Kyra Kennedy as Carole King in jukebox musical “Beautiful” at Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick. Photo courtesy of MSMT/Jared Morneau Photography Maine State Music Theatre is closing out its 2024 season with a jukebox musical about a woman whose juggernaut of hit pop songs became synonymous with the music of the ‘60s and ‘70s. WHAT: “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” WHERE: Maine State Music Theatre, 1 Bath Road, Brunswick REVIEWED: Aug.
8; runs through Aug. 24 TICKETS: $80-$131 CONTACT: 207-725-8769, msmt.org But “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” is much more than a walk down memory lane.
It’s a roller coaster of jaunting highs and soul-stirring lows that make the biographical musical truly beautiful. Many remember Carole King as a chart-topping solo artist who released well-known ‘70s hits such as “It’s Too Late” and “I Feel the Earth Move” but don’t realize that she was instrumental in shaping the sound of the ’60s, co-writing songs for the biggest musical acts of the time. The Drifters, The Shirelles, The Righteous Brothers, The Monkeys and Aretha Franklin were just a few of the recording artists for whom King composed 118 pop hits.
Songs included “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and “Locomotion,” which turned Little Eva, whom King had hired as a babysitter, into a teen sensation. King, born Carole Klein, sold her first song at age 16, winning over legendary music producer Don Kirshner with “It Mi.