The 17‑time Grammy Award–winning singer‑songwriter and pianist Alicia Keys has brought a slice of her life to the stage with the Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen. The Tony Award–winning production is inspired by her upbringing in New York.
To most, “Hell’s Kitchen” calls to mind the Gordon Ramsay reality show. But in New York, it’s a vibrant, diverse neighborhood on Manhattan’s West Side — a place where artists of every discipline collide.
With the help of playwright Kristoffer Diaz, Keys adapted her experience living in Hell’s Kitchen into a musical that is both hopeful and inspiring. Audiences see the beauty and the harsh realities of life interpreted through her platinum hits like “Unthinkable (I’m Ready),” “Girl on Fire,” and others that turn the show into a live‑action music video.
With her music as the backbone, Keys weaves a story that drops us right into the heart of 1990s Hell’s Kitchen, meeting Ali on her way to school as she describes the sounds she hears in the elevator — classical here, salsa there. The baggy pants and athletic tops place viewers squarely in the era, framed by metal scaffolding reminiscent of a New York high‑rise.
Ali is enchanted by Hell’s Kitchen, and through the high‑energy dance numbers, the audience becomes enchanted too. Her mother, Jersey, knows the neighborhood’s dangers all too well. She drives the action of the musical, doing everything she can to keep Ali from ruining her life — even enlisting friends in law enforcement.
We learn Jersey’s strictness stems from her rocky relationship with Davis, Ali’s father and a quintessential ladies’ man. They met when she was a young actor. Their relationship with Davis — a pianist — developed quickly, leading to Ali.
The struggle for respect between Ali and her mother leads to fights, an arrest, and a slap in the middle of the street that drives a wedge between them. In the midst of the chaos, Ali finds the Ellington Room and Miss Liza Jane, a pianist who offers her a lesson. She reluctantly accepts.
Ali spends days and nights in the Ellington Room, avoiding her mother and waiting for Miss Liza Jane. She takes to the piano fast, getting lost in the keys and their history while finding herself in the process. This is where the musical becomes most inspiring — personifying that “aha” moment when everything clicks. Over time, Miss Liza Jane becomes a north star Ali clings to, much to Jersey’s dismay.
After Ali’s birth, Davis was essentially nonexistent in her life, but the recent chaos leaves Jersey with no one else to turn to. She calls Davis for help, and we see their story unfold through Keys’ “Teenage Love Affair” and “Fallin’.” Their relationship mirrors so many today — a woman who loves to a fault and a man willing to take whatever affection he can get.
Viewers watch as he charms Jersey and the damage his fleeting love inflicts on both her and Ali. Tensions explode when Jersey sings “Pawn It All,” bringing Davis down to size in the middle of an important piano audition. Though enraged, Jersey releases the anger she held for their failed relationship and realizes how it has weakened her bond with her daughter.
A tragic passing brings Ali and her mother closer. Trust begins to rebuild, and through that, Ali gains more freedom to play the piano. Hell’s Kitchen ends with the two hopeful for their relationship — and wondering how Ali will add to the legacy of her musical mentor.
The St. Louis leg of the national tour of “Hell’s Kitchen” continues through February 8 at The Fabulous Fox. For showtimes, tickets and additional information, visit www.fabulousfox.com or metrotix.com.
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
