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By the time a song hits the radio or we hear it repeatedly on Pandora, it’s likely been months -- maybe years -- since the lyrics were concocted. We are introduced to the piece only as an end product, polished with background vocals and splashy studio recording tricks.
The origins of a Billboard Top-10 song probably took place with an ordinary pencil and empty pages of sheet music -- and, most important of all, a mind with a gift for writing brilliant music.
Enter Carole King, one of the most accomplished singer-songwriters in the long history of the business, and whose story is currently taking center stage at the historic Fisher Theatre in Detroit.
Tuesday was opening night of "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical," which will run through Jan. 8.
It works so well, in large part, because we are able to see the full life cycle of these various chart-topping hits. We are right there when Carole first gets the idea for a particular song, the collaboration with partner (and husband) Gerry Goffin in perfecting the music/lyrics, and ultimately the group itself -- be it The Drifters or The Shirelles -- taking the tune to the airwaves or belting it out for a national TV audience.
It’s what sets this show apart from musicals like "Smokey Joe’s Cafe" or "Movin’ Out" -- fine productions, but mostly lacking in any real story or emotional punch. Vintage tunes are rolled out one after another and that just about sums up the evening.
Greatest Hits Come Alive
But "Beautiful" takes that Greatest Hits CD and brings it to life over two and a half-hours We see the ups and downs of Carole’s personal life, witnessing how tricky it can be for a married couple to work together.
King and Goffin were a dynamic musical pair, creating dozens of timeless songs that have spanned decades in terms of their reach and relevance. But the stress of raising a family and churning out major hits was at times too much to handle, particularly for Goffin.
Julia Knitel, left, also played the lead for a year on Broadway.
The role of King is a weighty one, combining a wide range of vocals with an equally diverse set of emotions. Julia Knitel, who also played the lead for a year with the Broadway company (which earlier won seven Tony Awards in 2014), seems to have King down to a science.
She’s as comfortable joking with her funny Jewish mother or sparring with her selfish, depressed husband. Then she’s tasked with sitting down at the piano for a big solo; no cast mates, no dramatic scenery.
It’s up to Knitel to do justice to so many Carole King classics that the audience reveres, and she hits a home run each time she steps to the plate. You can imagine King herself taking in a performance of "Beautiful," nodding and saying to herself: “They got the right girl for this part.”
Strong Supporting Cast
The show is enhanced by a quality group of supporting players. Curt Bouril plays record executive Don Kirshner and brings a fun lightheartedness to any scene he’s a part of. Ben Fankhauser, as fellow songwriter Barry Mann, gets big laughs as the Woody Allen-esque hypochondriac while also displaying a booming voice in the foot-stomping “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”
Beautiful is both a fun trip down memory lane and a moving story about relationships and following one’s dreams.
As the old saying goes, it lets you have your cake and eat it, too. The best part? It shows you just how each delicious treat was made; from beginning to end.
Ticket information:
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Performances until Jan. 8: Monday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 1 and 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. matinees; some Tuesday and Wednesday shows at 1 p.m.
. . . No performances: Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 2; no Sunday evening show Jan. 1. -
Box office: 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. weekdays or during evening and weekend performances.
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Via Ticketmaster here or (800) 982-2787.
