(Cover Photo: Shad Hanley as “Gerry Goffin,” Olivia Palmer as “Carole King,” Luke Hawkins as “Barry Mann,” Harley Seger as “Cynthia Weil” and Jim Sorensen as “Don Kirshner” in a moment from the musical "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" now playing at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham, MA. through June 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Robert Pascucci)

By Kevin T. Baldwin

METRMAG Reviewer

# 774-242-6724

“You've got to get up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love in your heart."

                              - ("Beautiful") / Carole King

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston  

Presents the Broadway Smash 

"BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL"

Music and Lyrics by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil

Book by Douglas McGrath

Music by Arrangement with Sony Music Publishing

Directed and Choreographed by Deanna Dys

Music Director and Conductor Mindy Cimini

Cast Includes: Olivia Palmer* as “Carole King.” Jennifer Bubriski as “Genie Klein,” Autumn Eliza Sheffy as “Betty” (u/s “Carole King”), Matthew Neal as “Neil Sedaka, (u/s “Barry Mann”), Rachel Thompson as “Lucille”/”Janelle Woods”/“One Fine Day” Backup Singer,” Jim Sorensen as “Don Kirshner,” Shad Hanley* as “Gerry Goffin,” Harley Seger* as “Cynthia Weil,” Luke Hawkins* as “Barry Mann,” Dey Chante as “Little Eva,” Kevin Patrick Martin* as “Nick”/”Lou Adler,” (u/s “Don Kirshner”), Lauren Manna as “Marilyn Wald,” (u/s “Cynthia Weil”), Ekaterina Hicks-Magaña as “Uptown Singer,” Jack Greenberg as u/s “Gerry Goffin,” Miranda Slingluff as u/s “Genie Klein,” “The Drifters”: Noah Colvin, Brandon Howard, Kenny Lee, Martinez Napoleon*; “The Shirelles”: Dey Chante, Sky Fortes, Ekaterina Hicks-Magaña, Rachel Thompson; “The Righteous Brothers”: Kevin Patrick Martin*, Matthew Neal.Swings: Jack Greenberg, Miranda Slingluff, Heaven Williams.

Additional Creative Team:

Scenic Design - Derek McLane; Costume Design - Alejo Vietti; Lighting Design - Franklin Meissner, Jr.; Sound Design - Sebastian Nixon; Costume Coordinator - Ellie De Lucia; Production Manager - Michael Costa; Dance Captain - Kevin Patrick Martin*; Stage Manager - Elizabeth Yvette Ramirez*; Assistant Stage Managers - Andrea McAdam*, Alexis Bromander; Assistant Music Director - Jack Cline; Contractor - Jeffrey Leonard; Orchestrations, Vocal and Incidental Music Arrangements - Steve Sidwell; Additional Music Arrangements - Jason Howland; Assistant Director - Margaret McFadden; Dramaturg - Reese Leif; EDI Consultant - Hannah Shihdanian; Crew Chief - Lori E. Baruch; Production Electrician - Maxx Finn; Audio 1 - Sebastian Nixon; Audio 2 - Jakob Barret; Wig Supervisor - Ellie De Lucia; Wardrobe Run Crew - Kate Doucette; Spot Ops - Roz Umbrell, Robert "Mocha" Crisafulli; Light Board Operator - Margaret Garrett; Run Crew - George Fotis, Cassidy Kalke; Production Photography - Robert Pascucci. 

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Reagle Music Theatre, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Performances: 

June 13, 2025 through June 22, 2025

(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)

Robinson Theatre, REAGLE MUSIC THEATRE, 617 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA. 02452

TICKETS:            

By Phone # 781-891-5600

https://www.reaglemusictheatre.org/

Box Office Window:  Located under the Reagle Music Theatre marquee at Waltham High School. Box Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:00am until 4:00pm

BUY TICKETS

COVID 19 PROTOCOLS

Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.

(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)

Reagle Music Theatre hits all the right notes with an entertaining staging of "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" a biographical jukebox musical that is a joy from beginning to end. 

Given all the exuberant singing and dancing from the fervently talented cast, this is one, fun non-stop “some kind of wonderful” musical party. 

With a book by Douglas McGrath, "BEAUTIFUL" tells the captivating story of the early life and career of singer-songwriting legend Carole King (Olivia Palmer). 

Premiering on Broadway in 2014, "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" went on to win both Tony and Grammy Awards. 

The impressive Reagle cast is directed and choreographed by Deanna Dys with music direction by Mindy Cimini, shining a much-deserved light upon the music catalog of Carole King. 

King is recipient of four Grammy Awards, has been inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (the latter of which she was inducted twice – as a performer and songwriter). 

King was also awarded both the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song (as its first female recipient) and the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors. 

Carole King not only wrote/co-wrote many iconic ballads (“You’ve Got a Friend,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” as examples) she also was responsible for some memorable rock standards, as well (“Pleasant Valley Sunday,” “I Feel the Earth Move” and “The Locomotion”). 

Performed with minimal backgrounds and some inventive use of sets, with "BEAUTIFUL" Dys creates a dazzling yet faithful adaptation, supplemented by outstanding performances from members of the ensemble in various hitmaker roles. 

There is a cleverly staged montage of hits in the "1650 Broadway Melody" showcasing the immense catalog that came out of the famed “Brill Building” era. 

We are treated to many of the above-mentioned hits and more, including "The Locomotion" as sung by Little Eva (Dey Chante) choreographed by Dys and performed by the ensemble. 

There are two basic types of “jukebox musicals.” 

The first tends to involve a contrived, (usually) ridiculous, flimsy plot designed to string a catalog of songs into a show. 

The arguably more effective alternative (again, usually) involves telling the biography of the composer/artist involved in the songs and, in the case of "BEAUTIFUL" this show tells the story of the multi-talented King, who began her illustrious career while still a teenager. 

In her performance, both musically and as the character, Olivia Palmer wisely does not attempt a full-on “impression” or impersonation of King. 

There are moments in her performance where Palmer enhances the “sound” of King with impressive “Broadway belter” moments without ever losing the essence of King. 

Palmer is also exemplary in her dramatic representation of the persona of King, nailing certain unexpected moments of humor, as well. 

Even with biographical stories, which have a reverential through line of truth for the artists in question (“Tina,” “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” “Jersey Boys” just to name a few), the biggest complaint critics have for most jukebox musicals is that they lack substance. 

Not so with "BEAUTIFUL" thanks, in part, to McGrath’s book, but mostly because of King herself, who was not born to follow any career path but the one she managed to navigate on her own at an early age (16) with and without songwriting partner and future husband, Gerry Goffin (Shad Hanley). 

King’s music, especially when using Goffin’s distinctive lyrics, reflected a changing perception of women of all ages, who were seen emerging more and more from relegated lives in suburbia, which, perhaps to some, felt like their own private “Pleasant Valley Sunday” hell. 

Young women, in particular, felt they had more to contribute to the world. 

Here, ironically, it is Goffin, as shown in the musical, who finds himself struggling with life in suburbia, leading to an ultimate turning point in their marriage. 

As described in the lyrics of the aforementioned Monkees’ hit, suburbia meant “Rows of houses that are all the same, and no one seems to care” as “Mothers complain about how hard life is, and the kids just don’t understand.”  

As one of Goffin’s purported idols, Bob Dylan, would point out, the "times" they were "a changin’." 

(Photo: Shad Hanley as “Gerry Goffin,” with Olivia Palmer as “Carole King,” in a moment from the musical "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" now playing at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham, MA. through June 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Robert Pascucci)

King was among many women seeking that “one fine day” in their lives when they would find much longed for “elements” within their own truth to help them feel like more “natural women” as opposed to the female roles 20th-century society had dictated. 

Many women found those “elements” contained within the lyrics of King’s music, especially songs from her quintessential “Tapestry” solo album, revealing not only King’s versatility, but also her compassion, confidence, strength and vulnerability. 

These women discovered they, indeed, had a “friend” in Carole King and that their friend was telling them it wasn’t too late for them to see their lives fulfilled, as well.  

These moments and songs are executed flawlessly by Palmer as King in "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" aided by a fine supporting cast.

Jennifer Bubriski is hilarious as King’s overprotective mother, Genie Klein, not allowing the character to fall into a stereotypical Jewish mother character. 

Hanley has a fine voice that blends well with Palmer, and is convincing as Goffin, who was both complex and troubled, struggling with drugs and other personal demons. 

There are scenes from the Goffin-King marriage that some might find troubling but in showcasing King’s evolution, not only as an artist but as the person she would ultimately become, is necessary. 

As adversities befall her throughout the show, we come to learn that Carole King was not only a talented composer, not only a resilient artist, not only a great collaborator, she was (and also remains) a fascinating, engaging and persistent presence in the world of music. 

(Photo: Dey Chante as "Little Eva" with members of the CAST in a "transportative" moment from the musical "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" now playing at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham, MA. through June 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Robert Pascucci)

The "BEAUTIFUL" score contains not only music by King and other legendary songwriters, but also a compliment of meticulously crafted orchestrations, featuring vocal and music arrangements provided by Sony/ATV Music Publishing Orchestrations and vocal and incidental music arrangements by Steve Sidwell. 

The ensemble, who also serve as pivotal characters in the Goffin-King professional and personal history, execute the material well. 

On the production side - there were some noticeable issues at the June 14^th performance with the stage tract as it helped to move scenery on and off stage. 

Overall, though, the transitions from scene to scene were implemented well. 

As the story evolves from the early 1960s to the 1970s, in terms of costumes, make-up and hair, the Reagle Music Theatre creative teams all have risen to these representative challenges. 

The career of King, Brooklyn-born as Carole Klein, is a relevant subject for a musical, as she would help to score much of the ’60s and ’70s. 

Jim Sorensen convincingly portrays famed (and occasionally infamous) music mogul Don Kirshner, who gave King her first big break and, as written here, Kirshner comes across far more “larger than life” – vibrant, amusing and charismatic. 

The above portrayal is a far cry from the droll, monotone, balding, droopy jowl-ed, leisure suit-clad persona many folks “of a certain age” might recall from his “Rock Concert” television show from the ’70s.Oh, well - the "magic" of theatre. 

(Photo: Shad Hanley as “Gerry Goffin,” Olivia Palmer as “Carole King,” Luke Hawkins as “Barry Mann,” Harley Seger as “Cynthia Weil” and Jim Sorensen as “Don Kirshner” in a moment from the musical "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" now playing at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham, MA. through June 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Robert Pascucci)

Another songwriter well-represented in "BEAUTIFUL" from the "Brill Building era" is iconic songwriter Cynthia Weil (Harley Seger). 

Weil’s presence in "BEAUTIFUL" is affectionately represented by Seger's seemingly lighthearted performance. 

Weil is featured prominently in a parallel story of love and partnership with her most famous songwriting collaborator, Barry Mann (Luke Hawkins), and these collaborators would become songwriting rivals and dearest friends of Goffin and King. 

Mann and Weil were also true pioneers of ’60s music with a success equaling that of Goffin and King. 

The above is probably the greatest strength of "BEAUTIFUL" as it gives us the impression that we are getting TWO jukebox musicals for the price of one. 

Such a deal. 

Back in 2004, Mann and Weil together performed "They Wrote That?" - a musical revue based on their songs. 

In it, Mann sang and Weil told stories of their songs and of their personal history. 

In 1987, Goffin, King, Mann and Weil were all inducted, together, into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

In 1990, Goffin and King would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while Mann and Weil would be inducted (by King) in 2010. 

We see the two sets of songwriting duos not only as competitors, but supporters, collaborators and, most of all, friends.

(Photo: The CAST of the musical "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" now playing at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham, MA. through June 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Robert Pascucci)

Outside of the songs that King wrote, many with Goffin, "BEAUTIFUL" also features other compositions by Mann and Weil, including "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," (absolutely nailed by Hawkins’ vocal rendering) “You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," "On Broadway" and more. 

Again, the above songs are all wonderfully brought forth by the Reagle Music Theatre ensemble. 

Seger and Hawkins have great comedic chemistry as Mann and Weil, off-setting the troubled Goffin-King relationship. 

The outstanding Reagle Music Theatre orchestra executes the vivacious "BEAUTIFUL" score and reminds us all of the joy of listening to live music as it supports the performers on stage.

"BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" continues at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham, MA. through June 22^nd, 2025 and is part of this season's ongoing season's series theme of "True Stories, Unforgettable Journeys."  

Up next as part of this themed series will be the true story of Eva Perón in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, "EVITA"  beginning July 11^th, 2025.

For tickets or more information, check out Reagle Music Theatre by visiting them online at https://www.reaglemusictheatre.org/ or by calling them at # 781-891-5600.   

BUY TICKETS

Approximately two hours, 20 minutes with one intermission.

Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)

@MetrmagReviews

@Theatre_Critics

ABOUT THE SHOW 

Follow the remarkable journey of Carole King, from a teenage songwriter in Brooklyn to one of the most iconic voices in music history. 

Packed with beloved hits like "You've Got a Friend," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "It's Too Late" and "I Feel the Earth Move," "BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL" is an inspiring and uplifting celebration of her life, love, and legendary career. 

This Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical takes you behind the scenes of the songs you know and love, showcasing the triumphs, struggles, and friendships that shaped a generation of music. 

ABOUT REAGLE MUSIC THEATRE OF GREATER BOSTON

REAGLE MUSIC THEATRE OF GREATER BOSTON's mission is to present the highest quality of musical theatre productions by combining talented regional performers with professional performers and technicians, thus providing an unusual learning experience for its regular members and more enjoyable experiences for its audiences. REAGLE MUSIC THEATRE is committed to using the skills of its company to strengthen and enhance teaching and learning in the Waltham Public Schools by educating youth to the joys of theatre, and by using theatre techniques to enhance learning in other curriculum areas. Our offerings include musicals, concerts, revues, educational programming, New York theatergoing trips, and more.

REAGLE MUSIC THEATRE OF GREATER BOSTON, INC.

617 Lexington Street

Waltham, MA. 02452

Phone # 781-891-5600

FAX # 781-701-0750

www.reaglemusictheatre.org