Review: Carole King musical a 'Beautiful' production at Chicago's Oriental Theatre

“Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” is a slight misnomer. It’s a truly beautiful show, yes, but it’s really the Carole King/Gerry Goffin/Cynthia Weil/Barry Mann musical. Because the script actually includes all four composers/lyricists, audience members get a better understanding of the songwriting business in the 1960s and the challenges they faced on a professional and personal level. And we get to hear a lot of hits written by these four.

Carole King, one of the recipients of the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors just this month, is admittedly the focal point around which the others revolve. “Beautiful,” a Tony Award-winning show now at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, features Abby Mueller as the singer/songwriter in a touching, endearing performance.

In the overheard words of one departing audience member who knew Mueller’s sister, Jesse, had won the Tony for the same role, “I don’t see how her sister could have done any better.” I agree. From the moment Mueller appears alone on stage with only a grand piano singing “So Far Away” and tells us her character was “never meant to be a singer,” she makes us want to know more. How did she go from being Brooklyn teen Carol Klein, eagerly pitching a song she’d composed to music producer Don Kirshner (Curt Bouril), to being Carole King, the Songwriters Hall of Fame member and multi-Grammy Award-winner for “Tapestry,” the classic early ’70s album that sold more than 25 million copies?

When King first meets Gerry Goffin (Liam Tobin), her friend’s lab partner, she sees a leather-jacketed stud who she feels may be out of her league. But there’s chemistry between them despite his dismissal of pop music (“What can you say in three minutes?”), and the two quickly become a songwriting team and romantic couple. A marriage and pregnancy – not necessarily in that order – are making King’s life “Some Kind of Wonderful,” and that’s the name of their first top-50 song, recorded by the Drifters. Their first No. 1 hit, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” recorded by the Shirelles, might be a more appropriate question due to Goffin’s wandering eye. But the two keep turning out hits, and the “Beautiful” audience gets to see how their songs were interpreted and choreographed by the Drifters, Shirelles, Righteous Brothers and more.

When budding lyricist Cynthia Weil (Becky Gulsvig) shows up at Kirshner’s office, she’s a talented, extroverted force to be reckoned with (“My songs are better live,” she tells Kirshner before launching into her bio to the tune of “Happy Days Are Here Again”). Kirshner partners her with composer Barry Mann (Ben Fankhauser), an amusing hypochondriac who quickly falls for Weil, to compete against King and Goffin on writing a song for one of his musical groups. While Goffin-King have an advantage in that round, the Weil-Mann professional partnership ultimately proves to be equally successful, with “Uptown,” “On Broadway” and “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” among the hits featured here.

King, Goffin, Weil and Mann all maintain a close friendship despite each couple’s desire to best the other on the record charts. These core relationships, shown in scenes that are sometimes too brief (another song is always coming up soon), provide laughs and tears, thanks to strong performances by Mueller, Tobin, Gulsvig and Fankhauser.

Kudos also to Bouril for his portrayal of Kirshner, who comes across as a boss, mentor, friend and unsung hero (thankfully unsung, as Kirshner wasn’t a singer). With the portrayals by these five principals, I truly cared about these characters and especially wanted King to find happiness to go along with her success.

Lighting, stage design and scene transitions all are impressive, adding to the overall enjoyment of the show. And choreographer Josh Prince has done amazing work with the actors playing the Drifters, Shirelles, and Little Eva (Ashley Blanchet), whose “The Locomotion” barrels down the tracks with energy.

One caution: Don’t expect to hear all of the songs Carole King sang in her solo career. There’s no “Jazzman,” “Been to Canaan,” “Nightingale,” “Smackwater Jack” or “Now and Forever,” for example.

But what is included is a lot of memorable music of the ’60s and ’70s, including a King hit not listed in the program that “made the earth move” and brought the audience to its feet for a well-deserved standing ovation.

Director Marc Bruni’s excellent production of “Beautiful” is making a long tour stop in the Loop, but it’s scheduled to move on in late February. My recommendation? Get your tickets to see this show “One Fine Day” before “It’s Too Late.”

• Paul Lockwood is a past president of TownSquare Players (TSP) and an occasional community theater actor in McHenry County, appearing in more than two dozen plays and musicals since he and his wife moved to Woodstock in 2001. Recent productions in which he’s acted include “The Drowsy Chaperone” and “A Christmas Carol” (2014) at the Woodstock Opera House.

“BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL”

WHEN: Through Feb. 21, 2016

WHERE: Oriental Theater, 24 W. Randolph St., Chicago

COST & INFO: Tickets start at $66. For showtimes, tickets and information, visit www.chicago-theater.com.