Miranda Finally Brings Beautiful the Carole King Musical to the Stage

Well, it’s been nearly two years in the making, but Miranda Musical Society (NSW) are so happy to finally be bringing their long-awaited production of Beautiful the Carole King Musical to the stage in January 2022. We chat with Emilie Lawson, who plays the role of Carole King.

Q. Two years is a long time to wait to put on a show. How does it feel finally getting to share this musical with audiences.

A – Two years is a very long time, however I like to tell people that this production is definitely well worth the wait. Making the decision to postpone in March 2020 was difficult, but I am very grateful to our production team and committee, who really fought to keep our show alive and worked hard to ensure we could get it to stage one day. The upside of a two year delay means we’ve had ample time to practice and rehearse, so I’m just really excited for audiences to see all the hard work that’s gone into this show from day one.

Q. Carole King is coming up to her 80^th birthday next month – were you very familiar with her music before getting cast in this role?

A – To be honest, while I had heard of Carole King growing up, I had no idea who she was or any of the songs she wrote…or so I thought! When Beautiful toured Australia professionally many years ago, I even remember giving my ticket away, as I didn’t think I’d enjoy a jukebox musical with songs I didn’t know. However, I ended up attending and low and behold, there were so many familiar favourites, I just never realised they were songs she wrote. ‘You’ve Got a Friend’, ‘Natural Women’, ‘I Feel the Earth Move’…the list goes on. From that moment I fell in love with the show and had such a deeper appreciation for Carole and her legacy.

Q. In this production we’ve heard that you are actually accompanying yourself live on the piano! Was it difficult to learn her songs on piano and integrate this into your performance of Carole?

A – Yes, I will be playing a few songs live on the piano throughout the show, as will Stefan Jamal who plays rival songwriter Barry Mann. Thankfully I do have a few years of piano training behind me, but nothing could have prepared me for the unique challenge of learning lines, songs and a piano score! But thankfully our musical director Peter Sampson is fantastic and has worked closely with myself and Stefan to seamlessly integrate what we play with the orchestra and help blend between scenes and songs. Overall, I think it helps capture the essence of these characters even more.

Q. While Beautiful does feature many of Carole’s great hits, there are other performers and characters that people might recognise. Who can we expect to appear in the production?

A - The great thing about Beautiful is that it spans across two decades and features incredible artists that Carole and her husband Gerry Goffin (Christopher Melotti) wrote songs for. A few favourites are songs ‘Up on the Roof’ and ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ performed by The Drifters, and ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’, performed by The Shirelles. The show also isn’t just about Carole however, it also features her best friends Cynthia Weil (Tanya Boyle) and Barry Mann (Stefan Jamal) as they compete to write No. 1 Billboard hits. It’s competitive, fun and hilarious as you watch the way these characters build off one another and grow as artists. The rest of our cast are excellent and there are also some wonderful ensemble numbers that I’m excited for audiences to see.

Q – If, like you. someone doesn’t know much about Carole King or is unsure if they should come see the production, what would say to them? 

A - This production is titled Beautiful for a reason. While yes it’s one of Carole’s biggest hits from her Tapestry album, this musical is so warm and full of songs and moments that will bring a smile to your face. Whether you’re 16 or 60, Carole’s music transcends generations and provides a welcome night out after so many spent in isolation and lockdowns. You won’t want to miss it. 

Beautiful the Carole King Musical, presented by Miranda Musical Society, opens this week at Anita’s Theatre in Thirroul. 6 performances only from January 26-30^th.

Tickets available via: https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-touring-tickets/artist/2117653