Review: BEAUTIFUL THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at Robinson Performance Hall

There is not a better way to start the summer, than seeing Beautiful The Carole King Musical. This thrilling show rolled into Little Rock's Robinson Performance Hall and it was "Some Kind of Wonderful". The book is by Douglas McGrath, who gave the audience an inside look at the life few really knew anything about. With music and lyrics by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Gerry Goffin and of course, Carole King, most of the audience was amazed at the amount of songs this group created.

The crowd, many singing along and sometimes jumping to their feet, could not get enough.

The show opens with Carole King (Sarah Bockel) at the piano and the moment she starts singing you could feel the entire audience lean in.

Sarah has such an amazing voice and besides sounding very similar to Carole King, she has a power and presence that lets you know that we are in for a very special evening. We were then transported to her early life, where at 16 she gets her first song published Then she meets and falls in love with her writing partner/ future husband,(Andrew Brewer) has a baby and starts cranking out number 1 hits. Carole becomes friends with two other songwriters Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann (Sarah Goeke and Jacob Heimer) and life is perfect. We see group after group performing her early hits and if it ended there, you might be satisfied. Fate has other ideas. Her husband struggles with life, success and marriage. Carole is forced to make changes and through it becomes the legendary singer/ songwriter that most of us know today. The second act of her life and the show has an emotional punch that was surprising, but the impressive musical performances really made this show a treat.

Carole's slightly overbearing mother, played with just the right amount of comedic flair and maternal concern by Suzanne Grodner stole most scenes she was in with her wry delivery. Record producer Don Kirshner, the gruff but lovable James Clow, was a cheerleader and taskmaster to his crew of songwriters. Watching Andrew Brewer, it's easy to see why Carole would fall for him. His performance was strong and at times, heartbreaking. His powerful vocals and stage presence gave his character the depth needed to explore all the difficulties and demons he faced. Sarah Goeke grabbed our attention with her rendition of "Happy Days Are Here Again". She was fierce and feisty with a gorgeous voice and no-nonsense performance. Her nebbish and neurotic partner, as played by Jacob Heimer was incredible. A gifted comedian, he wowed us with is singing as well.

The parade of groups and the songs they performed was like a time capsule of appealing music that was both simple and satisfying. The standout number, as far as the crowd was concerned seemed to be "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" which featured the Righteous Brothers portrayed by John Michael Dias, who played multiple roles with equal relish and Nathan Scherich who was brilliant. The undisputed star was the dynamic Sarah Bockel. She gave a performance that was layered with every emotion and the crowd could not get enough. She's such a magnetic performer and singer that it's only a matter of time until someone writes a show just for her.

Another aspect of this show that has to be mentioned is the set itself. The design was at times simple and yet seamlessly moved from office to concert to the suburbs. Using sliding panels, set pieces that glided on and off stage and a lighting design that shifted time and space made it seem like the show never stopped or stumbled. Overall, this show was the story of Carole King's life that many people knew nothing about. The incredible music, period sets and costumes and most importantly breathtaking performances from top to bottom, made this an evening of theatre that people will be talking about for a long time. The was never a more apt title or description of a show because the entire experience was- --Beautiful.

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