Review: Abby Mueller Rocks the Kennedy Center in BEAUTIFUL

Midway thru Act I of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, the divine Abby Mueller, as King, sings "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" As theatergoers, it's a question we often ask of the show we are seeing. Will we love it? Will we even remember it tomorrow? In Beautiful's case, the answer is a resounding yes! Beautiful will not only have you dancing in your seat, but leaving the Kennedy Center humming the greatest array of pop hits ever assembled onstage.

Is the show perfect? No, but what jukebox musical is? Beautiful follows King from age 16, when she sold her first song to producer Don Kirshner (Curt Bouril), to her legendary June 18, 1971 concert at Carnegie Hall. The show traces her partnership and marriage to Gerry Goffin (Liam Tobin), friendship with Cynthia Weil (Becky Gulsvig) and Barry Mann (Ben Fankhauser) and relationships with music's biggest names.

In reality, Beautiful should really be called They Wrote That? because that's literally what you'll be saying at intermission. Ironically enough, that was the name of a 2004 musical revue featuring Weil and Mann's songs.

The catalogue of King and Goffin's work, along with that of Weil and Mann, is unbelievable and Beautiful showcases them all. True King and rock music aficionados will even hear riffs and hooks from songs not listed in the playbill. I for starters was thrilled to hear the Gilmore Girls theme "Where You Lead" in the Entr'Acte (second act opener). Bringing King's beloved work to life is a top-notch cast.

Mueller is sensational as King. Demonstrating a combination of talent and confidence, we watch her as King transforms from ambitious, awkward adolescent songwriter to blossoming performer. At no point is this more evident than in the final two numbers "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and "Beautiful." And while no one will ever be able to replace King performance-wise, that doesn't stop Mueller from shinning when she takes the piano.

Another standout is Gulsvig who explodes onstage with a spunky rendition of "Happy Days Are Here Again." She shines as Weil, putting on full display her dynamic personality. Gulsvig gives an energetic "He's Sure the Boy I Love" showing off her vocal ability. Together with Mueller, they have terrific chemistry allowing us to see why the bond of King/Weil friendship was so strong.

Much of the show focuses on the tumultuous marriage between Goffin and King. Tobin is in a tough spot, having to play the most flawed character in the show, and he rises to the occasion. He's able to personify the different facets of Goffin's personality; facets that reveal how he could be a brilliant lyricist one minute and a melancholy personality the next.

Rounding out the cast is Fankhauser's Mann who uses a quick and, at times, flippant wit to score a few laughs. Ashley Blanchet excels as Little Eva with an outstanding performance of "The Locomotion" and (Andrew Brewer, John Michael Dias) soar as the Righteous Brothers with their soulful "You've Lost That Loving Feeling."

Douglas McGrath's book is serviceable. While not as strong as Jersey Boys, Beautiful helps you understand how a teenager from Brooklyn became a star. And, more importantly, how much of her music aligned with the events in her life. At times both acts tend to descended into mini-concerts, but when the music is this good, you don't seem to mind. Still, you will leave with an appreciation of King's work and impact on pop music.

Marc Bruni's direction is solid and straightforward while Jose Prince's choreography channels the dance fads of the late 1950's. Some of the fun of Beautiful is watching the show recall the performances and moves of groups like the Drifters and Shirelles. That being said, the lack of a string section in Steve Sidwell's orchestrations was a misstep. Early in the show, King is asked to orchestrate using a string section and not having that sound present felt odd.

Mustard yellows and gold feature heavily in Derek McClane's recording studio-themed set design complete with guitars and on-air signs. It's a smart design that reminds us how recording music brought the foursome together at their 1650 Broadway office. Alejo Vietti's costume design is noteworthy in how it captures sixties fashion and the outfits of the various music groups. It will certainly bring back memories for those who lived through the era and if costumes don't do that, Charles LaPointe's wig and hair design certainly will.

Watching Beautiful you're struck by how there's a timeless quality in King, Goffin, Mann and Weil's music. It's been almost five decades since King's breakout album Tapestry was released and 53 years since King and Goffin had their first #1 hit with Shirelles and 1962's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" And even though Beautiful may not be a perfect show, it's still a fun night out and a reminder that Carole King is as a part of the American songbook as is Cole Porter and Irving Berlin.

Runtime: Two hours and 30 minutes with one intermission.

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical runs thru October 25th at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566. For tickets please cal (202) 467-4600 or click here.

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