Molly-Grace Cutler (The Worst Witch) will play singer/songwriter Carole King in a major new touring production of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical in 2022.
Co-produced by Leicester Curve, Theatre Royal Bath Productions and the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, the cast of actor/musicians will also include Tom Milner (American Idiot, UK tour) as King’s former husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, with Seren Sandham (Once, Phoenix Theatre) and Jos Slovick (Once, Phoenix Theatre) as the husband-and-wife song-writing team of Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann.
Garry Robson (White Christmas, Leicester Curve) returns to Curve to play music publisher and producer Don Kirshner alongside Clare Greenway (Sister Act, London Palladium) as King’s mother Genie Klein. Dan de Cruz will join the production as the on-stage musical director.
The cast is completed by Naomi Alade, Kemi Clarke, Chris Coxon, Amena El-Kindy, Louise Francis, Dylan Gordon-Jones, Jessica Jolleys, Sorrel Jordan, Myles Miller, Peter Mooney and Adrien Spencer.
Directed by Curve’s artistic director Nikolai Foster, the production will open at Curve on 28 February 2022 before touring to Theatre Royal Bath (17-26 March), Theatre Royal Brighton (29 March-2 April), Festival Theatre Edinburgh (5-9 April), Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (12-16 April), Newcastle Theatre Royal (19-23 April), Orchard Theatre Dartford (26-30 April), Malvern Theatres (3-7 May), Cambridge Arts Theatre (10-21 May) and New Theatre, Cardiff (24-28 May).
Carole King’s music will be brought to life by Grammy Award-winning orchestrator Steve Sidwell and adapted by Tony Award-winning Curve associate and musical supervisor Sarah Travis.
The creative team for the production also includes choreographer Leah Hill, set designer Frankie Bradshaw, costume designer Edd Lindley, lighting designer and Curve associate Ben Cracknell, sound designer Tom Marshall, associate director Jennifer Lane Baker and casting director and Curve associate Kay Magson. The production will also provide training opportunities for Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme (RTYDS) resident assistant director Lilac Yosiphon and Birkbeck trainee director Thyrza Abrahams.
Commenting on the production Curve’s chief executive Chris Stafford and artistic director Foster said: “Carole King’s body of work speaks for itself and it is an honour to work on a show which celebrates some of the greatest pop songs ever written and the extraordinary life of the woman who has provided the soundtrack to our lives across the decades.
“In Molly-Grace Cutler, we have the perfect actor to lead our production and embody the spirit of King’s supreme artistry. Molly leads a phenomenal company of actor-musicians, who will recreate all the hits live onstage, under the supreme musical talents of Grammy winner Steve Sidwell and Tony winner Sarah Travis.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with our friends at Theatre Royal Bath and Southampton Mayflower, flying the flag for Leicester once Beautiful tours from Curve.”
Based on the early life and career of legendary singer/songwriter Carole King, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical has a book by Douglas McGrath with words and music by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
The show features the enduringly popular songwriter’s classic hits including ‘So Far Away’, ‘It Might as Well Rain Until September’, ‘Take Good Care of My Baby’, and ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ along with hits like ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’, ‘On Broadway’ and ‘Uptown’ from songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
The Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning show opened in the West End in February 2015 and ran until August 2017.
Angela Thomas
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