Who: Two colleagues and I
What: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical | tickets
When: January 2017
Where: The Hippdrome Theatre
Why: Because who doesn't love a nice "girl power" jukebox musical?
Thoughts: Beautiful is one of those shows where I'd heard lots of great things but I just didn't know if it was for me. I knew next to nothing about King or her music (or so I thought), but my boss was dying to see it and even the younger crowd was singing its praises (a frequent theatre complaint of mine is the lack of young people in attendance. At 31, I often find myself the youngest in the crowd unless it's a more modern show like Wicked or Mormon)
Turns out, much like in other jukebox musicals such as Jersey Boys, once the hits start playing, you realize "oh, this song!" What makes Beautiful different from the others is the fact that King was initially a songwriter: you see her briefly singing the composition before it is performed by the artist who ultimately would be known for performing a particular hit. The supporting story line of King's friends, also songwriters, added a fun dimension to the story, and overall, the show was filled with humor, something I wasn't expecting.
A full listing of Broadway musicals I've seen is here. Have you seen Beautiful? What did you think? Check out the original cast recording here.
I haven't seen it but I grew up with my parents listening to Carole King so I bet I'd love it! Sounds great!
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