BWW Review: BEAUTIFUL, THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at DCPA
Throughout history, performance artists have become staples in pop culture, many of which can rightfully claim "icon" status. However, aside from music performance, songwriting has long been an underrated quality in the music industry. Even if songwriters become notable performers, it is not always widely known that they have written, and continue to write, for other top artists. Such is the case of Carole King, as told by Beautiful, The Carole King Musical.
BWW Review: BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at Providence Performing Arts Center
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL playing right now at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) is the most jukebox of juke box musicals. With a book by Douglas McGrath, it tells the story of King's life and career using songs that she wrote, often together wither sometimes partner and spouse Gerry Goffin, and other contemporary songs by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector and others. What makes it the 'most juke box?' In a play that runs two and a half hours (including intermission), the very talented cast performs over twenty-five songs. Why so many songs? It's a play about songwriters whose best friends are songwriters, who among them wrote some of the most popular songs of the sixties and seventies. With so many songs to cover, McGrath let the music carry the first act and left the story of King's metamorphosis from composer to singer songwriter to Act 2. Somebody is doing something right because BEAUTIFUL opened on Broadway in January of 2014 and has been running ever since. This stop in Providence is the second in our fair city since it went on tour in 2015. As near as I could tell, everybody present had a helluva time last night.
Brian Cali, Michelle Dowdy, et al. Set for Daniel Lincoln's BC/EFA Benefit Concert, 5/14
Stars from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and primetime TV are set to appear in "Four Scores and Seven Shows Ago...", a new musical revue by New York theater composer Daniel Lincoln, which will premiere in concert at the Laurie Beechman Theater on May 12 at 9:30pm as a benefit for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aids. The evening will include performances by Broadway's Brian Cali ("Master Class") and Michelle Dowdy ("Hairspray"), and television personalities Ryan Raftery ("Ugly Betty," "Law and Order:SVU," "Malcolm in the Middle"), and Sasha Weiss (ABC Primetime's "What Would You Do," "Jerry Springer, The Opera" at Carnegie Hall.) Also performing are Ricky Schroeder ("Naked Boys Singing"), Anne Frasier Thomas ("The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" - US & International Tours), Kyle Kleiboeker (Nat'l Tours: "Hairspray," "Rent"), MAC and BISTRO Award Winning singer and nightlife personality Brandon Cutrell, Jody Cole Wood, Brittany Marie Arnao, and Dimitri Joseph Moise.