REVIEW: “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” at The Bushnell Theater.
If you’re a fan of biographical jukebox musicals like *Jersey Boys* (Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons) or *Beautiful* (Carole King), you’ll definitely enjoy *A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical*. The opening night at The Bushnell played to a sold-out, wildly enthusiastic crowd, with audience members swaying, clapping, and singing along. Nick Fradiani, portraying the “then” Neil Diamond, delivered a remarkable performance, capturing the look, sound, and presence of the legendary musician from his concerts and TV appearances. Michael Mayer’s brisk direction, Steven Hoggett’s lively Vegas-style choreography, and the dazzling production—including David Rockwell’s sets, Emilio Sosa’s flashy costumes, Kevin Adams’ vibrant lighting, and Jessica Paz’s well-balanced sound—were an absolute delight.
* A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical* kicks off the Bushnell’s Broadway season, fresh from its successful Broadway run. It delivers a powerful collection of Neil Diamond’s greatest hits, woven into Anthony McCarten’s thoughtful script that tells Diamond’s life story. With Diamond’s personal approval of both the script and production, it earns my approval too. While I was already familiar with many of Diamond’s songs (and discovered even more that I hadn’t realized were his), seeing his rise to fame and the stories behind the music gave me a newfound appreciation for his work.
In the musical, Neil Diamond’s current self, played by Robert Westenberg (original cast member of *Into The Woods*), recounts his life, while Nick Fradiani, a Connecticut native and *American Idol* winner, portrays the younger Neil and leads this tour after his Broadway performance in the same role. Diamond’s remarkable career includes selling over 130 million records worldwide, scoring ten #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and achieving 38 Top Ten hits. He also starred in *The Jazz Singer* and earned both a Kennedy Center Honor and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The show is packed with music, featuring a wide range of Diamond’s hits like “Song Sung Blue,” “America,” “Sweet Caroline,” and “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.” McCarten’s script has today’s Neil Diamond (played beautifully by Westenberg) talking with a therapist, who holds a book filled with the lyrics to Diamond’s songs, from those written for others to the ones that made him famous.
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