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