Review: BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at The Muny

Early in the summer in St. Louis’ Forest Park something beautiful happens. Throngs of musical theatre fans begin to fill an 11,000-seat amphitheater nightly known as The Muny to enjoy productions in the largest and oldest outdoor theater in the United States. This past Monday, something literally beautiful happened when BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL opened the Muny’s 105th season. 

In addition to opening the season this year, BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL has other ties to The Muny and St. Louis. The original Broadway production was conceived in St. Louis when former Muny Executive Producer Paul Blake, who worked at The Muny for 22-years, developed the idea for a show based on Carole King’s music and life story. Blake became the lead producer on the project. Working with Blake at that time was a  St. Louis native, and John Burroughs High School graduate, Mike Bosner who served as co-producer on the production. BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL has now come full circle, retuning to the theater where Blake and Bosner first met and envisioned this idea.

BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL is the life story of songwriter and performer Carole King. Starting as a teenage songwriter, King wrote some of the biggest and most memorable pop hits for the biggest stars in music including, “Natural Woman,” “Locomotion,” “Up on the Roof,” and “One Fine Day.” In addition to being a prolific songwriter, King’s second studio album “Tapestry” spent 15 consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200 and is one of the best-selling albums of all time selling over 25 million copies worldwide.

The Muny’s production of BEAUTIFUL is a nostalgic delight. They have taken one of the best jukebox musicals, adapted to The Muny stage and elevated it with a large cast of exceptional performers who deliver the songbooks of two prolific and competitive songwriting teams of the 1960’s, Carole King/Gerry Goffin and Cynthia Weil/Barry Mann. The vast Muny stage comes alive with high energy vocal performances, exceptional choreography and colorful vintage inspired costumes.

Director Marcia Milgrom Dodge and The Muny’s casting partner Tesley & Co. have assembled a quartet of skilled Broadway veterans who vanish into their characters and bring Carole King (Sara Sheperd), Gerry Goffin (Steven Good), Cynthia Weil (Jackie Burns) and Barry Mann (Jarrod Spector) to life. Sara Sheperd delivers an entrancing performance as King, from optimistic teen songwriter, through heartbroken young adult, to music icon. Her vocals are reminiscent of King’s and she adopts the perfect Brooklyn accent for delivering her dialogue. Steven Good’s charisma is felt immediately with his strapping physique and his masculine good looks. He portrays King’s songwriting partner and serial cheating husband with such authenticity that he elicits audience sympathy for King and empathy for his character’s mental breakdown and his eventual remorse. Burns and Spector have colossal chemistry. They make a captivating twosome and are the best of the four principal actors. Burns is dynamic and delivers stunning vocals. Spector’s wonderful comedic timing provides most of the humor in the show, plus he gets a real rockstar moment when he delivers “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”

The ensemble in this production is tremendous. They take on parts of the score portraying The Drifters, The Shirelles, Little Eva, Janelle Woods, Marilyn Wald and The Righteous Brothers singing some of the most memorable music written by King and her contemporaries. They are joined by The Muny Teen Ensemble and the teen singers offstage to compliment some of the larger dance numbers or to add layered depth to the vocal performance. The offstage teen singers get their onstage moment when they join the cast to bow and sing “I Feel the Earth Move” during the curtain call.

Music Director and Conductor Charlie Alterman and The Muny orchestra are perfection with this score of well-known music. Patricia Wilcox’s choreography is perfectly suited to the time period and adds substantial vitality to the production. Costume designer Tracy Christensen and The Muny wardrobe department knock it out of the park with their retro 1950’s, 60’s and early 70’s inspired period designs.   Ryan Douglas’ scenic design allows for quick scene change using a large static, multi-layered set piece on the stage turntable. His design allows the actors to quickly flow from scene to scene using staircases to leave one set piece and enter another.

What makes BEAUTIFUL one of the better jukebox musicals is the strong book and compelling story of King’s personal relationships coupled with the competitive nature of the songwriting business. This Muny production of BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL is thoroughly enjoyable. The Muny’s production of BEAUTIFUL: THE Carole King MUSICAL will make you feel the earth move under your feet at The Muny in Forest Park through June 18th.
 

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