Schenectady - Sometimes you go to a Broadway musical and leave without ever hearing a familiar song. In “Beautiful – the Carole King Musical” you not only know every song, but if you are of a certain age, you will likely know what you were doing when you first heard them.
If you are of that generation you will have a great time at “Beautiful.” Heck, because the music is that good and the talent that strong everyone should have a great time at “Beautiful” - which plays at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady through Sunday. It’s an extraordinary musical in that it combines great music with an emotional story.
“Beautiful” is a jukebox musical” containing almost 30 songs. Some songs King wrote alone, but most were created with her lyricist husband Gerry Goffin. A few others were written by their friends and rivals Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann.
However, this is a post-“Jersey Boys” musical, which means it also has a story that frames the songs and adds emotional context to the individual numbers. Indeed, what makes the show so satisfying is the way book writer Douglas McGrath captures the drama of the lives of King and Goffin.
It tells of Carole King’s early career that begins when she was a kid in Brooklyn and sold her first song to Don Kirshner at the age of 16. She hooked up with the talented and charismatic lyricist Goffin and the two went on to write hits for many of the stars of rock and roll. By the time King was 19 she was pregnant and the pair married – in that order.
The cast of this national tour is phenomenal. Julia Knitel, as Carole King, captures the essence of an insecure girl, who despite her remarkable talent, lets herself be dominated by her husband. Knitel not only channels King’s singing but she is able to create a personality that is humble, good natured and caring.
In “Beautiful” you adore Carole King the songwriter-performer and care for Carole King the person. Thanks to Knitel, this is a story about transformation as much as it is about success.
Liam Tobin as her husband Gerry Goffin takes pains not to play the man as a villain. He is easily tempted by the glamour that comes with fame and he always gives into temptation. As time goes on we discover he’s also unstable and unable to be the man King deserves. Tobin shows him as being as fragile as he is driven.
Their relationship is nicely contrasted by the songwriting couple of Weil and Mann who were friendly rivals and best friends of King and Goffin. They wrote several classic hits like “On Broadway” and “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling”.
As the hypochondriac, Mann, Ben Fankhauser is a comic joy. Erika Olson is also a very funny as Weil, the frank realist with commitment issues. They both sing well and create characters who are nearly as important as the leads.
The entire cast is solid. James Clow is a delight as Don Kirshner, as he is somehow able to avoid making the man seem a caricature. The rest of the cast does double duty playing individual characters and having a ton of fun honoring groups like The Drifters, The Shirelles and the Righteous Brothers.
There’s one more good thing to say about “Beautiful – the Carole King Musical.” The story ends in 1971 when King’s groundbreaking album “Tapestry” made her a star. Which means there are plenty of songs and drama left for a sequel.
We can only hope that when it comes, it’s as good as the original – which continues at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady through Sunday. For tickets and information call 518-346-6204 or go to proctors.org
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
