A beautiful diamond in the rough at The Fabulous Fox

In January 2018, Neil Diamond announced that he would no longer be touring due to his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. His prolific musical career up until then had spanned 60 years of songwriting, dozens of gold records, and years of touring to sold out crowds of thousands of adoring fans. “A Beautiful Noise”, a musical based on his life and music, opened on Broadway in 2022 and had a successful run for two years.

What sets this jukebox musical apart from less palatable ones is not only the subject matter, but more so the framework in which the story is told. The entire lens is that of a present-day Diamond (Neil-Now) in sessions with his therapist discussing his catalog of lyrics and what they say about him. The opening montage of his “songs” (the ensemble appearing seemingly from out of nowhere) swirling around him as his therapist discusses the importance of what the words say about him, is particularly moving. The show goes back and forth from therapy session to the past with the younger Neil (Neil-Then) depicting his career from struggling artist to megastar performing to sold out crowds. We see Neil, not as some sort of superhero to be awed, but as a relatable and flawed human being, just like the rest of us.

On opening night at the Fox I was fortunate to be accompanied by a Neil Diamond aficionado who became somewhat of a litmus test to the accuracy of the timeline of the show. There were artistic liberties taken but for the most part we are treated to a clear picture of the man behind the music which, if you weren’t a fan already, will make you a fan now. Nick Fradiani plays Neil-Then with all of the physical and musical swagger necessary to pull off a convincing depiction of Diamond. What he lacks in acting chops he more than makes up for in his vocal prowess. Broadway veteran Robert Westenberg is convincing as the therapy-resistant Neil-Now and his emotional breakthrough rendition of “I Am…I Said” is incredibly powerful. The ensemble works hard throughout and with masterful choreography by Steven Hoggett they tell the story of Diamond’s life beautifully.

“A Beautiful Noise” is a jukebox musical worth seeing. Fans of Diamond will be in absolute Heaven, and younger audiences will come to appreciate not only the music but the transformation of the man that wrote the songs.

 “A Beautiful Noise” runs through November 10th at The Fabulous Fox. For tickets and information go to www.fabulousfox.com.