I expect jukebox musicals to be a formulaic retrospective of the person, band, or genre in question. Sometimes this works beautifully, as it did for Jersey Boys or Motown, The Musical, which was written by Mr. Motown himself, Berry Gordy. Sometimes the formula is just boring, and if you’re not a huge fan of the music (I’m looking at you, Sondheim on Sondheim and Million Dollar Quartet), you may find the show tiresome. I don’t think you’ll find that in this case.
Titled for Neil Diamond‘s 1976 album (his tenth) of the same name, A Beautiful Noise (the musical) was written in collaboration with New Zealand novelist Anthony McCarten, with music and lyrics (obviously) by Neil Diamond. It opened on Broadway in December 2022 and played through June 2024. A touring production launched in September 2024. The show includes 30 of Neil Diamond’s hits, a small fraction of his total work. Neil Diamond, I would contend, is a national treasure. As of this writing, he is 85 years old, and he released his most recent album in May. This May, of 2026.
Director Michael Mayer has high-quality material to work with, and sweeps from small intimacies to super-sized moments with artful rhythm. I’d hesitate to assert that A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical is authentically autobiographical, but literal accuracy aside, it makes for a really good show. The premise is that the character I call Old Neil — the program refers to him as Neil-Now — is in an armchair facing a woman in another armchair. He’s paying to be there and is not happy about it. He’s ready to leave and not come back. She convinces him to stay. The show is his reflections, and the back-and-forth between Then and Now is smooth and seamless. Robert Westenberg as Neil-Now delivers a relatable, touching performance, revealing a complicated human being without teetering into the “tortured genius” trope.
This musical has surprises all over the place. It is both funnier and darker than I anticipated, with occasional breathless moments where it might turn REALLY dark. It’s also pleasantly surprising in the abundance of strong female characters portrayed. Heidi Kettering as Ellie Greenwich, his music mentor, is snappy and great fun to watch. Tiffany Tatreau as Jaye Posner, his high school sweetheart, is exactly everything she should be as Neil’s “starter” wife. Playing Marcia Murphey, his second wife, Amber Ardolino is a real firecracker, a powerhouse vocalist, and an abundantly watchable dancer. In the crucial role of Doctor, Lisa Renee’ Pitts has thoughtful timing, brilliant vocal quality, and an extremely entertaining assortment of facial expressions.
A third surprise is the diversity of the backup singer-dancers. They are a beautiful blend of skin tone and body shape. Choreographer Steven Hoggett’s innovative moves both unify them as a group and give expressiveness as individuals.
Perhaps the best surprise is Nick Fradiani‘s performance as Neil-Then. And here’s something that’s truly brilliant about the way the show is constructed: we, the audience, are in no way meant to believe that we are seeing Neil Diamond, either as an older man with a bit of a limp or a young, then more mature, performer, AND YET. Fradiani is absolutely convincing in his vocals, confident with a guitar, and 100 percent inhabiting the character, flaws and all. In May, he performed the role for the thousandth time (don’t be too impressed yet; Yul Brenner had more than 4,600 performances in The King and I), and he clearly relishes every moment onstage.
The show opens intimately, giving me time to admire the work of lighting designer Kevin Adams, whose stark diagonal shafts of light are revealed by swirling haze. Scenic designer David Rockwell’s cleverness allows surprise entrances and suggests guitar strings. I spend a lot of time entranced by the geometry, then a two-tier proscenium showcases a band that deserves introduction, which is done visually, at the very end.
The sound quality is impeccable (the sound design is by Jessica Paz); Emilio Sosa’s costume design is fun, funky, functional — plus glamorous and glittery. Extra props to Luc Verschueren, hair, wig, and makeup design, whose work almost convinced me there was a third actor playing Neil.
Perhaps the best compliment to the creators and performers of A Beautiful Noise is that of my companion, who, from her youth, loved Neil Diamond above all artists. “You know, I’m sad that I never got to see him in concert. But I feel like this makes up for that.” If you’ve got a loved one who’s big on Diamond, endear yourself to them forever by taking them to see this show. A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical is a terrific, well-written example of the jukebox musical genre, performed with pizzazz by an impressively talented cast. It’s a visual feast, a stunning sing-along, and an all-around excellent outing.
Running Time: Two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission.
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical plays through June 28, 2026 (Wednesday & Thursday at 7:30 PM, Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 & 8 PM, Sunday at 1 & 6.30 PM), at the Hippodrome Theater, The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 North Eutaw Street Baltimore, MD. Ticket prices range from $25 to over $300. Purchase them online. Park in the Fayette garage, in another nearby garage, or on the street.
See the program/playbill by scrolling down the page a bit.
Final Factoid: Denise Koch, beloved local broadcaster, joined the cast onstage for a sing-along moment. The production company evidently invites local Somebodies onstage in every city they tour.
Additional/Alternate Factoid: Neil Diamond originally began wearing spangled shirts so that the people seated far from the stage in his large venues could see him better.
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical plays at The National Theatre in DC from March 2 to 7, 2027.
