SALT LAKE CITY — I must have been living under a rock because, until a few weeks ago, I assumed Hell’s Kitchen was a musical about a singing Gordon Ramsay hurling creative insults at his kitchen staff—telling them the fish looked like Gandhi’s flip-flop or that there was enough garlic in the recipe to wipe out every vampire in Europe.
Then my sister, who lives in Las Vegas, called and said, “You MUST see Hell’s Kitchen when it comes to Salt Lake City!” She had seen the national tour at The Smith Center and insisted I not miss it.
I’m so grateful she did.
No, Hell’s Kitchen has nothing to do with cooking. It is the Tony Award-winning musical inspired by Alicia Keys‘ own coming-of-age story, growing up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood on Manhattan’s West Side. Set in the mid-1990s, it follows 17-year-old Ali as she struggles with an overprotective single mother, longs to discover her father, falls in love for the first time, and searches for her own identity. Woven throughout is Alicia Keys’ remarkable catalog of music, reimagined in ways that make even longtime fans hear these songs with fresh ears.
The performances are nothing short of extraordinary.
Let’s begin with Maya Drake, who plays Ali. It is hard to believe Drake is a recent high school graduate because she commands the stage with the confidence and emotional depth of a seasoned Broadway veteran. She perfectly captures the frustration, confidence, vulnerability, and teenage certainty that she has life all figured out, while also revealing the uncertainty beneath the surface.
Her vocals are simply breathtaking. Her performances of “The River” and “Kaleidoscope” were among the musical highlights of the evening, showcasing both tremendous power and remarkable emotional honesty.
Playing Ali’s mother, Jersey, Kennedy Caughell delivers one of the evening’s most unforgettable performances. Jersey is determined to protect her daughter from making the same mistakes she made, creating a relationship filled with both love and conflict. Caughell brilliantly balances strength, vulnerability, humor, and heartbreak.
Then comes “Pawn It All.”
What happened during that number is something I won’t soon forget.
Halfway through Act II, Caughell absolutely brought the house down. Audience members leaped to their feet for a spontaneous standing ovation before the show even continued. I honestly don’t know that I’ve ever heard vocals like that in a live theatrical performance. It was astonishing.
She was equally wonderful in “Seventeen” and “Love Looks Better.”
Desmond Sean Ellington gives a deeply affecting performance as Ali’s father, Davis. A gifted pianist with dreams of making it big, Davis genuinely loves his daughter and desperately wants to be part of her life. Unfortunately, good intentions don’t always translate into dependable actions.
Ellington captures that complexity beautifully, delivering heartfelt performances of “Like Water” and Alicia Keys’ classic “Fallin'” that are filled with both tenderness and regret.
Jonavery Worrell shines as Knuck, Ali’s older love interest. Worrell gives Knuck an easy charm and genuine warmth that make you root for him, even as circumstances repeatedly pull him into trouble.
His performance of “Gramercy Park” is both sincere and memorable.
As wonderful as each of these performances is, the actor who completely stole my heart was Roz White as Miss Liza Jane.
White’s entrance changes the emotional trajectory of the entire show. When Ali stumbles upon Miss Liza Jane playing the piano in their apartment building after running away from another argument with her mother, both Ali and the audience become instantly captivated.
So was I.
Roz White possesses one of those rare voices that sends chills down your spine. Rich, soulful, powerful, and effortlessly expressive, she had me hanging on every note.
Her performance of “Authors of Forever” was magnificent, but it was “Perfect Way to Die” that left the audience emotionally stunned and earned another well-deserved mid-show standing ovation.
Simply put, I could have listened to her sing all night.
One of the greatest joys of Hell’s Kitchen is hearing Alicia Keys’ music interpreted by performers of different ages, backgrounds, and life experiences. Songs that many of us have heard for years suddenly take on entirely new meanings when performed by a teenage girl searching for herself, a mother carrying years of regret, a father hoping for redemption, or a wise mentor offering guidance.
Of course, audiences are also treated to some of Keys’ biggest hits, including “Girl on Fire,” “Empire State of Mind,” and “No One,” all delivered with tremendous energy.
The ensemble deserves every bit as much praise as the principal cast. Their vocals are outstanding, but their dancing is absolutely electrifying. It is among the finest choreography I have ever seen in a touring Broadway production.
Every movement is razor-sharp, every transition seamless, every routine bursting with energy and precision. Camille A. Brown‘s Tony Award-winning choreography is sensational and keeps the entire production pulsing with life.
Director Michael Greif deserves enormous credit for bringing all of these elements together into a production that feels intimate, authentic, and emotionally powerful. Music Director Emily Orr also deserves special recognition for leading an orchestra that sounded phenomenal throughout the evening.
One of my favorite moments came during the curtain call when photographs of each member of the orchestra were projected onto the backdrop alongside the instrument they played. It was a wonderful gesture that reminded the audience how many talented musicians contribute to making a production like this possible, and they received a tremendous round of applause that was richly deserved.
I absolutely hate that this review is being published after Hell’s Kitchen has already closed its Salt Lake City engagement. Due to an unforeseen emergency, my colleague originally assigned to review opening night was unable to do so, and I was asked to pinch-hit after attending the closing performance.
So while you’ve unfortunately missed it this time around, don’t make the same mistake if the national tour comes anywhere near you.
Go.
During the next several weeks, Hell’s Kitchen will be stopping in Portland, Seattle, San Diego, Sacramento, and Tucson, with many more cities scheduled throughout the coming year. If this production comes to your city, buy a ticket. I promise you’ll understand why audiences across the country are giving it standing ovation after standing ovation. See a full list of tour stops at https://hellskitchen.com/tour/.
And finally, kudos to Broadway at the Eccles for once again bringing another exceptional Broadway production to Salt Lake City. Here’s hoping Hell’s Kitchen finds its way back to Utah before too long.
