BWW Q&A: RJ Woessner Talks BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical at STAGES St. Louis

STAGES St. Louis continues its acclaimed 2025 season with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, directed by Jennifer Werner. The hit Broadway musical follows the extraordinary journey of Carole King - from her early days as a teenage songwriter in Brooklyn to becoming one of the most influential voices in American pop music. Featuring beloved classics such as “I Feel the Earth Move,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” the production celebrates King’s artistry, resilience, and enduring impact on generations of musicians.

The cast includes singer and performer RJ Woessner, known to audiences worldwide as the tenor of Disney’s DCappella. With nearly 100 recordings on Walt Disney Records, international concert appearances, and television credits including SNL and Disney+ specials, Woessner brings a wealth of experience to the STAGES production. In Beautiful, he steps into the shoes of multiple real-life music icons, including Neil Sedaka, a Righteous Brother, and producer Lou Adler.

STAGES St. Louis remains one of the region’s leading professional theatres, attracting top talent from Broadway and beyond while supporting the local artistic community through its Performing Arts Academy and hundreds of union work weeks annually.

BroadwayWorld spoke with RJ Woessner about returning to musical theatre, his approach to portraying legendary artists, his time with Disney’s DCappella, and the lessons he’s learned balancing a versatile career in music, theatre, and media.

What was it about STAGES St. Louis' production of BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical that attracted you to the project?

When I saw the casting notice, I recognized the name of the Artistic Director of STAGES, Gayle Seay, who cast a previous show in NYC that I toured with nationally, and I really liked her. I suppose I had a hunch that it would be a fruitful, fantastic experience. (Fortunately, I was correct!) This is my first full-length musical theater show after signing with Walt Disney Records, seven years ago. I knew Beautiful would be a great match for my artistic skillset. As a Hoosier, I also loved the idea of coming back to the Midwest!

Can you describe your process of preparing to portray such iconic figures as Neil Sedaka, Righteous Brother, and Lou Adler?

It all comes from a place of “play” and exploring what works best for each moment as each character. I research each person, reading and watching interviews/performances to try and incorporate any physicality, vocal patterns, or timbre without doing a straight-up impersonation. I find that having these physicalities or accents help anchor a character and give some separation from myself. The rest is up to my own intuitive spontaneity each night in the moment.

What challenges have you faced in embodying these real-life musicians?

The main challenge is that I play ancillary characters in Carole’s story, so there isn’t a character arc when you only have 8 lines of dialogue or a song here or there, so my choices must serve the story efficiently and clearly. When I am going in and out of different scenes as different people, I have lines or snippets I act out or sing as each guy to get into character and find the physicality that allows me to slot in right before I go on.

How does performing live on stage in a theatre production compare to performing live on camera for TV and media?

Both are great, but stage acting requires bigger choices usually. Stillness is powerful in both mediums, but subtlety is key when on camera, so less is more. The stage also does not allow re-dos, so live theater feels personal for each audience, organic and ephemeral. Theater is exhilarating and often more gratifying than TV, getting immediate feedback with the X-factor of an audience, versus TV, where you often act to imaginary people off camera and have to trust that your best choices will make it into the final edit, which requires a degree of letting go.

What advice would you give to young performers looking to build a versatile career in music and theatre?

Stay curious and open! Train as much as possible and surround yourself with talented friends and colleagues. They’ll be your future collaborators. I am a believer that you don’t want to be the best or smartest one in the room, otherwise you need to find a new room! Diversify your talents and aim to have multiple streams of income, because the entertainment industry is brutal but insanely rewarding at the same time. You never know what aspect of your skills will be the thing that ignites your career. Lastly, be a kind person who people love being around and you will be surprised what doors open.

How does the story of Carole King resonate with your own journey as an artist?

I resonate with Carole’s passion for music as a teenager and wanting to pursue it to no end as well as her bravery to take on challenges like writing string parts for the Shirelles with hours notice. I’ve been in that same position on many projects and it sharpens you, musical and non-musical. It proves that you have what it takes – even under scary or daunting circumstances. Also, that sometimes having a deadline is the best way to make progress as an artist.

Why must audiences come and see the show?