Review: BEAUTIFUL - THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at DCPA

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical is one of those shows where you can't help but fall in love with the nostalgia of it all.

Bookended by King's Carnegie Hall performance, the show explores her life, beginning with her teenage foray into the record business with "It Might as Well Rain Until September." From there, she meets her writing partner and future husband Gerry Goffin in college. The show is basically an exploration of the side of songwriters' lives you rarely get to glimpse.

The tour stars Abby Mueller, sister to Tony-winner Jessie, who originated the title role on Broadway. Abby's clearly a star in her own right, performing King with a welcome vulnerability. Liam Tobin gives confidence to King's partner Goffin, who helped pen classics like "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" and "Up on the Roof." There's even a nod to "The Loco-Motion," which was made famous by their real-life babysitter Little Eva.

Alongside the main duo is the songwriting team Cynthia Weil (a charismatic Becky Gulsvig) and allergy-ridden goofball Barry Mann (Ben Fankhauser), who worked down the hall from them at the 1650 Broadway studio. Their songs help beef up the show's repertoire of classics, like "On Broadway" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling."

The thinness of the plot might be the show's only issue, as the entirety of Act 1 seems to rest solely on a back-and-forth competition between the two duos. It's entertaining, sure, but there isn't much to work with besides an unexpected pregnancy and a little infidelity. Nonetheless, the music is catchy and nostalgic as it moves the show along gracefully.

Beautiful is built similarly to other jukebox musicals like Jersey Boys and Motown. You know, where the audience claps before and after each song because they recognize it. Bits of plot are interspersed between mega-hits, some performed by the artists that made them famous--The Drifters, The Shirelles and The Righteous Brothers. But it's the moments with the songwriters by themselves at the piano that emote magic. The performers, including the ensemble groups, are electric.

The visuals are gorgeously crafted. Scenic design by Derek McLane was slick and shiny, complemented nicely by a lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski. Costume design by Alejo Vietti brought a colorful vintage ambience. The look of this show is nothing less than stunning.

I can't help but do a back-and-forth with myself about this one. I loved pretty much everything about it, but I wasn't incredibly engaged by a somewhat predictable plot that moved a bit slowly for me. Nonetheless, it's worth catching for the performances.

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical plays the Buell Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts through July 31. Tickets are available at DenverCenter.org or by calling (303)893-4100.