Beautiful - The Carol King Story

01/29/2014

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical

By: Jeannie Lieberman

Jessie Mueller as composer Carole King

in Beautiful - The Carole King Musical
(Photo credit: Joan Marcus)
The near jubilation emanating from the Stephen Sondheim Theatre as its doors open to let
the revelers out is the response to the new seasons Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, a
spirited jukebox production which offers a feel good evening of special delight to her fans
and all those who just want a slick, nostalgic, music-packed evening of familiar upbeat
music unhindered by the hubris of deep insights or messages delivered.
And theres nothing wrong with that!
Director Marc Bruni keeps the pace kaleidoscopic in Act Is seventeen numbers, all familiar
hits written by Ms. King and her husband /partner Gerry Goffin (Up on the Roof, One Fine
Day, the immortal Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? and The Locomotion, sung by Little
Eva who really was the Goffins babysitter) augmented by those of their friends/colleagues
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann (On Broadway, Youve Lost That Lovin Feeling.) These are
performed by a versatile cast impersonating the Drifters, the Shirelles, the Righteous
Brothers and others from the late 50s and early 60s.
Act IIs additional eight numbers (and one reprise) slow the pace a bit as a scintilla of story
intrudes. But since the show begins and ends with Kings famous Carnegie Hall concert,
earned by her generation-inspiring Grammy Award winning album Tapestry we know, all is

well, ending with an audience sing-a-long at the finale a common phenomenon when the
audience already knows the music and just want to be a part of the show.
And isnt that great!

Jessie Mueller, Anika Larsen, Jarrod Spector

and Jake Epstein in a scene from
Beautiful - The Carole King Musical
(Photo credit: Joan Marcus)
However, sanity returns and on closer scrutiny, all is not well. There is nary a hint of wellknown and respected book writer Douglas McGraths previous accomplishments (film
adaptations of Emma andNicholas Nickleby, collaboration with Woody Allan on Bullets Over
Broadway, and the play Checkersat the Vineyard) in this puerile and simplistic script which
has 16-year-old King rush into a Brill-like building, get the ear of music producer Don
Kirshner, who immediately rolls over and endorses a rat-a-tat succession of hits for the
lucky quartet of novices improbably unobstructed journey towards fame
Really??!!
Act II brings in a cliff notes version of the marital discord and disintegration of Kings
marriage to an increasingly unstable husband. (Duh! He married at 19, now hes mingling
with the stars who record his songs, while his wife, in the country, wants him home with the
kids. How long could that last?) As a result, she is forced to write on her own and for the
first time perform her new work in public. Propelling her into a career she never really
wanted. Despite protestations of humility and insecurity, she manages to create the iconic
70s album Tapestry which includes Its Too Late, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural
Woman and the title song, Beautiful.
Jessie Mueller, who plays King, has been in the minds if not the hearts of musical theater
creators for her previous high profile but low success generating roles: the ill-fated On A
Clear Day You Can See Forever opposite Harry Connick, Jr., which garnered her the
sympathy vote (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), Cinderella in the Delacortes Into the
Woods, Nice Work If You Can Get It opposite Matthew Broderick, and the Roundabouts The
Mystery of Edwin Drood. And the mystery is why she hasnt become a bigger star.
Perhaps because there is an inherent blandness to her. In this production she achieves the
dubious distinction of being less dynamic and glamorous than the icon she is portraying.

True, she is burdened with the dramatic arc of transforming from a cocky teenage
bride/composing partner to a single mother in a male dominated field, faced with the
serendipitous necessity of writing and performing her own songs, a personal and career
choice she never wanted. Indeed, the show opens and closes with her successful Carnegie
Hall concert after recording Tapestry, the era-defining, best-selling Grammy winning album.
But where is that spectacular, signature blond/gray mane of cascading locks with which we
can always identify our diva? Fair of face, pleasant of voice not enough to carry a show. Was
there a conspiracy between costume designer Alejo Vietti, make-up designer Joe Dulude II
and wig designer Charles G. LaPointe to deprive her of that glamour? Even at the finale?
Derek McLanes minimalist sets, and Josh Princes minimalist choreography, appropriate to a
jukebox format, maintain that blandness. What brightness there is can be attributed to the
orchestrations and music arrangements of Steve Sidwell under Jason Howlands capable
baton and Peter Kaczorowskis light design.
The supporting cast: Jake Epstein as Gerry, Anika Larsen and Jarrod Spector as the other
songwriting team Weil and Mann, Jeb Brown as Kirschner and Liz Larsen as Kings mother all
do a fine job.
One of the lead producers on this show is Carole Kings daughter, and reports have said that
King, having seen an early workshop of the show, refuses to see the final version of the
musical because the breakup of her marriage was too painful. There is more drama in that
statement than onstage.
However, the ubiquitous Ms. King, televised of late at the White House concert/tribute in her
honor and her many recent high profile appearances elsewhere, will keep the crowds
coming, as well they should.
Beautiful - The Carole King Musical (open run)
Stephen Sondheim Theatre, 124 West 43rd Street, in Manhattan
For tickets, call 212-239-6200 or visit http://www.telecharge.com
Running time: two hours and 25 minutes with an intermission