Musical Review: A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

If you know nothing about Neil Diamond going into the newest national touring musical to stop at The Fabulous Fox Theatre, you will know that Diamond had ten #1 hits and 39 albums in his illustrious music career. Those facts are mentioned multiple times throughout the 135-minute musical that opened at The Fox on Tuesday and runs until November 10.

A Beautiful Noise takes a look at Diamond’s 60-plus year career, from his humble beginnings in Flatbush, NY, to becoming a household name around the world, selling over 140 million albums.

The story isn’t anything too in depth, as the musical tells the story of Diamond’s struggle with chronic depression and the “clouds” that get in the way of his happiness. The show is set in a therapist’s office, as Diamond examines different points of his life through the lyrics of his music. While Diamond made millions of dollars, his personal life suffered from the constant touring, as he suffered two divorces and never could feel as happy as he did on stage. His songs come to life during the conversations between himself and his therapist.

The cast is pretty exceptional to say the least. Former American Idol Nick Fradiani plays Neil-Then, playing out scenes of Diamond’s early struggles as a singer/songwriter. Fradiani’s vocals are spot on, and he could easily be mistaken for Diamond. Listening to Fradiani sing literally brought some in the audience to tears. His voice could go from soulful to high-powered in a blink of an eye.

Hannah Jewel Kohn also stands out in the musical, as she plays Marcia Murphey, Diamond’s second wife. Not only does the character have depth, but she can sing. The rendition of “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” between her and Fradiani, is one of the more memorable scenes of the musical.

Lisa Renee Pitts is also quite enjoyable as the Doctor. Her conversations back and forth with Robert Westenberg, who plays Neil-Now, are a welcomed break between rousing musical performances.

In a time when we have a plethora of bio-musicals of artists and bands, it’s hard for some to stand out, and even harder for some to be likeable. While Jersey Boys is still the standard for all bio-musicals to live up to, A Beautiful Noise is one of the more enjoyable portrayals of a troubled, but universally loved musician. With 30 different Diamond songs in the production, that audience will definitely leave the theatre knowing Neil Diamond is one of his generation’s greatest musical performers.

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical gets an A-.

PHOTO CREDIT: ©Jeremy Daniel