Hell's Kitchen at the Keller Auditorium

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21 Maya Drake as Ali and the company of the North American Tour of Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen Photo by Marc J Franklin

I’ll be honest—I went into Hell’s Kitchen expecting great music, but I wasn’t entirely sure how well a musical built around Alicia Keys’ catalog would come together as a story. It didn’t take long for those doubts to disappear (as they have with every artist based show, I really should know better by now).

First and foremost, the show has a ton of heart. While the music is obviously a major highlight, what surprised me most was how invested I became in the characters and their journey. The story feels genuine, balancing emotional moments with plenty of humor and energy, and everything flows together naturally.

And the cast was absolutely incredible. Every performance felt full of emotion, and the vocals were exactly what you’d hope for from a Broadway production built around songs and a singer this iconic. The choreography and staging keep the show moving at an energetic pace, making the nearly three-hour runtime fly by.

17 JonAvery Worrell as Knuck and Maya Drake as Ali in the North American Tour of Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen Photo by Marc J Franklin

Whether you’re a longtime Alicia Keys fan or just recognize a handful of her biggest hits, I think there’s something here for everyone. The songs feel fresh in the context of the story, and I found myself appreciating several of them in a completely new way.

Hell’s Kitchen also never felt like it relied solely on nostalgia or recognizable music. At its core, it’s a coming-of-age story about family, dreams, independence, and figuring out who you are. The music certainly elevates those moments, but the story stands on its own.

Overall, Hell’s Kitchen was a wonderful surprise. It’s emotional without feeling overly heavy, packed with talent from start to finish, and delivers the kind of performance that’s easy to recommend. If it’s coming through your city, I’d definitely put this one on your list!

12 The company of the North American Tour of Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen Photo by Marc J Franklin

Ticket & Show Info:

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Tuesday, July 14 — 7:30 PM

Wednesday, July 15 — 7:30 PM

Thursday, July 16 — 7:30 PM (American Sign Language Interpreted Performance)

Friday, July 17 — 7:30 PM (Audio Described Performance)

Saturday, July 18 — 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Sunday, July 19 — 1:00 PM & 6:30 PM (Open Caption Performance)

(PORTLAND, OR) – AKW Entertainment and producers of the Grammy and Tony Award-winning musical HELL’S KITCHEN, the hit Broadway musical from 17-time Grammy Award winner, Alicia Keys, are thrilled to announce the Portland engagement that premieres at Keller Auditorium from July 14^th through 19^th.

Tickets are available at www.BroadwayinPortland.com.

The North American Tour of HELL’S KITCHEN will star Maya Drake as Ali, Kennedy Caughell as Jersey, Roz White as Miss Liza Jane, Desmond Sean Ellington as Davis, and JonAvery Worrell as Knuck. Joining them on stage will be Stemarciae Bain, Miya Bass, Jaylen T. Bryant, Rashada Dawan, Sherée Marcelle Dunwell, ’Zaiah Ellis, Mae-Lynn Flores, Marques Furr, Destini Hendricks, Sean Holland, Alfred Jackson, GiGi Lewis, Christopher Miller, Usman Ali Mughal, Chikezie Nwankwo, Sangeetha “Sang” Santhebennur, Marley Soleil, Beda Spindola, Asten Stewart, Teetee, Sydney Townsend, Timothy Wilson, and Ethan Zundell. Together, this company will bring Alicia Keys’ music and Kristoffer Diaz’s story to vibrant life in cities across the country.

20 The company of the North American Tour of Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen Photo by Marc J Franklin

HELL’S KITCHEN is directed by five-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Dear Evan Hansen and The Notebook) and features choreography by five-time Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kristoffer Diaz and the music of Alicia Keys.

Your journey begins with Ali, a 17-year-old girl full of fire, searching for freedom, passion, and her place in the world. Along the way, you’ll meet the musical mentor who changes her life, her dynamic family, and the neighborhood that helps her grow. Relatable, raw, and refreshingly fun, HELL’S KITCHEN is a celebration of finding yourself, your purpose, and the people who lift you up.

More than a performance, this experience pulls you out of your seat with Alicia Keys’ greatest hits and brand-new songs written exclusively for the show — brought to life through exhilarating choreography.

11 The company of the North American Tour of Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen Photo by Marc J Franklin (1)

Feel the energy of this multi-award-winning musical and experience where dreams begin: HELL’S KITCHEN!

Hailed by the New York Times as a Critic’s Pick that is “thrilling from beginning to end – a rare must-see,” HELL’S KITCHEN won two 2025 Tony Awards and the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Now in its second year on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre, the musical continues to play to rapturous audiences nightly.

The massively talented creative team also includes Tony Award® nominee Robert Brill (Scenic Design), Tony Award® winner Dede Ayite (Costume Design), Tony Award® winner Natasha Katz (Lighting Design), Tony Award® winner Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Tony Award® nominee Peter Nigrini (Projection Design), Mia Neal (Hair and Wig Design), Michael Clifton (Makeup Design), Monet (Associate Director), Ricky Tripp (Associate Choreographer),and Foresight Theatrical (General Management). Casting by Heidi Griffiths, CSA & Kate Murray, CSA. The Production Stage Manager is Veronica Aglow and the Company Manager is Deborah Barrigan.

The music team of HELL’S KITCHEN includes orchestrations by Tony Award® winner Tom Kitt andTony Award® nominee Adam Blackstone, arrangements by Alicia Keys and Adam Blackstone, music consulting by Tom Kitt. Lily Ling is the Associate Music Supervisor and Emily Orr is the Music Director for the tour.

Aaron Lustbader serves as Executive Producer and Mandy Hackett as Consulting Producer. DML Productions, The Sunshine Group, The Jacobs Family, John Gore Organization, Clara Wu Tsai, Score 3 Partners, No Guarantees Productions, Front Row Productions, Sharpton Swindal Productions, Grove Entertainment, Terria Joseph, James L. Nederlander, Candy Spelling, Universal Music Publishing, Independent Presenters Network, Della Pietra Spark Theatricals, TodayTix ARGU, Julie Yorn, Andy Nahas, Serena Williams/Nine Two Six Productions and The Public Theater are Co-Producers.

Broadway in Portland is a partnership between Portland Opera and Broadway Across America.