Leslie Katz — Theater Critic

The book by Kristoffer Diaz, which is inspired by, rather than a play-by-play, of Keys’ real life, mostly works. At the outset, the characters seem cliched, but by the end of the show, their challenges ring true. The believable story’s themes — a troubled mother-daughter relationship, a missing dad, discrimination against young Black men, the power of a mentor, the spirituality in music — reflect daily living.

At times, playwright David Adjmi’s plot and dialogue feel truly authentic. The musicians’ conversations and gossip, the starts and stopping, the waiting around, the numerous takes of the same song — everything so characteristic of a recording session — feel real.