Drury Lane Gives a “Beautiful” Start to the New Year

By Catherine Rees-Hessel

Drury Lane Theater in Oakbrook Terrace starts 2025 with “Beautiful: the Carole King Musical”. This delightful show chronicles this incredible lady’s life and musical career from age sixteen, spanning through decades of some of the best popular music ever written. Once again, Drury Lane brings us excellence in musical theater; the acting is fabulous, especially Samantha Gershman in the role of Ms. King herself. The cast’s vocals and the orchestra are musically strong, the songs upbeat and inspiring. The energy level never falters, and the music is infectious – I heard audience members singing during intermission and after the show in the lobby.

The set, though minimalist, is period appropriate; I especially liked a vintage freestanding cone fireplace that took me back to the seventies – authentic and realistic. A tapestry backdrop on the stage with vintage projections depicting various appropriate backgrounds adds to the beautiful nostalgic memories. Costumes are also very well done.

This show is both fun and dramatic. The production begins and ends with Carole’s Carnegie Hall concert, highlighting her Grammy winning album “Tapestry”, which is still considered one of the best records ever made – it even recently went back on the musical charts in the UK. Carole King is truly a “Beautiful” entertainer, and Drury Lane does a fabulous job of showcasing the living legend. As she said herself, “I still believe that everyone is beautiful in some way and by seeing the beauty in others we make ourselves more beautiful.” To share in this beauty, please visit www.drurylanetheatre.com by March 23rd for tickets or more information.

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