The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and ESPN have announced a partnership with Alicia Keys’ Tony-nominated Broadway musical “Hell’s Kitchen” to help bring tennis to new audiences for the 2024 US Open.
Music from the hit Broadway show will resound across ESPN channels and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center over the three weeks of the US Open, including Fan Week from Aug. 19-25 and the Main Draw of the competition from Aug. 26 to Sep. 8.
The collaboration features an exclusive remix of the song “Kaleidoscope” from the 13-time Tony-nominated musical. Kaleidoscope will feature in the US Open Manifesto Video, which will debut on opening night of the main draw.
The video, produced by the US Open’s long-time production partner Boomshot, will also be broadcast on ESPN in the US and in more than 200 countries across the globe.
The US Open Manifesto Video will additionally be available to view in Arthur Ashe Stadium and on the grounds of the National Tennis Center throughout the two weeks of the Main Draw of the US Open.
Kecia Lewis, the 2024 Tony Award winner for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Hell’s Kitchen, will narrate the collaborative video, while fellow Hell’s Kitchen star Shoshana Bean will perform the national anthem on Opening Night.
ESPN will additionally use the Kaleidoscope remix and USTA footage of bucket drummers shot throughout New York City and in Arthur Ashe Stadium for a promotional video to boost tune-in figures for the 2024 US Open. Lewis will also provide a voiceover for the ESPN campaign.
The collaboration is part of the US Open’s 2024 marketing campaign “Spectacular Awaits” and the theme of the 2024 competition “Celebrating the Power of Tennis”, which aims to bring tennis to new and different audiences.
The campaign aims to grow interest and increase accessibility to the sport, showcasing the health and wellness benefits of tennis.
Nicole Kankam, Managing Director of Pro Tennis Marketing and Entertainment at the USTA, described the collaboration as an amazing opportunity.
“To be able to feature the music of Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen perfectly reflects the New York vibe and feel of our event,” Kankam said in a statement.
Keys added that the partnership of the US Open and Broadway was a “first-of-its-kind” collaboration between two iconic New York institutions.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the USTA and ESPN under the shared goal of reaching and inspiring new audiences and using the music of Hell’s Kitchen to create connections and celebrate the 2024 tournament,” Keys said in a statement.
Hell’s Kitchen is currently playing at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre and boasts a cast featuring Tony Award nominees Shoshana Bean and Brandon Victor Dixon and Tony winners Kecia Lewis and Maleah Joi Moon. The musical is directed by four-time Tony nominee Michael Greif, with choreography by four-time Tony nominee Camille A. Brown.
