By Shari Barrett
Hell’s Kitchen, featuring music & lyrics by 17-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys, is making its L.A. Premiere at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through June 21, while it continues playing to sold-out, rapturous audiences on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in New York City. It centers around Ali, a 17-year-old girl full of fire who is searching for freedom, passion and her place in the world.
Rebellious and stifled by an overprotective single mother, Ali is lost until she meets her mentor: a neighbor who opens her heart and mind to the power of the piano. Set to the rhythm of the 90s, it’s a love story between a mother and daughter and finding yourself, your purpose, and the community that lifts you. Seeing it will remind you about where dreams begin.
Masterfully directed by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, with choreography by four-time Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee Kristoffer Diaz, and the music of 16-time Grammy Award-winner Alicia Keys with orchestrations by Tony Award winner Tom Kitt and Tony Award nominee Adam Blackstone, how can Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen be anything less than absolutely astounding? Especially when Alicia Keys and her mother were in attendance on opening night!
Filled with tons of energy and enthusiasm from an extraordinary ensemble whose powerhouse vocals and realistic portrayals keep the characters and story grounded and believable, be sure to marvel at the awe-inspiring multi-story scenic design by Robert Brill with moving pieces that bring Hell’s Kitchen in the 1990s to the stage, enhanced by Tony Award-winning lighting designer Natasha Katzand and astounding projections designed by Peter Nigrini. Camille A. Brown’s outstanding choreography filled every inch of the stage, with each amazing dancer dressed to perfection by Dede Ayite.
Arrangements from Alicia Keys music catalog intertwined throughout, each perfectly placed to match the scenes. Along with flawless performances by Maya Drake as Ali and Kennedy Caughell as her single mother Jersey, every single actor in the show is absolutely on top of their game. Even the piano teacher was so flawless she got a standing ovation just for delivering lines while walking off stage! Trust me, there was something in this musical for everyone. It’s uplifting about family, love, community, and good spirited people that get what they earned through hard work, dedication and love.
Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen continues at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through June 21 on Monday-Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at https://www.broadwayinhollywood.com/events, by calling (323) 468-1770 or in person at the box office at 6233 Hollywood Blvd., LA 90028. Runtime two hours, 35 minutes with an intermission. Are recommendation 8+ with children under 5 not permitted in theater.
Winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Primary Trust by Eboni Booth is now playing at the Mark Taper Forum, directed by Knud Adams. In it, Kenneth, a 38-year-old bookstore worker in Cranberry, a small upstate New York town not far from Rochester, spends his evenings sipping Mai Tais at the local tiki bar with his best friend Bert. But when he’s suddenly laid off, Kenneth faces challenges he has long avoided – with transformative and heart-warming results.
Reminiscent of Our Town, Petey McGee as Kenneth speaks directly to the audience to describe scenes from his life that got him to today, often delivering lines while strolling through the audience to draw us into his thoughts, feelings, and emotional challenges. It’s a masterful performance, never breaking character while sorting through losing his job at the small town’s bookstore owned by his friend Sam (James Urbaniak), getting drunk with his best friend Bert (Ugo Chukwu) every night, meeting new waitress Corrina (Rebecca S’Manga Frank, who portrays countless waiters bringing unending rounds of Mai Tais and bank customers as exceedingly unique characters) with whom he develops a lasting friendship, to learning the skills of a bank teller at Primary Trust Bank thanks to his understanding boss Clay (also James Urbaniak whose French waiter steals the scene when he slowly brings martinis to Kenneth and Corrina).
An important element in the play is reminiscent of a character in Harvey and the musical Next to Normal, willed into existence as the most important friend in Kenneth’s life after a tragic incident when he was 10 years old. Thankfully, McGee and Chukwu play each scene together so realistically, it was shocking to learn the truth.
Rounding out the cast is Musician Luke Wygodny who performs his perfectly matched original music on several instruments throughout the 95-minute show. But perhaps the most striking (literally) is the small desk bell which he often rings to great flare to get Kenneth’s attention when he falls into a dreamlike state to push him into the next scene/memory. But I question Knud Adams’ direction to leave such lengthy, self-indulgent and time-consuming pauses during Kenneth’s monologues and scenes as each seemed to delay the story’s progression for too long. I think audiences would understand much shorter pauses to denote Kenneth’s emotional confusion rather than creating such long periods of silence in the theater. And why does a bank customer ride a bicycle into the bank, other than for a much-needed comedy bit?
Miniature town scenic design by Marsha Ginsberg would also brilliantly work in any production of Our Town given the inclusion of a bank, church, restaurant, ice cream shop, bookstore and other small-town buildings. Lighting design by Masha Tsimring highlights each building when used as the scene setting, and often leaves the audience fully visible to break the fourth wall even further. Costume design by Sophia Choi perfectly matches the personalities of each character, which is essential when actors change from one to another often in the blink of an eye.
Although the pace could use a kickstart, Primary Trust is a touching story of new beginnings, old (and new) friends, hoping things always turn out for the best, and finding the courage to see the world for the first time. Now playing at the Mark Taper Forum at the Music Center in downtown L.A. through June 28. Runtime is 95 minutes, no intermission. Recommended for ages 13+ due to adult language, and exploring topics related to trauma, grief, and mental health issues. Children under 6 not admitted to the theater. Tickets start at $40.25 (all-in pricing including fees) available at https://www.centertheatregroup.org/, by calling (213) 628-2772, or at the box office beginning a half hour prior to each show.
