A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical is coming to Providence this month, and the production will be the 23rd national tour to open at the Providence Performing Arts Center since 2008. The dates for A Beautiful Noise at PPAC will be September 21-28, and if you’re any kind of fan of Neil Diamond and his music, this is a must-see event. Most everyone, no matter what generation, knows at least one of his songs. He has performed in Providence many times through the years, and now that he has retired, this may be the last chance for audiences to experience his music at a live venue.
‘Beautiful Noise’ was the title of Diamond’s tenth studio album, released in 1976, as well as the title of a charting single on the album that is reflective and autobiographical in nature, lending itself as the perfect title for a musical about his life.
Like Jersey Boys and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical that came before A Beautiful Noise, is an inspiring, exhilarating, energy-filled musical memoir. It is the story of a Brooklyn kid, Neil Diamond (yes, that is his real name), who makes it big, becoming a chart-busting, show-stopping superstar. From those exhilarating early days in New York, to the sold-out spectacles that defined Diamond’s career, the musical explores the life of a rock icon, through the music that made him a national treasure, and features all his hit songs, including “Sweet Caroline,” “America,” and “Cracklin’ Rosie.”
The show had its world premiere at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston, in June 2022, with Diamond and his wife, Katie, attending. In late 2022, A Beautiful Noise opened on Broadway. The show began previews on November 2, 2022, at the Broadhurst Theatre, and formally opened a month later on December 4, with Diamond leading an unannounced sing-along of “Sweet Caroline,” on opening night. The show’s producers announced in February 2024, that A Beautiful Noise would end its Broadway run on June 30, 2024. Now, the multi-year North American tour of A Beautiful Noise kicks off this fall, with a week of show dates at PPAC.
J.L. “Lynn” Singleton, President and CEO of the Providence Performing Arts Center, said, “PPAC is thrilled to launch this spectacular new tour. Our subscribers and audience members love being the first in the country to see some of Broadway’s hottest tours before they head out across America—and we know that the response for A Beautiful Noise will be so good (so good, so good) in Providence.”
A Beautiful Noise has been described as a jukebox musical, based on the life and music of Neil Diamond. The musical is structured around a series of therapy sessions, during which Diamond reacts to his lyrics as they are read by his psychiatrist from a second-hand copy of The Complete Lyrics of Neil Diamond. When the psychiatrist opens the book, sixty years of Diamond’s life and music comes pouring out into a musical collage, and once unloaded from the book, the songs take on lives of their own.
Producer Ken Davenport said, “Neil is one of the best live entertainers the world has ever seen. In his fifty-year career, he’s performed for millions of fans around the globe. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to honor his legacy than having A Beautiful Noise touring North America, visiting the same cities where he gave so many people so much joy. I look forward to launching the tour in Providence, Rhode Island, a city that has been in love with Neil’s music for decades, and where Neil, himself, performed almost a dozen times.”
Fans are encouraged to visit abeautifulnoisethemusical.com to sign up for the email newsletter and be among the first to receive tour news and updates.
For tickets and information, visit the Providence Performing Arts Center website at https://www.ppacri.org/events/detail/a-beautiful-noise-the-neil-diamond-musical.
