![\"Logan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TFL-Z-CAROLE-KING-2-01.jpg\")
Logan Green, Jawan Hayes, Jermarcus Riggins and Jerel Brown as The Drifters in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” (Larry Marano\/Courtesy)<\/p>\n\u201cBeautiful: The Carole King Musical,\u201d receiving a highly entertaining production by Slow Burn Theatre Co., is more than a story about how a teenager evolved into one of the first successful female rock singer-songwriters.<\/p>\n
For many of us, \u201cBeautiful\u201d is the soundtrack of our youth, a touchstone of the culture of the 1960s and \u201970s, and a chronicle of the shift of American rock music from light, teeny-bopper tunes to deeper lyrics.<\/p>\n
Slow Burn\u2019s \u201cBeautiful,\u201d running through March 1 at Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Broward Center for the Performing Arts, is an overall polished production \u2014 pure enjoyment that dips into a history of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll, under the solid direction of Slow Burn co-founder Patrick Fitzwater, with precise choreography by Cat Pagano.<\/p>\n
But like King\u2019s career, not all has been smooth with this production as Slow Burn overcame several challenges. Due to multiple cast illnesses, Slow Burn was forced to cancel its scheduled opening weekend. Instead, \u201cBeautiful\u201d opened Wednesday, Feb. 18, with one ensemble member having to be replaced. To make up for the lost performances, Slow Burn has added three shows to the schedule.<\/p>\n
Still, Slow Burn\u2019s problems were not evident on opening night. In true \u201cthe show must go on\u201d tradition, the cast, musicians and production staff didn\u2019t miss a beat in bringing to life Carole King\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get the history lesson out of the way. According to several sources and the plot of \u201cBeautiful,\u201d King wrote or co-wrote at least 118 songs that landed on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1960s and 1970s, her most prolific time. At least 61 songs landed on the U.K. charts. During the 1960s, King and her first husband, Gerry Goffin, composed more than two dozen songs for others. She became a successful solo performer during the 1970s.<\/p>\n
Many of those songs have become rock standards, recorded and re-recorded by a variety of artists \u2014 songs instantly recognized and hummable. Fortunately, most of the audience on opening night left the singing to the professionals on the Broward Center stage.<\/p>\n
Logan Green, Jawan Hayes, Jermarcus Riggins and Jerel Brown as The Drifters in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.” (Larry Marano\/Courtesy)<\/p>\n
\u201cBeautiful\u201d begins with King\u2019s origin story: Enthusiastic 16-year-old Brooklynite Carole Klein (Monet Sabel) wants more than anything to write music, although her mother, Genie (Colleen Pagano), would prefer a nice, steady profession like teaching. But her mother allows her to see producer Don Kirshner (Michael Dean Morgan), whose writers churn out songs for singers.\u00a0To everyone\u2019s surprise, Kirshner likes the teenager\u2019s songs.<\/p>\n
Soon, she meets Gerry Goffin (Milo Alosi). The two are in love with each other, with love itself and with music \u2014 all of which sets the path of their songwriting career.<\/p>\n
The focus on the couple smoothly moves to show what else was happening music-wise during this time. King and Goffin\u2019s best friends \u2014 and competitors \u2014 are Cynthia Weil (Lindsey Corey) and Barry Mann (Nick Anastasia), songwriters who work out of the same office, turning out hits and eventually marrying.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeautiful\u201d shows the foursome\u2019s talent, skill and influence on the music scene, as well as how they each maneuver their personal lives in a tough business.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeautiful\u201d premiered in 2013 in San Francisco, making it to Broadway the following year. Since then, it has become a favorite of regional theaters and is on several Florida schedules this year. \u201cBeautiful\u201d is partially based on the musician\u2019s 2012 memoir, \u201cA Natural Woman,\u201d and is, for the most part, an accurate depiction of King and the time.<\/p>\n
The first act follows King\u2019s years as a kind of ensemble player, writing songs with Goffin and for other singers. But in the second act, she blossoms, discovering who she is as an artist, embracing her independence and finding her own voice and attitude. This came full force with her wonderful, groundbreaking 1971 album, \u201cTapestry,\u201d which won four Grammy Awards. When she sings the showstopper \u201c(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,\u201d we know she is on her way.<\/p>\n
![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TFL-Z-CAROLE-KING-3-01.jpg\")
Nick Anastasia as Barry Mann and Lindsey Corey as Cynthia Weil in \u201cBeautiful: The Carole King Musical.\u201d (Larry Marano\/Courtesy)<\/p>\n
As Carole King, Sabel is a revelation, embracing the role of the singer-songwriter with heart and verve. She believably takes on King\u2019s story arc, showing her maturation to a superstar who can command an audience on her own. Sabel has real chemistry with Alosi, who shows Goffin\u2019s charm and talent and why he and King fell in love.<\/p>\n
Lindsey Corey continues to elevate every role she is in, bringing wit, sincerity and fashion style as Cynthia Weil. The relationship with the thoroughly likable Nick Anastasia as Barry Mann is believable.<\/p>\n
One of Kirshner\u2019s talents was matching the appropriate tune with the correct artist, making the songs hits and the singers stars. The Righteous Brothers (a too-brief appearance), The Drifters and The Shirelles were proof of this. Morgan is a formidable rock as Kirshner, who was both behind-the-scenes and front-and-center in shaping the music scene.<\/p>\n
Many compliments to Slow Burn\u2019s production staff, including Nikolas Serrano, with his effective three-tiered scene design accented by a mosaic of lights, Dan Donato (sound), Eric Norbury (lighting) and Rick Pe\u00f1a (costumes).<\/p>\n
Slow Burn continues to embrace the joy of live music \u2014 and the band, led by conductor and music director Gianfranco \u201cGio\u201d Tio, was outstanding.<\/p>\n
Whatever you do, stay for the curtain call as the cast delivers a rousing \u201cI Feel The Earth Move,\u201d encouraging the audience to join in. Prolong the enjoyment.<\/p>\n
If you go<\/p>\n
WHAT: \u201cBeautiful: The Carole King Musical,\u201d presented by Slow Burn Theatre Co.<\/p>\n
WHEN: Through Sunday, March 1<\/p>\n
WHERE: Amaturo Theater, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale<\/p>\n
COST: Starts at $49; available by calling 954-462-0222, visiting browardcenter.org<\/a>\u00a0or going to Broward Center\u2019s\u00a0AutoNation Box Office<\/p>\n INFORMATION: slowburntheatre.org<\/a><\/p>\n