Review: BEAUTIFUL's Emotional Musical Journey is One of Dr. Phillips Center's Best

Unsurprisingly, the crowd at Orlando's Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for the Opening Night performance of the Tony-winning musical BEAUTIFUL, the final show of the 2015-2016 Broadway in Orlando season, was filled with baby boomers. Not only does that age group line up with traditional theatergoing demographics, but it also encompasses the generations that grew up listening to the music of the legendary songwriter and reluctant performer, Carole King, the show's inspiration. However, the musical, playing through Sunday, May 8th, will almost certainly appeal to music (and musical) lovers of all ages. In fact, the timeless tunes, inventive staging, and dynamite performances make BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL one of the most universally appealing shows in the Dr. Phillips Center's brief year and a half history.

With the music of Carole King and her songwriting partner Gerry Goffin as the show's backbone, bookwriter Doug McGrath weaves together a story that begins with King as a plucky 16-year-old looking to break into the business and ends with her performing on one of the world's most famous stages.

In addition to more than a decade worth of Goffin and King hits, BEAUTIFUL also utilizes the catalogue of the pair's friends and rivals Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Between the two teams, they accounted for some of the biggest hits of the 60s and 70s, including "Take Good Care of My Baby," "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "Up on the Roof," "The Locomotion," "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling," "One Fine Day," "Natural Woman," and many more.

On face value, BEAUTIFUL's plot is a thin excuse to perform these incredible songs, but when the music stops, we are treated with short spirts of authentic emotions and rich, nuanced characterizations. On paper, the book scenes are dwarfed by the songs, but the strength of the performances carry the short scenes from simple filler (which is often the case in bio-musicals) to the show's impactful, connective tissue.

Much of that is on the strength of Abby Mueller, who plays King. Though she doesn't particularly resemble the legendary songwriter either physically or vocally, Mueller so completely embodies King's self-effacing, slightly square persona that she is immediately recognizable. Mueller's charm and ease in the role allow the audience to immediately identify with, and understand, King's insecurity even while routinely topping the charts. Mueller delivers a stunningly emotional and efficient performance, making the most of dialogue that could become cliché or trite in lesser hands.

Mueller is equally adept singing. She adopts a slight affectation to mimic King's signature sound, but her voice is nonetheless rich and glorious. One of the points that BEAUTIFUL makes about both King and Goffin is that at their cores they are storytellers; and as Mueller sings their stories, her multi-faceted voice is able to draw out every thread of feeling from the emotionally intricate lyrics and melodies.

Mueller's younger sister Jessie won the 2014 Tony Award for originating the role of Carole King in BEAUTIFUL on Broadway.

As King's writing partner and husband, Goffin, Andrew Brewer provides much of the show's conflict as he begins to feel unfulfilled both professionally and personally. Though few details are discussed in the show, BEAUTIFUL does allude to Goffin's history of drug use and mental illness.

Brewer is a worthy counter for Mueller, able to play off of her humor and naiveté with both genuine love and palpable frustration. Like his co-star, Brewer is also able to communicate the deepest emotions that are often overlooked in some of pop music's most iconic tunes.

After Opening Night, the tour's normal Goffin, Liam Tobin, returned to the role.

While BEAUTIFUL does chronicle the emotional rollercoaster of King and Goffin's lives together, the show is also filled with plenty of humor. McGrath's brisk book is packed with funny lines, but its construction also provides more than the occasional laugh; often in the form of Neil Sedaka (John Michael Dias).

If King and Goffin are the show's emotional center, Weil and Mann are their comic relief. Becky Gulsvig is wonderfully charming as the team's work-driven lyricist, Cynthia Weil. As Mann, Ben Fankhauser is equal parts nebbish and assertive. Both former Broadway leads, the pair shows as strong of voices as they do comedic chops, and the show's entertaining balance is all the better for it.

BEAUTIFUL also gets enjoyable performances by Curt Bouril as "The Man with the Golden Ears" Don Kirshner and Suzanne Grodner, as King's mother Genie.

Whether you will know every word, or just recognize the occasional melody, don't miss out on this delightful gem of a modern jukebox musical. To get tickets to see BEAUTIFUL, visit the Dr. Phillips website, or call 844-513-2014.

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Banner Image: Abby Mueller. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus