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| February 5, 2014
THEATER
One Fine Show, One Not So Much
JOAN MARCUS
“Beautiful” is what a jukebox musical should be, while “The Clearing” just shouldn’t
Jessie Mueller as Carol King in Douglas McGrath’s “Beautiful.”
BY CHRISTOPHER BYRNE
T
he real conflict in the life of Carole King, at least according to the new jukebox musical “Beautiful,” is that she would have preferred to be a suburban housewife rather than a superstar. She is a reluctant pop phenomenon who had greatness thrust upon her but ultimately rose to the challenge, cast off her 1950s notion of conventional gender roles, and emerged as an integrated personality.
BEAUTIFUL Stephen Sondheim Theatre 124 W. 43rd St. Tue.-Thu. at 7 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. at 8 p.m. Wed., Sat. at 2 p.m.; Sun at 3 p.m. $75-$162 telecharge.com or 212-239-6200
Hardly the typical showbiz story, but in the hands of book writer Douglas McGrath and even working within the constraints of bio-musicals’ episodic nature, King emerges as a likeable and relatable person who is much more than the avatar of the Laurel Canyon sound she became. In fact, the story ends with her iconic album “Tapestry,” which is a turning point for both King and the music business. We watch her rise from a 16-year -old songwriter searching for a hit so she can get a house in the suburbs, meet and marry Gerry Goffin, her lyricist, and develop a relationship with a competing songwriting team,
Cynthia Weill and Barry Mann. This last plot point is inspired, as it opens up the musical to a broader playlist and, of course, provides that musical comedy staple — the secondary, comedic couple. Producer Don Kirshner is also featured as the man who picked hits and funneled them to the groups of the late 1950s and early ‘60s. As with any musical of this nature, part of the fun is realizing that King was behind many of the huge hits of the era, such as the Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “The Loco-Motion,” and “Take Good Care of My Baby.” But, even when sketchily drawn, it’s also fascinating to watch King’s emergence as an artist and savvy stylist able to move with the times and adapt her sound to what would sell — until that moment when she herself began to define what sold. Yes, the show is largely a string of familiar songs, but it’s all done with such charm and vivacity under the direction of Marc Bruni that resistance is pointless. This is a big, crowdpleasing show that’s as smart about what works as entertainment today as King was in her heyday. “Beautiful” is sweet, toe-tapping fun. What pushes this show over the top, making it completely enchanting, though, is Jessie Mueller’s performance as King. In a bravura tur n, Mueller is both a believable actor and an incomparable singer. A standout in the revivals of “On a Clear Day” and “Edwin Drood,” here she takes on the mantle of leading
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BEAUTIFUL, continued on p.28
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