Here is Part Two of my survey of the current Broadway season in New York: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical – There were surely biographical jukebox musicals before 2005’s Jersey Boys, which celebrated the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. But it was the enormous success of that show that begat Beautiful about Carole King’s life, next season’s Cher musical and this … [Read more...]
Songs, performers, but not script, make ‘Beautiful’ a success
Like most biographical jukebox stage shows, the strength of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is in its nostalgic score of song hits, which constitutes the soundtrack of the Baby Boomer generation’s youth. The script, which chronicles King’s early life and career, as well as that of her husband-lyricist Gerry Goffin and their friendly songwriting competitors, Cynthia Weil … [Read more...]