By Sue Suchyta
The musical journey of Carole King takes to the Players Guild of Dearborn stage Nov. 8 to 10, 15 to 17, and 22 to 24 in “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” at the theater, 21730 Madison in Dearborn. Told through the songs written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, the musical follows Carole Klein as a young, spunky songwriter in Brooklyn with a unique voice, who wrote for other singers before creating her own hit songs.
The cast includes Leah Frazier as Carole King, Dylan Hart as Gerry Goffin, Kimberly Elliot as Cynthia Weil, Alex Quinlan as Barry Mann, Joshua Beurer as Don Kirshner, and Leslie Garber as Genie Klein. Also in the ensemble with specific roles are Valencia Morgan as Janelle Woods and a Shirelle, Mo Thomas as Little Eva and a Shirelle, Traci Gibson as the lead Shirelle, and Amber Anderson as a Shirelle. The Drifters and ensemble roles are performed by Jair Alexander, Drew Hall, Brandon Walker and Branden Omoregie. Deg Gretz and Logan Synnestvedt portray Righteous Brothers and are in the ensemble. Ensemble members with specific roles include Casey Murray as Marilyn Wald, Samantha Vollmer as the Uptown Singer, Steve Nazarek as Neil Sedaka, Kaitlyn Cross as Betty, Jeff Lokken as Lou Adler, Rachelle Loyd as Lucille, and Anthony Neff as Nick. Sarah Head and Sam Volpe are also in the ensemble.
Director Marc Walentowicz said Carol King is an American icon, and the songs of Goffin and King are part of the fabric of our lives. “The audience is not only going to love the classic Carole songs like “It’s Too Late” and “Natural Woman,” but they’ll also be surprised that she had a hand in writing huge hits like “On Broadway” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” he said. “You root for Carole and how timely her story is as she struggles to find her voice in a male-dominated world.”
Walentowicz said the story follows the events and relationships that shaped King’s life and art, and includes music she wrote for the Drifters, the Shirelles and Little Eva. “If you don’t know all the songs, chances are you know about half of them,” he said. “Come on out for a trip down memory lane to a simpler time and be wowed at the creativity of this national treasure, Carole King.”
Frazier said she enjoys being the one to tell King’s story of “love, friendship, empathy, independence and self-worth.”
“She stayed relatively behind the scenes for so many years and wrote so many incredible songs for others to perform, a lot of which people will recognize but may not know she had a hand in,” she said. “The release of her album ‘Tapestry’ in 1971 was her way of taking control of her writing and her sound.”
Frazier said “Beautiful” has only been released recently to community theaters. “Not a lot of groups in the state have done it so far, and we at the Players Guild are honored to be among some of the first,” she said.
Thomas said she is happy to finally learn the actual words to classic songs she’s been singing for years. “Little Eva especially gets a standout pop moment where you can’t help but dance, and I’ve nearly mastered putting her words in the right order,” she said. Thomas said the group numbers will be a treat for audiences. “The solos are nice, but when there are multiple voices and the harmonies kick in, those parts are gold,” she said.
Thomas said the show has relatable moments with which everyone can connect. “It’s a true story that portrays all the genuine heartache and joy of being human,” she said.
Cross said audiences will enjoy hearing so many popular songs. “Each song is really connected to her personal life, and it’s amazing to see the inspiration for each song,” she said. “The story is entertaining, and you’ll be invested in each of the characters even if you didn’t know them before the show.”
Synnestvedt said the show tells a story of dream chasing and hardship. “It’s an inspiring story of one woman working to make it big doing what she loves,” he said. “The show features many iconic pop and rock songs, and I’d encourage people to come see these songs they know and love performed in a whole new, interesting way they’ve never seen before.”
Show times are 8 p.m. Nov. 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23, with 2:30 p.m. Nov. 10, 17 and 24 matinees. Tickets are $26 and are available by calling 313-561-TKTS or online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35949/production/1206393.
