For her truly mesmerizing performance in the new Broadway musical, Hell’s Kitchen, stage vet, Kecia Lewis has been nominated for the quintuple theatre crown: the Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Drama Desk, and coveted Tony Award in the featured category. She won the Lortel earlier this month.
Hell’s Kitchen incorporates the music of Grammy sensation Alicia Keys. It also happens to be Keys’ actual coming-of-age story. The work premiered at The Public Theater in 2021 and moved to Broadway this season.
Set in Manhattan Plaza, an affordable housing apartment complex for artists in Hell’s Kitchen, the musical follows rebellious 17-year-old Ali (Maleah Joi Moon) who lives with her overprotective single mom (Shoshana Bean) and finds herself being mentored, musically and on all levels by the incomparable Miss Liza Jane (Lewis). Directed by Michael Grief, the show has been nominated for 13 Tony Awards and features a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kirstoffer Diaz. Lewis has two of the most deeply affecting songs, lesser-known works from the Keys catalogue that the singer/thesp makes her own. “Perfect Way to Die,” is a particularly moving number that brings the house down at the end of Act One.
Lewis made her Broadway debut at the age of 18 in the original company of Dreamgirls, directed by Michael Bennett. Subsequent Broadway credits include The Gospel at Colonus (with Morgan Freeman), Big River (Best Musical Tony), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Best Musical Tony), Once on This Island, The Drowsy Chaperone, Chicago, Leap of Faith, Cinderella and, most recently, Children of a Lesser God (directed by Kenny Leon).
Off Broadway she has starred in the title role of Mother Courage, The Skin of Our Teeth (Obie Award) Dessa Rose at Lincoln Center (Drama Desk award nomination), and Marie and Rosetta (Lortel & Drama League nominations/ Obie Award winner).
Her TV work includes the final season of Mad About You and guest star/recurring roles on Law & Order, Law & Order SVU, Madam Secretary, Limitless, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, The Passage, Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Hulu) and And Just Like That… (HBO/Max).
EDGE had the pleasure of Zoom-chatting with the Tony nominee about Hell’s Kitchen and her 40-year-career.
For tickets to Hell’s Kitchen, visit: https://www.hellskitchen.com/broadway/tickets.
