The young life and upbringing of R&B singer Alicia Keys is reportedly being developed into a musical by New York’s Off-Broadway Public Theater. While some details are currently under wraps, the production’s title is “Hell’s Kitchen” after the Manhattan neighborhood where Keys grew up.
According to an Actors’ Equity audition call sheet, the play’s current synopsis reads as “a new musical that tells the story of Ali, a young girl growing up in NYC’s ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ in the 1990s.”
The new musical is said to feature music by the “Girl on Fire” songwriter and has already attached several high-profile individuals behind the scenes. Michael Greif will serve as director with a book by Kristoffer Diaz and choreography from Camille A. Brown.
But on set, all of the leading roles assigned to help tell the 90s story have been cast. Per the call sheet, “Hell’s Kitchen” cast will include Ali, “a strong, stubborn girl with a rebellious streak;” Jersey, Ali’s mother, raising her as a single mom,” her father and a handful of supporting characters that were a part of Ali’s life.
And while Keys continues to branch out into different projects, music will always appear to be her first love.
REVOLT previously reported that the “Superwoman” singer communicated with mogul JAY-Z about another collaboration. The two award-winning artists initially collaborated on the “unofficial” New York anthem “Empire State Of Mind,” which appeared on hip hop legend’s album The Blueprint 3.
When asked about the possibility of sharing the booth again with the “Young Forever” rapper, Keys told E! News that there was a reason she and HOV have not recorded a song together for more than a decade.
“We’re like, ‘But will it ever be like ‘Empire State of Mind’? So, I wonder if it kind of, you know, hinders us in some kind of way; it’s almost like there’s no topping it… Definitely, we are not limited, and I’d love to do another collaboration with my brother,” Keys said.
While a production date has yet to be confirmed for “Hell’s Kitchen,” development dates are currently listed in a three-week window landing between May 24 and June 18.