Preview: ‘A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical’ Spotlights Renown & Humanity of Icon in Costa Mesa

Dust off your sequins and join the chorus of “Sweet Caroline” as A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical begins its short but memorable stay at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from Tuesday, July 29th through Sunday, August 10th.

This jukebox love letter to the now 84-year-old Neil Diamond, who has sold in excess of a whopping 130 million-plus albums, traces the rock legend’s semi-autobiographical journey from a shy Brooklyn songwriter to an undeniable superstar, weaving over 25 hits like “Forever in Blue Jeans,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Love on the Rocks,” “Song Sung Blue,” and “America.”

Structured around therapy sessions, the story unveils Diamond’s rise through the 1960s Brill Building in New York City, not to mention The Jazz Singer‘s chart-topping glory (10 No. 1 hits!), and personal struggles, from family tensions to self-doubt — all fueled by his iconic catalog.

With Neil’s own input, the musical blends nostalgia with raw emotion, spotlighting young Neil (American Idol winner Nick Fradiani) and older Neil (Robert Westenberg) in a narrative that is as heartfelt as the best-constructed ballads.

Powered by Michael Mayer’s direction, Anthony McCarten’s book, Steven Hoggett’s choreography, and David Rockwell’s scenic design, A Beautiful Noise‘s Broadway run drew a million attendees, and its tour continues to spark ceaselessly entertaining sing-alongs in sold-out houses. If nothing else, the production advertises the opportunity to revel in Diamond’s timeless legacy and, who knows, maybe even in person with the man himself as evidenced by a surprise Pantages Theatre appearance on Saturday, July 12th.

Since concluding their highly successful tour stop in Hollywood on Sunday, July 27th, the cast of A Beautiful Noise have traveled less than 50 miles to Orange County where they are ready to invite Southern California residents again on a breathtakingly satisfying and nostalgic journey down memory lane of one of the most iconic musicians to hold a microphone.

Kate A. Mulligan bridges the eras in A Beautiful Noise as Ellie Greenwich, the trailblazing 1960s producer who shapes Neil’s early hits, and Rose Diamond, his steadfast mother. A Los Angeles native with Broadway chops (Between Riverside and Crazy), regional stage triumphs (Streetcar Named Desire at Yale Rep), and TV credits (Seinfeld, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Mulligan brings humor and heart to her roles, making her scenes shine.

LAexcites recently spoke with Mulligan about her craft, the power of Diamond’s music, performing for Southern California fans, and more, amid A Beautiful Noise‘s celebrated run, which is set to make the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa rock, cheer, and clap like never before!

In A Beautiful Noise, you portray Ellie Greenwich, a trailblazing singer, record producer and significant contributor to 1960s pop music as well as Rose Diamond, Neil’s warm, resolute mother. Which role resonates more with you personally, and is the more challenging role also the most fulfilling to perform?

Mulligan: The lovely thing is — and I got to say this to Mr. Neil Diamond himself — I have the honor of playing two women that deeply impacted his life, professionally and personally. I have a son, and my love language is that of a cheerleader, something both Ellie and Rose do for Neil but in very different ways.

I met the parents of Katie Diamond (Neil’s wife) the other day, and having known Rose, they were able to give me some fabulous insight into her approach to supporting Neil. Let’s just say that I had to toughen up a bit and not be such a soft and squishy mom. She loved her boy to the moon and back, with a lot of frank and straight talk.

You’re featured in eight songs as either Ellie or Rose, bringing Neil Diamond’s acclaimed catalog, and more, to life. Which song do you look forward to performing most, and what makes it special — whether it’s the emotional depth, the audience connection, or its place in the story?

Mulligan: I get to listen to Nick Fradiani sing “Solitary Man” every night. I get to just sit, listen, and encourage — it gets me every time. [What a] performance. His love, respect, and reverence for Neil shows in every choice he makes.

I love that I get to dance a bit in “Cracklin’ Rosie” — I look forward to that every time. But, in the climate right now, getting to stand center stage and sing “Coming to America,” with this beautiful company, is profound. I get to remind the audience that for the last two hours they have been moved by, inspired by, rooted for, and sung along with a Jewish artist, the grandchild of Russian and Polish immigrants. That will never be lost on me. That’s my most important part in this play.

The musical digs deep into Neil Diamond’s personal struggles and triumphs. How do you tap into Ellie’s vibrant energy as a powerhouse of her era and Rose’s nurturing strength to reflect these emotional layers, and what’s been the key to balancing their contrasting dynamics on stage?

Mulligan: As a mom, it’s not hard for me to tap into the part of me that only wants to encourage and love the young man standing before me, whether that’s Ellie or Rose. But as Ellie, she finds this awkward, uncomfortable, vulnerable person so endearing; she wants him to be great and gives him more than one shot in her office to get it right. I also have the energy of a hummingbird so I’m happy to channel that into Ellie and let her run away with it.

For Rose, she’s loving Neil through the eyes of a woman who has a different generational history. Her lines, “You can’t be such a dreamer, Neil…” and “Bad things a moment away. Disaster, just around the corner, you don’t know, thank God you don’t know” — that’s her lived truth. The emotional depth is all in the writing and in truth of those lines. But it’s always about loving him, of trying to protect him from the horrors of the world, and of what her parents saw.

Your Broadway and regional theater credits, from Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire to Karen in August: Osage County, showcase your ability to navigate complex characters. How have your previous experiences influenced your approach to this show?

Mulligan: My job is to be truthful — always, but especially when I am playing a real person, so I do my homework. I honor the people I am portraying. They matter to Mr. Diamond and I treat them with respect. It’s the same with Tennessee Williams and Tracy Letts — they were writing about their own families, be it mothers, sisters, and people they deeply loved.

It’s important to remember these aren’t just characters in a costume strutting around onstage — so keep it honest. Also, know inside and out who you are playing and what their role is in helping the protagonist, in this case Nell Diamond, to get to where he needs to be by the end of the show.

The national tour of A Beautiful Noise has broken box-office records in some cities, with audiences singing along to hits like “Cracklin’ Rosie” and, of course, everyone’s favorite community bar song, “Sweet Caroline.” Can you share a memorable moment when an audience’s energy elevated a performance and how that may have affected you onstage?

Mulligan: During our bows, when the lights come up on the audience and I get to participate in that shared experience with sometimes 4,000 people all singing together, up on their feet, hands in the air — it is positively thrilling. For those two-and-a-half hours we’ve all been on the same page, in some really uplifting moments, and it gives one hope.

Last, but not least, why do you think Neil Diamond, and the music of his time, continues to be so popular, as evidenced by the reception to A Beautiful Noise, and what are some of your thoughts about audiences here in Southern California?

Mulligan: Neil’s music speaks to all of us across generations. He sings about love, loneliness, and fear. He writes lyrics that are deeply personal or set to beats that get us moving — there’s no age limit to any of that. The courage it takes to tell the truth about us to share our true selves — it’s something I try to do every day and what I’ve tried to teach my son to do. Take off the mask. Be brave enough to be vulnerable — something that Neil has been doing all along.

I grew up in [Rancho] Palos Verdes, CA. My dad was a television producer and comedy writer (Laugh In, Smothers Brothers, M*A*S*H) and I’ve been a part of The Actors’ Gang for 30 years — a thriving theatre company born out of the UCLA theatre department, started by Tim Robbins in the late 80s, and still going strong! I’ve worked at the [Mark] Taper Forum, South Coast Repertory [Theatre], and was prepared for Southern California audiences to maybe be a bit more cynical, to sit on their hands a bit — but, my gosh, was I wrong. Thank you, Southern Cal, for proving me wrong. These have been some of our best, most vocal houses! We feel it on stage — the support, the joy; it’s infectious. We are so grateful for that willingness for these audiences to let go and have a great time!

Cover image caption: (Center, L-R) Hannah Jewel Kohn and Nick Fradiani with the cast of the North American tour of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. Photo credit: Jeremy Daniel.