By Chris Heide
Carnegie Hall- Sara Shepard as Carole King
Beautiful: The Carole King music is simply outstanding. Admittedly, as a millennial, I have only been familiar with King’s most famous works. In fact, my first exposure to King’s music was via the official theme song from Gilmore Girls (AKA You’ve Got A Friend). Going into this show with limited expectations and background knowledge made for a thrilling and visceral experience.
Currently playing at Broadway at the Paramount, as a return engagement, Beautiful: The Carole King musical is a must-see show. With an extremely limited run of only three shows in Seattle, the audience was filled to capacity. The show itself has a long runtime at nearly two-and-a half hours. However, unlike some shows with lengthy runtimes, this show flies by with a palpable easy.
Everything about this show works. The set-design, the choreography, the casting, the intentional selections from King’s lengthy catalogue; every aspect of this show just works. Sara Shepard who plays Carole King is breathtaking in this role. Her vocal prowess, comedic timing, and vulnerability elevate the gravitas of such an iconic person.
For me, one of the most interesting parts of the show was not only learning about King’s personal journey, but also the number of chart-topping hits that she wrote. From Locomotion to (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, King has had a key role in some of the most iconic musical moments of the last several decades. And of course, some of King’s best know songs that she sang herself, mostly from the Album Tapestry, as colorfully injected into the latter half of the show.
The show is expertly cast, without a weak performance in the bunch. The musicality of the show is electrifying and engaging and exactly what you would expect from a masterful Broadway show- show stopping performances and goosebump inducing ballads.
While it’s run is limited, it is worth seeing if you are able to snag tickets. It is an unexpected delight and one of the strongest shows to be featured at the Paramount in a while. It is truly worthy of a standing ovation.