Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at The Segal extended to November 12

For three hours audiences set aside the outside world and enjoyed the music of a generation that was the soundtrack to young love

The show opens and closes with Carole performing her hit song Beautiful
Photo: Emelia Hellman

Hit songs like Up On The Roof, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, One Fine Day and It Might As Well Rain Until September have a timeless quality to them; especially to the generation that came of age while those songs played on the radio and at teenage dances. Those songs were all composed by Carole King and her husband/songwriting partner Gerry Goffin in the New York City Brill building – a kind of songwriting factory where immensely talented writers created the soundscape of a generation.

This show also includes the hit songs of real-life friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann that include You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, Walkin’ In The Rain, and We Gotta Get Out Of This Place. You’ll hear them all and many more performed in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, now playing until November 12 at The Segal Theatre.

Darren Martens and Tess Benger are joined Mike Melino (Barry Mann) and Laura Olafson (Cynthia Weil) as friendly song writing competitors in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Photo: Emelia Hellman

Carole King’s life and her music evolved as musical tastes and styles changed. Aretha Franklin gave A Natural Woman an anthemic quality for the emerging women’s movement in 1967.

But it was King’s 1971 album Tapestry that established Carole King as a solo artist with songs like You’ve Got A Friend (written for friend James Taylor), Its Too Late, So far Away and I Feel The Earth Move. Like her earlier compositions, the music from Tapestry remains relevant to today’s audiences. You’ll hear them all in Beautiful.

The Drifters enjoyed many hit songs composed by Carole King and Gerry Goffin

This production is simple outstanding, beginning with the on-stage chemistry of Carole (Tess Benger) and Gerry Goffin (Darren Martens). Montrealer Ellen David anchors the show as Carole’s mother. Laura Glafson as lyricist Cynthia Weil is perfect in the role of super-confident partner of insecure composer Barry Mann, played by Mike Melino. The cast is very large, and includes the four-members of The Drifters, The Shirelles, and The Righteous Brothers. Cory Wojick as promoter Donny Kirshner is so convincing in his role that he seemed to be channeling the wise-cracking rock ‘n’ roll Ringmaster.

This show includes several outstanding production numbers with the The Shirelles, The Drifters and The Righteous Brothers Photo: Emelia Hellman

Award-winning Floydd Rickets returns as Musical Director and his guidance of the eight-piece band is flawless. Everything that happens on stage is the responsibility of the Director, and Kelly Thorton deserves credit for all the accolades that this show has already earned. Throughout the show, my seatmates were making positive comments to the opening lines of yet another hit song.

I could use more superlatives – but there’s no need. This show ties together the music of a generation with the true-life story of a woman who experienced heartbreak; but came through gut-wrenching emotional turmoil to emerge as her own self-assured person. It’s an inspiring story set against a soundscape of wonderful music. I’ve seen the show in a large 2,000 seat theatre; but this show in the 300-plus seat Segal Centre’s Sylvan Adams Theatre has a terrific impact on the audience. You’re practically in the band.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a co-production with The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. For tickets, please visit: www.segalcentre.org or call the Box Office: 514-739-7944. Enjoy the show!