Hannah Jewel Kohn: From Detroit to Broadway's "A Beautiful Noise"
Hannah Jewel Kohn is an accomplished actress, singer, and dancer currently captivating audiences as Marcia Murphey in the national tour of "A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical." This Broadway hit celebrates the life and legacy of legendary performer Neil Diamond through his timeless music. Kohn's journey to this role is a testament to her talent, perseverance, and unwavering belief in herself.
A Family Legacy and Early Inspiration
Kohn's passion for performing arts stems from a rich family history. Her great-grandmother was a Vaudeville performer who sang on the radio. She recalls attending musicals with her family and feeling inspired. A pivotal moment occurred when she saw "Mary Poppins" on Broadway. She turned to her mother and declared, "I want to be up there! I want to do exactly what those people are doing. It looks so exciting, so fun, so enjoyable, so fulfilling. I want to do that!" Her mother's encouraging response, "I know you can, so let's do it!" set her on her path.
From Dance to Triple Threat
Kohn began dancing at the age of two. At the age of 10 she started training in dance and later auditioned for "Annie" at her high school, landing the title role. Recognizing her potential, she began homeschooling to focus on music, dancing, and acting. This allowed her to travel to New York City, network, audition, and take classes with mentors. She gave herself three months to book a job in New York after graduating from her homeschooling program. If she didn't book a job, she would go to Pace University. She ended up booking a job.
Early Career and the Importance of Patience
One of Kohn's first jobs was leading a musical at a theme park, where she played a princess. Although she hadn't envisioned herself working at a theme park, she embraced the opportunity. This decision proved to be a stepping stone, as she connected with the choreographer of the show, who was about to choreograph the national tour of "Beauty and the Beast."
Kohn expressed her interest in being considered for the tour, and the choreographer vouched for her during auditions. She booked the role of Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" and toured with the show for two years. This experience taught her the importance of patience in the industry.
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She states “One of the biggest obstacles I had to overcome was learning about patience in this industry. I wanted to constantly go to the next step,” she continued. “Maybe I booked a job, and in my heart, I was like, this job is amazing, and I want to take it up another notch and now do this and do that and do that. But it is not; it is not a race. This business is not a race. And I think when you really, really, really hone into patience as a virtue and the more that you are taking your time with this business, you’re going to be so fulfilled because all of that hard work is going to lead you to your destiny to where you’re supposed to be. That was probably the hardest lesson I had to overcome.
"A Beautiful Noise": A Dream Come True
Kohn's role as Marcia Murphey in "A Beautiful Noise" is a dream come true. She auditioned for Murphey's understudy on Broadway in 2022 but was told she looked too young to play the full understudy role, which included both Murphey and Diamond’s mother. Once the show was announced for a national tour, however, Kohn got a call, not to be the understudy, but instead to be Murphey.
Marcia Murphey was married to Neil Diamond for 25 years and plays a very pivotal role in his life and his success,” Kohn said. “She is witty and sharp and pushed Neil to believe in himself. She sees this gift in him and gives him the courage to put himself out there.” For Kohn, a Michigan native who has been a part of national tours for “Frozen” (Princess Anna) and “Beauty and the Beast,” a role in “A Beautiful Voice” doesn’t come often. “It is a dancer, singer and actor all in one,” Kohn said. “I get to fulfill every part - it’s a triple treat.”
She describes the show as a "real-life concert" that is electric, exciting, and uplifting. She believes the messages in the story are inspiring and that audiences will leave feeling grateful, appreciative, and positive.
Kohn appreciates the opportunity to portray a character who played a pivotal role in Neil Diamond's life and success. She describes Murphey as witty, sharp, and someone who pushed Diamond to believe in himself.
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Her favorite song from the show is "Forever in Blue Jeans”. Kohn says “Forever in Blue Jeans,’ I get to sing my face off, then break out into a dance break, then go back to singing - all that while I’m telling a story about how money does not fill you up and all Marcia really wants is her husband to be there for her,” Kohn says. “It’s really exhilarating.
Connecting with Neil Diamond's Music
Kohn recalls first hearing Neil Diamond's music at a Bar Mitzvah when she was 13 years old. She says “I was at a Bar Mitzvah when I was 13 and ‘Sweet Caroline’ started playing at the party,” Kohn told the JHV. “I remember all the guests and parents rushing to the dance floor and I immediately thought, ‘this song brings so many people joy.’ It was very powerful.” Little did the Jewish teen know that 15 years later she would be traveling around North America singing Neil Diamond’s biggest hits in front of thousands of people every night.
She wants audiences to know that "A Beautiful Noise" is for all ages and that everyone will relate to the show in some way. She also appreciates the Jewish sprinkles throughout the show, finding them relatable and reminiscent of her childhood.
Future Aspirations
Kohn is currently three months into her yearlong contract with "A Beautiful Noise" and has future aspirations to originate a role in a new musical. She is interested in collaborating and building something that feels truthful, meaningful, and real.
A Message of Self-Belief
Kohn's journey is an inspiration to aspiring performers. At one point, when she was 18, Kohn wanted to be a principal of a show but lacked confidence. She was told to stick with dancing, but she believed in her vision to sing, dance, and act. She persevered through obstacles and mental blocks, ultimately proving that with self-belief and determination, dreams can come to fruition. She puts ‘This one is for 18-year-old Hannah’ in my bio because I, at one point, when I was 18, wanted to be a principal; wanted to be a lead of a show, and didn’t really have that confidence. And I heard from people, ‘Maybe you’re just a dancer, maybe that’s your path. Just stick with dancing.’ And in my heart I was like, ‘Well, what if I want to do a little bit more? I want to sing, dance, and act altogether on that stage.’ I just kept on seeing that vision for myself,” she explained. “Even though I had some mental blocks and I had some people trying to give me the easy way out, because dancing, I had done that since I was age two. It was something I could do in my sleep and I had to believe in myself and gain more confidence to be a principal; to be a female lead in the show. I look back at all of the obstacles, and just obstacles I persevered through that have led me here. It just means a lot to me about never giving up, and really believing in yourself, and trusting that if you have this dream and this vision, it is in your heart for a reason, because it is going to pan out. It is going to come to fruition. So I’m doing this for my younger self, who didn’t have that confidence at that time, who was listening to other people, and I’m doing it now for me.
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