(Kaitlyn Davis as Carole King in “Beautiful” at Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire)
3 1/2 Stars
The audience at the Wednesday Marriott opening of “Beautiful: the Carole King Musical,” are likely familiar with such classic songs as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “So Far Away,” “Up on the Roof,” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”
But I wonder if they know that the person who wrote them started out as a teenage songwriting phenom who had skipped two grades in school and whose mom wanted her to continue her classical piano studies.
Or that she started out as a pop composer whose first husband, Gerry Gofin, did the lyrics while she wrote the music.
Or that the grand piano on stage at the show’s start would actually reappear at the show’s end in Carnegie Hall.
With terrific dance and song examples, “Beautiful’s” long Act I showed how the music of the King-Gofin partnership was picked up and performed by well-known groups.
(“Beautiful” at Marriott shows how major performers adopted the King-Gofin songs)
The shorter Act II is about that partnership’s on-off crises and split up that led King to going it alone and her concert at Carnegie Hall. The show could have an Act III about all her awards, more partnerships and more songs plus her award-winning “Tapestry” album.
However, King’s “Beautiful” journey as performed at the Marriott Theatre is in the wonderful, over-the-top hands of Kaitlyn Davis from the national tour of “Beautiful.” BTW, Davis is also an accomplished pianist and songwriter.
Her co-star, Andrew Mueller, who is the brother of the Mueller sisters who performed “Beautifu”l on Broadway and the national tour, has impressive credits in Chicago area theater. He does an excellent portrayal of Gofin.
(Song-writing rivals and friends, Cynthis Weil (Erica Stephan) and Barry Mann, (Justin Albinde) )
A good picture of the song business is the delightfully done inclusion of couple Cynthis Weil portrayed by Erica Stephan, and Barry Mann, played by Justin Albinder.
Well directed by Jessica Fisch, “Beautiful” is basically a “jukebox” show that will bring back lots of musical memories.
“Beautiful: the Carole King Musical” is at Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, Il now through Dec. 31, 2023.
For tickets and more information visit Beautiful/MarriottTheatre
Jodie Jacobs
For more shows visit Theatre in Chicago