Broadway favorite Jessica Vosk has made her to return to the Broadway stage in the hit Alicia Keys musical Hell’s Kitchen. Vosk now stars as Jersey, the role originated by 2024 Tony nominee Shoshana Bean. The musical is loosely based on Keys’s experiences growing up in the Hell’s Kitchen section of Manhattan. The character of Jersey is inspired by Keys’s own mother, Terria Joseph. Ahead of Vosk’s first performance last month, entertainment journalist for Spectrum News NY1 Frank DiLella caught up with Vosk during a break from rehearsals before she joined the show on December 12, 2024, to talk about Hell’s Kitchen and to reflect on her fabulous new holiday album aptly titled Sleigh.
Hell’s Kitchen marks your first time back on Broadway since Wicked back in 2019. Are you ready?
I feel out-of-body about it. I’ve only been in rehearsals for eight days. It’s been a very fast and furious process, to say the least. But I’m making it through, and by December 12, there will hopefully be something there. [Laughs.]
You’re from New Jersey. You’ve called yourself a “sassy Italian.” Quite fitting for the role of Jersey.
I was on stage in rehearsal today and a couple people said, “I love your fire!” I thought, “OK! I’m on the right track.” And our director, Michael Greif, has been in the room so often. And you don’t get that all the time, when you’re coming in to replace, so it’s a very warm and lovely team.
Was the character of Jersey on your radar?
It was not on my bingo card whatsoever. I’m a huge fan of Alicia Keys and a huge fan of Shoshana’s. I was a fan of the music and the show. I received a phone call from my team and they said, “Alicia Keys wants to meet you.” And I said, “Are you sure?” It’s been the craziest journey. I met with Alicia for an hour and we got to sing together and — behold — I got offered the role!
View this post on Instagram
Tell me more about getting to collaborate with Alicia Keys.
I went into it super nervous. She has the most chill energy you could possibly encounter in your lifetime. She’s a savant at music. The best thing about her is that she wants to get to know you and know where you are from. She’s very hands-on. Since I’ve met her and been in rehearsal for only eight days, four or five of those days have been spent with her in the afternoon.
Talk about your relationship with Alicia’s music.
First of all, it’s such storytelling music. When I was growing up and in high school, Alicia Keys’s music was first coming out and she was discovered. All of her videos — they were the MTV/VH1 days — those videos were theatrical pieces. “You Don’t Know My Name” was one of my favorite songs, and the video that went along with it, when she’s in the diner and has a crush on this guy. One of the things I said to her during our first meeting was, “Did you write these songs with a theatrical piece in mind?” And she said no. All of her songs lend themselves to storytelling.
You’re getting to play opposite two Tony winners: Maleah Joi Moon and Kecia Lewis. Have you rehearsed with them yet?
Maleah I haven’t met yet. But Kecia and I have known each other for quite some time now. She’s guested at a couple of my concerts and we’re friends. And we had a phone call that I’m coming in. And it’s a joy to get to do this thing and be on stage with people who are at the top of their game.
Alicia’s Mom, Terria Joseph, who your character is loosely based on, is a huge fan of the show. Have you met her?
I just met her for the first time today. Alicia came to my rehearsal today and I had a great conversation with Terria. We discovered we may be the same exact height, so we’re two little shorties, and she’s lovely. She’s a ball of energy. She brings so much light to a room.
Any advice from Terria on how to play her on stage?
Not yet. We were together for two minutes. But I’m sure I’ll get some advice because I’m a sassy Italian from Jersey! [Laughs.]
How about advice from Shoshana, who originated the role?
Just really quickly. She just slayed the game with this role! We just had a quick interaction where she said congratulations. But for me, it’s finding your own Jersey of it all. It’s very scary. No one can do what she does, and for me, I know I’m going to have to find my way and dig deep and find my Jersey. She’s put such great care in this role.
Tell me more about your holiday album, Sleigh.
Fans for a long time have said, “When are you putting out a holiday album?” So I bit the bullet, got a bunch of investors together, and called up some of the best people in the game, including Mary Mitchell Campbell. We got a beautiful orchestra. I called a bunch of my friends, like Neil Patrick Harris and Ariana DeBose and David Foster and Scott Hoying from Pentatonix. I sent a note to Ariana Grande to tell her I wanted to cover “Santa Tell Me” and she was so complimentary and wrote a beautiful little liner-note paragraph about the album and our love for each other and Wicked. I’m over the moon from the production value of it. There’s a song called “The 12 Gays of Christmas,” which I hear has gone a little viral, which makes me so happy. I wanted to cover everything that I love about the holidays.

Speaking of Wicked, as a former Elphaba, there’s a sisterhood with you and the ladies who have played Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway and beyond. Have you seen the movie?
I went to a private screening at Universal a few weeks ago, and what a spectacle! I knew a little of what to expect. I had visited Ari[ana Grande] in London when they were filming. And we were chatting about it, and she was in that phase of saying, “I hope I do everyone proud.” And boy, did she ever! I was able to chat with her about how she’s feeling, and she’s living the dream. I met her when I was doing the show on Broadway, and we became really close and have stayed in touch ever since.
What are your hopes and dreams for 2025?
To spend more time with family. To continue working on myself and who I am and what I can bring to the table. To have more gratitude and sit in excitement, positivity, and happiness. The world is a bit of a rough place right now, especially the U.S., so I want to dig deeper and find as much positivity as I can and spread it wherever I can.