A Beautiful Vision

Coral Drouyn talks to Julia Dray, who plays Carole King in the latest production of Beautiful – which opens at Star Casino Theatre on the Gold Coast this weekend, and looks at the visionary producer Matt Ward.

Producer Matt Ward is not just a dreamer. He’s a man with a vision. That vision is that major musical productions in this country do not have to originate in Melbourne or Sydney. Instead, he is committed to mounting major full-scale musicals on the Gold Coast, which seems, to some, the most unlikely of places. But Matt is a Gold Coast boy through and through. He’s worked overseas, he understands the business, he knows the talent is here, he’s a brilliant vocal coach and he has the drive. He has produced shows for QPAC and HOTA but has found a niche at the under-used but well-appointed Star Casino theatre (which really does deserve a name of its own).

With a strong commitment to excellence, he also has a brilliant talent for promotion. He has proved the audience is there…with sell out seasons of Mamma Mia! (for me, it was superior to the original) and Priscilla. He has quickly become a major force in the national theatre scene and this year will produce not one but TWO multi-million dollar major musicals. Billy Elliot will start its limited season on July 1^st but is expected to sell out long before. And this week Beautiful – The Carole King Musical opens its season.

Directed and choreographed by Johanna Allen, one of our finest performers, and with musical direction by the much-lauded David Piper, it promises to be another excursion into excellence and entertainment. But the search for the right actress to play Carole King was not an easy task. After failing to find the perfect Carole here, he managed to entice  ex-pat Julia Dray to come back home and leave the West End behind.

Julia, who trained at WAAPA and won the prestigious Hal Leonard award, has a long association with the show. She understudied Esther Hannaford in the original production, then joined the UK production in the West End, where she got to play the role on many occasions. Now, at the perfect age of 33, she gets to create her OWN Carole in her own country.

It was a delight that she agreed to answer some questions for Stage Whispers.

What age did you star in your first musical?

Not until I was 27! Went to drama school after 5 years with a Media & Communications degree.

Your CV is seriously impressive. How long have you had your eyes on the role of leading lady in Beautiful the Carole King musical?

I first saw the show on Broadway in 2015, and in the West End in 2016 - and instantly knew that Carole was a dream role. So you could say I've had my eye on the prize for 8 years!

Why does the musical resonate with you personally?

Beautiful resonates with everyone. Truthfully, every single person who watches this show will end up saying, “Oh I LOVE this song." It's going to surprise people how many hits Carole and Gerry Goffin wrote. Personally I resonate with Carole's journey to finding her own voice and stepping out as an independent artist. Carole quietly worked in the background for years and years. She was a prodigy at such a young age, and had an innate ability to connect musically with universal emotions. But before she released Tapestry, people didn't even know who she was. Stepping out into the spotlight now, I feel like I'll have the chance to connect with her even more. My next step will be starting to write and sing my own music - a lifelong dream.

You’ve taken stage as a Carole King understudy, how does it feel to be cast as the leading lady in Matt Ward Entertainment’s latest production? 
This show has been woven through my life for the past 8 years and my relationship with the role runs deeper than I could describe. I started learning and singing every Carole King song before they'd announced the first Australian tour - back in 2015. The last production I was involved in was cancelled in March 2020, and since then I've wondered whether I'd ever get the chance to perform again, let alone complete my journey with Beautiful. Over the years I've stepped into the shoes of some incredible actresses. But I'm so privileged and excited to finally create my own Carole. She's been waiting in the wings. 

How would you describe Matt Ward as a producer / creative?

Matt has been so kind, and passionate about bringing this story to life. It seems that in the past few years there has been a boom in creativity and talent located on the Gold Coast and I think Matt is right at the heart of that. It's very exciting and I can't wait to see what he does next!

How does the Australian musical / arts / entertainment scene compare to the UK? Where would you say there is more opportunity / industry appreciation?

They're very different beasts! An appreciation for the arts is very firmly embedded in the UK (and American) cultures. There are so many more theatres, which means more opportunities to experiment with new work and most importantly, fail. It's an exciting environment. That said, Australians are the most talented performers and crew I've ever worked with, and the shows that we create here are better than world class. I think the scarcity of work creates extremely hard working and passionate casts. Watching a show in Australia you can feel the energy leaping off the stage.

Is it more competitive overseas?

Yes absolutely! There are so many graduates entering the industry every year. But as an Australian moving over, you realise we have extremely high standards and amazing training. We can compete in any international environment.

What’s the musical / arts scene like in the UK? How does it compare to the Australian industry?

The Brits are very proud of their heritage and culture, and they really do show up to support new writing that tells UK stories. Theatre-going is such a normal part of socialising for most British people. They have a scale of theatres - from tiny pub venues to huge West End theatres, so there is a chance for shows to develop and grow.

I think we have all the talent here, world class facilities and unique stories to tell. If we support our amazing writers so they are able to mount large scale works telling Australian stories, audiences will show up. Look at the success in recent years of music theatre productions like Muriel's Wedding and Fangirls, which are going on to international runs. More please!

Is the long flight home to Australia feeling fruitful? How does it feel to be home? 

I could live happily never doing a long haul flight again! But it's a necessary evil because at the end of it I get to enjoy this amazing sunshine, beaches, friends and family. It's a lucky escape from the icy London streets at the moment. If you have a listen to “Home Again” from Carole King's Tapestry album - that about sums up the feeling. I count my blessings every day that I'll always have this beautiful country to come back to.

How does it feel to be straight off the plane and into a photoshoot for the new show? Is acting / performing as glamorous as it is perceived to be?

It's WILD. My head is still spinning. I found out I landed this role and had only three weeks to pack up my life for the next few months. I've done a lot of suitcase living over the past few years, but this was for the very best reason. I don't think it will actually feel real until opening night. Acting can feel very glamorous at times - pinch me moments. But a lot of the time audiences don't see that it's also REALLY HARD WORK. It's an uncertain life, and most of the work goes in when you don't even have the job. Just getting to the point where you can step on stage takes patience, countless unpaid hours and a willingness to put everything else in life on hold. But the chance to tell stories, delight people and move our culture forward makes it all worth it.

Beautiful runs at The Star Casino, Gold Coast from March 11^th – April 9^th, 2023