Recalling times in college during the early/middle 1970s—yeah, I’m vintage —it seems as if Carole King’s warm, jazzy, oh-so-sincere voice was always floating through the hallways of the dormitories. “I Feel the Earth Move” and “You’ve Got a Friend” are songs embedded in the soundtrack of my younger life, as no doubt they and other cuts from the Tapestry album echo across the memories of many members of the Boomer generation.
Probably some people who buy tickets for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, expect they’re going to hear plenty of Tapestry, but that’s not the case for this long-running bio-show, which is nearing its 2,000th performance on Broadway.
The story for Beautiful mostly covers King’s life before making that album, roughly from 1958 to 1970, when she was not yet known as a singer but flourished primarily as a songwriter.
[Read Melissa Rose Bernardo’s ★★★★ review here.]
And what a bunch of terrific songs King crafted back then with Gerry Goffin, her lyricist and then-husband: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “Take Good Care of My Baby,” and “One Fine Day,” to name just three of their classics that pop up in Beautiful and likely wing through your mind when you read these titles.
More than two dozen amazingly catchy songs of yesteryear are heard throughout Beautiful as Douglas McGrath’s smart script nimbly relates how King, still in her teens, and Goffin, scarcely older, teamed up to turn out hits for The Drifters, The Shirelles, The Monkees, and other stars of their 1960s rock ‘n’ roll era. The musical also involves the couple’s chums and friendly rivals, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, makers of “On Broadway” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” whose chart-busters also contribute to the show’s song stack.
The rocky romance that sparks between Mann and Weil serves as a humorous counterpoint to King’s increasingly troubled marriage to Goffin, who suffers creative angst and starts cheating. They break up eventually, but during the process, King realizes her gift as a performer and achieves a fresh level of creativity as a solo songwriter. What makes Beautiful so, well, beautiful is watching King evolve from a dowdy, insecure teenager into a confident, mature artist.
Director Marc Bruni, choreographer Josh Prince, and McGrath put together a fluent series of brief scenes interspersed by flat-out numbers that recreate the synchronized moves and harmonies of groups like The Drifters. Steve Sidwell’s orchestrations and arrangements are key to producing the show’s swift dynamics and nostalgic sounds.
Electrified by Peter Kaczorowski’s sharp lighting, the visuals look bright. Framed by a multi-colored portal that slyly evokes a jukebox, designer Derek McLane’s two-level evocation of a Brill Building-type music factory disappears into numerous other locations. Alejo Vietti’s nifty Sixties wardrobe packs quick-change surprises: King and Goffin show their babysitter their latest song and, bam, instantly she’s Little Eva gyrating to “The Locomotion.”
Although Beautiful is just a few months short of its fifth birthday at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, the show looks fresh in performance, thanks to a versatile, highly energetic ensemble who briskly backstops the personable lead players. All wide eyes and warm, King-like vocals, Abby Mueller soulfully portrays Carole King as a nice girl who stays nice in spite of her troubles. Evan Todd handsomely fills out Gerry Goffin’s Brooklyn-accented personality as well as his jeans. Kara Lindsay’s sparkling Cynthia Weil shares a live-wire connection with Ben Jacoby’s adorable Barry Mann. Curt Bouril cuts an elegant figure as producer Don Kirshner. Liz Larsen nabs every laugh possible, and then some, from her brief role as King’s told-you-so mama.
Let’s note that, due to a scheduling fluke, I recently caught Beautiful at different performances a few weeks apart. One of them saw an understudy, Sara Sheperd, confidently deliver a vivacious impression of King opposite Adam Dietlein’s edgy Goffin; they were fine and so was the smooth show around them, confirming that the production is being keenly maintained by the management.
Finally, the Sondheim Theatre is essentially a modern, 1,055-seat facility that incorporates a landmarked façade and a few decorative elements from the Henry Miller’s Theatre that was formerly on that site. Opened in 2010, the theater offers very comfortable seating, expansive bathrooms, and good sightlines. Boomers who may not be quite as mobile as they once were will appreciate this venue as much as they will enjoy Beautiful.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical opened January 12, 2014, at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre and runs through October 27, 2019. Reviewed: September, 2018. Tickets and information: beautifulonbroadway.com
