Washington [US], April 23 : Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama has all the praise for singer Alicia Keys' new Broadway musical Hell's Kitchen.
She shared on social media a loving message of support for the musical, which officially opened to rave reviews at the Shubert Theatre in New York City this week, according to People.
"@AliciaKeys, you've done it again! I absolutely loved every second of @HellsKitchenBway and found myself singing and dancing the entire night. I know how hard you worked to bring this production to life, and I could feel your creativity and light shining all the way through. You and the cast should feel so proud!"
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Pulitzer Prize nominee Kristoffer Diaz's Hell's Kitchen is a unique narrative based on Keys' childhood memories in the same-named New York City neighbourhood.
The musical, according to its official logline, is set in the '90s and follows Ali, "a 17-year-old girl full of fire, 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 neighbour who opens her heart and mind to the power of the piano."
Keys, 43, penned new songs for the show, though some of the Grammy Award winner's greatest hits are included in the musical as well, including "Fallin'," "No One," "If I Ain't Got You," "You Don't Know My Name," "Teenage Love Affair," "Girl on Fire" and of course, "Empire State of Mind."
Keys said in February that she had been working on the musical for 13 years and "can't even believe" it was finally happening, according to People.
"Ultimately it's a love story between mother and daughter," she said. "It's incredible. My mother left Toledo, Ohio, to come to NYU in New York City. She is the New York story, the one that came from wherever and chased the dream, which is what allowed me to be in New York City and grow up there and find a dream. So that's really the concept of Hell's Kitchen. To watch that come to life with my mother... . is such a dream come true."
Hell's Kitchen has an open run on Broadway. Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen) directs the production, which features choreography by Camille A. Brown.
Maleah Joi Moon as Ali leads the ensemble, which also includes Shoshana Bean, Brandon Victor Dixon, Kecia Lewis, and Chris Lee.
The rest of the cast features Chad Carstarphen, Reid Clarke, Chloe Davis, Nico DeJesus, Timothy L. Edwards, Desmond Sean Ellington, Badia Farha, Vanessa Ferguson, David Guzman, Gianna Harris, Jakeim Hart, Takia Hopson, Jackie Leon, Raechelle Manalo, Jade Milan, Onyxx Noel, Susan Oliveras, Sarah Parker, Aaron Nicholas Patterson, William Roberson, Niki Saludez, Nyseli Vega, Donna Vivino, Lamont Walker II, Rema Webb, and Oscar Whitney Jr.