Fan Service.
It’s an interesting thing. The term tends to refer to some entertainment property whose reason for existence is to make fans of the artist or IP in question happy. IP properties, such as the new Superman movie or the recent Harry Potter play are good examples of fan service. Jukebox musicals are also often fan service: they serve the fans of the artist in question; rarely are they notable for their plot. To put it another way: No one goes to see Mamma Mia to see a story about a girl looking to determine the identity of her father. They go to hear ABBA music wrapped in a simple story.
Sometimes, the fan service works well. Mamma Mia is a clear example of that. Sometimes it fails miserably, such as Girl from the North Country, which didn’t provide an entertaining story or serve the Dylan’s music well. Sometimes there is too much fan, and not enough service, such as the recent Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which served fans well but left non-fans confused.
Last night, we saw A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical at the Pantages. It did fan service right. It took the Neil Diamond catalog, and delivered the hits that the audience expected. It used an interesting conceit: Having the older Diamond talking to a shrink, using his songs and their lyrics to illustrate his story. It had an engaging actor playing the younger Diamond who could actually plausibly cover Diamond — his sound and mannerisms. Lastly, the story had the smack of plausibility, as (in real life) Diamond has been felled by Parkinsons Disease (like Linda Ronstadt), and thus has had to withdraw from performing and touring.
So, the plot, such as it is, really isn’t much more than Diamond’s story. We learn about his three marriages (although not that much on the last). We learn about his transition from a songwriter for others (think “I’m a Believer” for the Monkees) to being a major singer-songwriter. We learn about his disastrous contract with Bang! Records, which was a front for the mob (and, yes, I do have his “Do It!” album that he did for Bang! as one of the 19 Diamond albums I have). We learn about his extensive and exhausting concert and tour schedule during the late 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. We learn about his isolation and his demons and the clouds and the blues, and we learn how work became the refuge from the blues. We don’t learn anything about Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which everyone has forgotten about. For good reason.
We learn about this in a setting that focuses on the performance, not the flash. There are no real projects. No major set pieces. Some chairs, some tables, some risers. Some abstract background. The basic staging is something that could likely be replicated in a reasonable regional production, so don’t be surprised if this piece has a long licensing life, much like Beautiful or Jersey Boys.
The show also understand the Diamond audience well. Diamond’s songs are so well known that they encourage singing along, and there are points where the cast just gives into that. In songs like “Sweet Caroline”, “Brother Love”, and others, the cast turns to the audience to participate because, well, the audience has been trained on these songs to do so. They don’t overdo it, but in those moments where they know the audience would want to, they give in. C’mon, you can’t listen to Sweet Caroline without singing.
What makes this production stand far and above many others is the casting. The North American Tour is lucky to have Nick Fradiani as the younger Neil. Fradiani, an American Idol winner, captures the gravelly voice and charisma that made Diamond a star. He is entertaining and delight to watch, and has such a great voice that after the show, I went and downloaded his most recent individual album. It is rare to find a stage artist, let alone a touring artist, that makes one want to buy their album. He was, as Diamond might say, “so good.”
But Robert Westenberg as the old Diamond was no slouch either. He really doesn’t sing (except in the last song), but he captures the characterization of the older Diamond well. If you watch him closely, you can see the Parkinson hesitation and tremors, and you can see someone who wants to be back on stage, back touring … but can’t. We saw the older Diamond back at the Hollywood Bowl in 2015, and I wrote: “The music was everything you would expect from Neil. The set list is below. Where something was slightly lacking was in Neil’s dialogue with the audience; at least in the beginning. He started out low energy, he seemed confused and perhaps befuddled. During “Red Red Wine” he walked out the walkway to the audience, and then wondered how he got out there and how to get back. Although it was funny, it was also a reminder that the artists of our youth are aging; they are senior citizens and may not be around for much longer.” Westenberg captured this older and aging Diamond well. In fact, during the portion of the musical where Diamond talked about his upbringing in Brooklyn, my mind flashed back to the similar segment in the 2015 concert.
The central character was Diamond. There were some other primary characters — the doctor, his wives, Ellie Greenwich from the Brill Building, the folks from the Bitter End and Bang! records — but they were clearly supporting. There was also a group of nameless backup singers and the broader chorus, which the program called “A Beautiful Noise”. Notable among these for their joy and enthusiasm were Ginger Hurley, Deirdre Dunkin, and Thabitha Moruthane. Hannah Jewel Kohn did a great job as Marcia Murphey, Diamond’s second wife.
This show was clearly designed to preserve Diamond’s legacy, and to play to the older theatre-going audience that grew up with Diamond’s music in the 1960s-1990s. Do the kids of today know Diamond’s music, other than what they hear on Senior, excuse me, Classic Rock stations? Is it to them what Sinatra’s music was to children of the 1980s? It’s hard to say. I think Diamond’s music is timeless, but I’m of Diamond’s generation. Its hard to face the fact that the music of your generation is not the music of the kids, but you can take comfort in the fact that one day it will be rediscovered, just as Big Band and Swing has been rediscovered. But there are memes going around showing these cute-young-things™ at the beach in their bikinis rocking to the radio, and pointing out that they are the grandmothers of today. It’s sad to admit that the music of Neil Diamond, Carole Kink, The Beatles, and even groups like the Rolling Stones and the Who are the music of the grandparents. As for the kids, the music they listen too today is just noise (or hip-hop or rap, which is sometimes close enough). Actually, that’s being disingenuous and stereotypical, because I don’t really know what the kids are listening too these days. The current pop artists I know, such as Taylor Swift, aren’t bad. Oh, and get off my lawn.
Will A Beautiful Noise have the staying power to preserve Diamond’s music for a new generation? It’s hard to say. There are shows like Grease that have preserve the 1950s sounds almost 70 years later. But many shows have failed to have that long life. So: If you grew up with Diamond’s music, and you want to learn more about the man while seeing some really spectacular performance that evoke his style and voice well, go see this show.
There is one “alas”, however. This show has succumbed to the current trend of the confetti/streamer cannon, both on-stage and into the audience. Every show I’ve seen of late seems to want to punctuate the show at the end by shooting stuff into the audience, creating a mess for the theatre folks to clean up afterwards. I blame Spamalot, which I claim started the trend. It needs to end. We have far too much mylar confetti littering the joint. I’ll say it again, “get off my yard“.
A Beautiful Noise continues at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through July 27, 2025. You can learn more about the show and order tickets through the Pantages page.
Cast and Crew
The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise. Book by Anthony McCarten. Music and lyrics by Neil Diamond. Choreography by Steven Hoggett. Directed by Michael Mayer.
Cast: Nick Fradiani Neil—Then; Robert Westenberg Neil—Now; Hannah Jewel Kohn Maria Murphey; Lisa Reneé Pitts Doctor; Tiffany Tatreau Jaye Posner; Tuck Milligan Fred Weintraub, Tommy O’Rourke; Michael Accardo Bert Berns, Kieve Diamond; Make A. Mulligan Ellie Greenwich, Rose Diamond; Cooper Clack The Beautiful Noise, “Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)” Soloist, Bitter End Trio Singer; Chris Marsh Clark The Beautiful Noise, “Kentucky Woman” Soloist; Diedre Dunkin The Beautiful Noise, Backup Singer; Ginger Hurley The Beautiful Noise, Bitter End Trio Singer; Spencer Donovan Jones The Beautiful Noise, Bitter End Trio Singer, “Shilo” Soloist; Ellen McGhion The Beautiful Noise, Backup Singer; Thabitha Moruthane The Beautiful Noise, Backup Singer; Tasheim Ramsey Pack The Beautiful Noise, “Red, Red Wine” Soloist; Jeilani Rhone-Collins The Beautiful Noise, “The Boat That I Row” Soloist; J’Kobe Wallace The Beautiful Noise. Swings: Denver Dizon; Rene Mirai Guyon; JER; Zoë Maloney; Alec Michael Ryan; Deandre Sevon; Vannesa Aurora Sierra. Standbys: Joe Caskey Standby for Neil—Then; Dale Duko Standby for Neil—Now.
Music Department (♯ indicates local): Neil Diamond Music and Lyrics; Sonny Paladino Music Supervision, Arrangements; James Olmstead Conductor, Keyboard 1; Nancy O’Connor Assoc. Conductor, Keyboard 2; Ben Thomas Taylor Guitar; Aamir Juman Bass; Morgan Parker Drums; Asher Denburg Traveling Music Alternate; ♯ Grace Oh Violin/Viola; ♯ Jeff Driskill Alto / Tenor / Bari Sax / Clarinet / Bass Clarinet / Flute / Piccolo; ♯ Aaron Smith Trumpet / Flugelhorn; ♯ Nick Daley Trombone / Bass Trombone; ♯ Eric Heinly Orchestra Contractor; Alexander Greenberg Music Copyist; Randy Cohen, Cohen Keyboards LLC Synthesizer Programming; John Miller Music Coordinator; Brian Usifer Incidental Music and Dance Music Arrangements, Orchestrations.
Production and Creative: David Rockwell Scenic Designer; Emilio Sosa Costume Design; Kevin Adams Lighting Design; Jessica Paz Sound Design; Luc Verschueren Hair, Wig, & Makeup Design; Annmarie Milazzo Vocal Design; Jamie Harrison Illusion Design; Austin Regan Tour Director; Yasmine Lee Tour Choreography; JER and J’Kobe Wallace Co-Dance Captains; Kathy Fabian Production Properties Supervisor; Jim Carnahan CSA Casting; Lason Thinger CSA Casting; Bond Theatrical Tour Booking, Marketing & Publicity; John M. Atherlay Production Stage Manager; Rachel Heine Stage Manager; Kali Ashurst Assistant Stage Manager; Benji Kern Assistant Stage Manager; Gentry & Associates General Manager; Trinity Wheeler Exec. Producer; Ken Davenport Producer; Bob Gaudio Producer, and many more producers.
Administrivia
I am not a professional critic. I’m a cybersecurity professional, a roadgeek who does a highway site and a podcast about California Highways, and someone who loves live performance. I buy all my own tickets, unless explicitly noted otherwise. I do these writeups to share my thoughts on shows with my friends and the community. I encourage you to go to your local theatres and support them (ideally, by purchasing full price tickets, if you can afford to do so). We currently subscribe or have memberships at: Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre; Broadway in Hollywood/Pantages Theatre; Pasadena Playhouse; The Soraya, and 5-Star Theatricals. We’re looking for the right intimate theatre to subscribe at — it hasn’t been the same since Rep East died (it’s now The Main, and although it does a lot of theatre, it doesn’t have seasons or a resident company), and post-COVID, most 99-seaters aren’t back to doing seasons (or seasons we like). I used to do more detailed writeups; here’s my current approach.
Upcoming ♦ Theatre / ♣ Music / ◊ Other Live Performance – Next 90ish Days (⊕ indicates ticketing is pending).
This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as Bum Bum Bum ... So Good | "A Beautiful Noise" @ BIH/Pantages by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.
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