Photo Flash: A Look Back at BEAUTIFUL, Now Playing Final Four Weeks in London

By: Jul. 05, 2017
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The West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, based on the early life and career of legendary singer songwriter Carole King, will complete its run at the Aldwych Theatre on 5 August 2017.

The UK tour of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical will open in Bradford on 9 September 2017 and continues in Plymouth, Southampton, Norwich, Southend, Nottingham, Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham, Newcastle, Hull, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin, Aberdeen, Sheffield, Glasgow, Milton Keynes, Woking, Sunderland, Bristol, Leeds, Stoke on Trent, Liverpool and Oxford, with all venues currently on sale.

- The Carole King Musical received its Broadway premiere in January 2014 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre where it continues to play to packed houses. The London premiere was in February 2015 and a US tour began later that year. An Australian production will open in Sydney in September this year.

During its two and a half year run in the West End, the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning show had two visits from Carole King, when on both occasions she surprised the cast and audience at the curtain call. Both times she was greeted with a standing ovation at the Aldwych Theatre as she took to the stage to sing her classic hit You've Got A Friend. Joining King for London's opening night were fellow composersCynthia Weil and Barry Mann, whose story is also told as part of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical.

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical is the untold story of her journey from school girl to superstar; from her relationship with husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, their close friendship and playful rivalry with fellow song-writing duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, to her remarkable rise to stardom. Along the way, she became one of the most successful solo acts in music history, and wrote the soundtrack to a generation.

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical features the Carole King classics including So Far Away, It Might as Well Rain Until September, Take Good Care of my Baby, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Up on the Roof, Locomotion, One Fine Day, You've Got a Friend, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and I Feel the Earth Move, along with hits from songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil like You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling, On Broadway and Uptown.

The West End cast comprises Cassidy Janson in the title role, Matthew Seadon-Young as King's husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, Stephanie McKeon as song-writer Cynthia Weil, Ian McIntosh as song-writer Barry Mann, Joseph Prouse as music publisher and producer Donnie Kirshner and Barbara Drennan as King's mother Genie Klein.

They are joined by Gavin Alex, Georgie Ashford, Koko Basigara, Tsemaye Bob-Egbe, Ashford Campbell, Treyc Cohen, Natasha Cottriall, Michael Duke, Matthew Gonsalves, Jammy Kasongo, Leigh Lothian and Earl R. Perkins who play iconic musical performers and band members of the era and swings Derek Aidoo, Rosie Heath, Dominic Hodson, Emma Louise Jones, Jessica Joslin, Vicki Manser, David O'Mahony and Jaime Tait.

Book is by Douglas McGrath with words and music by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann andCynthia Weil. The production is directed by Marc Bruni with choreography is by Josh Prince, set designs by Derek McLane, costume designs by Alejo Vietti, lighting by Peter Kaczorowski and sound by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations and Music Arrangements are by Steve Sidwell.

Producers are Paul Blake, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Jeffrey A. Sine, Richard A. Smith, Mike Bosner, Harriet N. Leve/Elaine Krauss, Terry Schnuck, Orin Wolf, Patty Baker/Good Productions, Roger Faxon, Larry Magid, Kit Seidel, Lawrence S. Toppall, Fakston Productions/Mary Solomon, William Court Cohen, BarLor Productions, Matthew C. Blank, Tim Hogue, Joel Hyatt, Marianne Mills, Michael J. Moritz, Jr., StylesFour Productions, Brunish & Trinchero and Jeremiah J. Harris.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Carole King surprises West End cast, 6 March 2017, photo Craig Sugden

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Carole King surprises West End cast, 6 March 2017, photo Craig Sugden

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Katie Brayben (Carole King) and Carole King (Music/Lyrics) during the curtain call on Press Night for Beautiful - The Carole King Musical at the Aldwych Theatre, London, England on 24th February 2015. (Credit Dan Wooller/wooller.com).

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Carole King (Music/Lyrics) during the curtain call on Press Night for Beautiful - The Carole King Musical at the Aldwych Theatre, London, England on 24th February 2015. (Credit: Dan Wooller/wooller.com).

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Lorna Want and Katie Brayben celebrate at Oliviers (Photo Dan Wooler)

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
First Birthday celebrations, cake by Konditor and Cook . Photo credit Dan Wooller

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Second Birthday cake, cake by Konditor and Cook

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Cassidy Janson (Carole King) and Matthew Seadon-Young (Gerry Goffin) in Beautiful The Carole King Musical. Photo Credit Brinkhoff Moegenburg.

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
L-R Joseph Prouse (Don Kirshner), Ian McIntosh (Barry Mann), Lorna Want (Cynthia Weil), Cassidy Janson (Carole King). Photo Credit Brinkhoff Moegenburg.



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