If you grew up in the Philly area and listened to WOGL, the “oldies” station, then you have heard, and probably bobbed your head to, a Carole King song. Her songs were part of the soundtrack of my youth, from the radio to my aunt playing “Tapestry” on repeat when she was in her feelings about life. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical shares a brief glimpse into the life of Carole King, her rise to stardom, her marriage to her first husband, Gerry Coffin, her friendship with fellow writers Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Set to familiar tunes, Carole’s rise to fame is shown through her dedication to writing music and following her dreams.
Beautiful © Joan Marcus
Beautiful is in the genre of jukebox musical, a musical with songs that are popular tunes as opposed to original music. The tunes featured move the play along so well that the first act flew by. With audiences cheering and singing, it was a high energetic good time. The action explodes on stage with strong performances by lead Sara Shepard who plays Carole, James D Gish, as Gerry Coffin and Sara King and Ryan Farnsworth as Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, Carole and Gerry’s best friends and rivals Cynthia Weil and Barry Man.
The ensemble brings those familiar tunes to life with gorgeous costumes and funky choreography. The set design is spare but grand.
The show runs through Sunday, February 27 and tickets can be purchased online through the Kimmel Cultural Center site. An American Sign Language (ASL) and Audio Description (AD) Performance Friday, February 25, 7:30 PM
If you go:
-Arrive early. At the time of this post, the Academy of Music is Theater is still checking vaccination cards and IDs. The lines does move quickly but there may be a wait. A mask is required.
-The show run time is 2 hours and 25 minutes with intermission so plan parking accordingly.
-The Academy of Music is located at 240 S Broad St Philadelphia, PA 19102
It’s not *too late* to catch the rise of powerhouse Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
Disclaimer: I was given complimentary tickets to see Beautiful in exchange for my honest review
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