Beautiful: The Carole King Musical opens at the Marriott Theatre

Simply brilliant! Beautiful: The Carole King Musical sets the Marriott Theatre on fire, located at 10 Marriott Dr, Lincolnshire, IL. This 2014 Tony Award-winning Broadway show features classic hit after hit while sharing the story of King’s rise to stardom. This talented teenage songwriter had one goal: to share her music with the world. Her ambitious drive and gifted talent made her an iconic musical legend.

The show opens with Carole King playing on the piano in Carnegie Hall and the audience begins to clap as they are about to embark on a musical journey. Actress Kaitlyn Davis is magical in the role of Carole King. Davis’s performance shines bright in the lead role and her portrayal of King. It’s remarkable how much the actress sounds like the musical legend. She immediately captured the audience’s heart and set the tone for the show. I knew this was going to be a fantastic musical journey through King’s life from the opening note.

The audience was treated to over two dozen pop classics throughout the show. Some of the songs included “You’ve Got a Friend,” “One Fine Day,” “Up on the Roof,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” and “Natural Woman.” I’m sure this is why the audience felt so connected to the show. It took them back to the good old days.

“Growing up my parents only kept a handful of tapes in the car, one of which was Tapestry, the best-selling album of Carole King,” said show director Jessica Fisch in a press release from Marriott Theatre. “Simply put I can’t remember a time in my life when Carole King wasn’t singing to me. She is part of the soundtrack of my life and that is true for so many people. It is a dream come true to get to direct this first made-in-Chicago production.” These kinds of personal connections to the music made this show a hit on Broadway.

The Carole King story is one I had never heard before. I was fascinated to see how her drive took her to places she only dreamed of. As a young teenage music writer, King had to beg her mother to allow her to go to Times Square to sell her latest song to music publisher Don Kirshner, played perfectly by actor Lawrence Grimm. Kirshner was responsible for bringing together Carole King and lyricist Gerry Goffin. Like any fantastic music producer, he had an eye for talent; this union was one of his best. Not only did King and Goffin become an amazing writing team, but they also fell in love, got married, and started a family—actor Andrew Mueller, who plays Goffin, shares a compelling performance. I felt excited and sad for his character as he struggled with insecurity, which also comes with becoming a star. His struggles with infidelity consequently led them to a divorce, which only made Carole King stronger.

Don Kirshner was also the mastermind that brought together the talented songwriting team of Cynthia Weil, played by actress Erica Stephan, and writer Barry Mann, played fantastically by Justin Albinder. The story shared how the four songwriters became friends and pushed each other to write chart-topping songs. Not only was the show filled with fantastic musical numbers, but it also interwoven humor throughout the show. Every scene ended with a comedic one-liner that kept the audience laughing and wanting more.

Beautiful is truly an entertaining show and one of the best I’ve seen produced by the Marriott Theatre. The live band was rocking along with the ensemble cast, delivering solid and memorable performances. No actor can hide in this theater because there’s no backstage. It’s theatre in the round, and the actors all rise to the top, delivering a show-stopping performance from every angle.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical runs now through December 31, 2023. Ticket prices start at $55 (excluding tax and handling fees). Discounts for students, seniors, and the military are available. On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, a limited number of dinner-theatre packages are available for purchase through the Marriott Theatre Box Office. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit MarriottTheatre.com or call 847.634.0200