‘Hell’s Kitchen’ national tour hits Seattle: Stars speak on what makes Alicia Keys’ musical so emotional

The first national tour of “Hell’s Kitchen,” the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical from 17-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys, is lighting up Seattle’s Paramount Theatre this week with a story about family, identity and the transformative power of music.

The production, which runs through Sunday, follows a teenager named Ali as she navigates a pivotal summer in 1990s New York City. Loosely inspired by Keys’ own upbringing, the musical weaves the singer’s catalog alongside original songs she wrote for the show — a project 13 years in the making.

Two of the tour’s leads opened up about the roles that moved them

Two of the national tour’s stars, Kennedy Caughell and Desmond Sean Ellington, said the show’s emotional depth is what sets it apart.

Caughell plays Jersey, Ali’s fiercely protective single mother — a role that has given the veteran Broadway performer a new appreciation for parenthood.

“This is my first time playing a mom, really, to a teenager,” Caughell told “Seattle’s Morning News.” “I am not a mom. The closest I come is I’m an aunt to a beautiful niece and nephew, and I am a dog mom. But I can say, pretending to be a mom for two and a half hours to a teenager is the hardest job in the world.”

Caughell, whose Broadway credits include “Wicked,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and “Paradise Square,” said the role has deepened her connection to her own mother, to whom she dedicates each performance.

“She saw something in me and stewarded my gift before I knew what I had,” Caughell said. “She never forced me into this life of being an actor. She would encourage me to go for it and supported me throughout the ups and downs of this crazy business. She’s my number one fan always, and I just really owe so much to her.”

Hell’s Kitchen’s portrayal of an absent parent hits close to home

Ellington plays Davis, Ali’s absent father — a musician whose dreams pulled him away from his family. It’s a role he approaches with unflinching honesty.

“We’ve either felt it personally or seen the effect of an absent parent and what that does to a child,” Ellington said. “It makes them seek what they don’t have. And you’ll see Ali seeking things in the show because of the absence of her father.”

When Davis does appear, Ellington said, there is a spark of hope — and then reality sets in.

“I tell people, this is not a fairy tale. It’s not a happily ever after, because that’s not life, unfortunately,” he said. “But it just shows love in different aspects — single mom, absentee father, the mentors — just these different aspects of love that surround Ali.”

Both performers praised Keys’ hands-on involvement throughout the production process.

“It was really cool to have her around in tech and have her pull you aside and kind of sing her songs at you, giving you notes in a very beautiful way,” Caughell said. “She’s so grounded and so lovely and so warm and so kind. But at the same time, you’re like, ‘But you shaped the sound of a generation.'”

Performers marvel at Keys’ involvement throughout the process

Caughell is also marking a personal milestone during the tour, her debut solo album, “Just the Beginning,” released Friday on Center Stage Records.

“I don’t know if I would recommend anyone doing an album at the same time as they’re putting up a show and touring,” Caughell said with a laugh. “I’m a special brand of crazy. But it’s a labor of love, and it’s so wonderful. I feel like I’m in good company with artists of our own right and with Alicia Keys at the helm.”

“Hell’s Kitchen” plays at the Paramount Theatre through July 26. Tickets are available here.

Manda Factor is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. Follow Manda on X and email her here. 

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