Oct 03, 2024
Choreographer Yasmine Lee said her relationship with the music of Neil Diamond is not unlike most folks’. “I’m a child of the ’70s, so, of course, Neil Diamond was on the radio in the house and in the grocery store and all around the place,” said Lee, calling from a tour stop in Providence, Rhode Island. Her love of Diamond is coming in handy considering she’s the choreographer of the national touring production of “A Beautiful Noise,” which comes to Cleveland Oct. 8 through 27 at Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace. Created in collaboration with Diamond, “A Beautiful Noise” follows in the tradition of “Jersey Boys” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” in telling an unlikely story of stardom. The musical memoir delves into how a kid from Brooklyn, New York, became a chart-busting, show-stopping rock icon. With 120 million albums sold, Diamond’s catalog includes classics such as “America,” “Forever in Blue Jeans” and, of course, “Sweet Caroline.” Often, when it comes to choreography, one can imagine the dance moves just by the type of show. However, that’s not the case when looking over the diversity of material found on the “A Beautiful Noise” soundtrack. This ranges from the pop standard “I’m a Believer” to the powerful ballad “Love on the Rocks” and Barbra Streisand duet “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers.” Lee, who came through Playhouse Square with touring productions of “Once” and “Rent,” said Olivier Award-winner choreographer Steven Hoggett knocked it out of the park in this show. “We refer to the ensemble as The Noise,” she said. “The play is present-day Neil Diamond going through therapy, which he actually did. We listen to Neil tell these stories and we get to see the flashbacks of the moments of his life. “So The Noise, this ensemble, really embodies the mindset of what’s going on in Neil’s emotions, his thoughts. They are essentially the noises in his head. They are the beautiful noise in his head, which is thrilling, absolutely thrilling.” Something that could be thrilling — or grating — is hearing the same songs every night. With that in mind, has Lee officially gotten sick of hearing “Sweet Caroline” hundreds of times? “Never, absolutely not,” she laughed. “There’s an interesting thing about ‘Sweet Caroline’ in the way it sits culturally. It’s so much more than a song now. It’s a way that people connect, it’s a way that people gather, that people rally. It’s a connector so there’s no way to get sick of that. “And where it sits in our shows, specifically, it’s a moment. The audience is elated and just spontaneously is singing it back to the cast. There’s no getting sick of ‘Sweet Caroline.’” Is it too on the nose to suggest audience members will leave the show humming the song? “You will leave the theater moved having gone on a journey,” she said. “And hopefully, humming ‘Sweet Caroline.’” Perhaps that’s because it’s so good, so good, so good? “That’s right,” she said. “And that’s on the nose, it’s so good.” ‘A Beautiful Noise’ Where: Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace, 1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. When: Oct. 8 through 27. Tickets: $30 to $125 Info: 216-241-6000 or PlayhouseSquare.org.
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