Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...Watching “Beautiful” for the fourth time (the first three were the original 2014 staging), I was reminded how well bookwriter Douglas McGrath hit all the affectionate notes you have to hit for the core audience of King fans, but did so with the kind of wit and verve that none of the biographical jukes that have followed quite managed. Part of the secret sauce here is the size of the ensemble, and the show’s emphasis on all the Black artists who recorded the justly famed songs of King and Goffin and Weil and Mann. You get a cornucopia of musical delights from the 1960 and 1970s and lots of opportunities for fun cameos, all grabbed here by the likes of Melanie Brezill."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews - Highly Recommended
"...Beautiful is a musical that expresses the power of music to communicate emotions, trials, tribulations, and, above all, love. With perfect lyrics, harmony, instrumental sounds, and vocals, music can evoke both good and bad memories."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Well, tonight, I was witness to an extraordinary job of direction (Jessica Fisch) and choreography (Christopher Windom) on what one might call a super-set (Andrew Boyce). In fact, one might say that the set changes were as well choreographed as any dance number in any musical. There are no walls. The set pieces must go up the aisles ( and down) to reach the stage and or upper floor. These were all done quickly and the show never missed a beat."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...In the first of three Chicagoland productions this season, the Marriott Theatre's ebullient biopic musical, which is pure theatrical joy, draws the audience into its catchy music and captivating story. The production grabs you and never lets go until after the final bows. Relating the artist's formative years, "Beautiful" celebrates the brilliant career of singer/songwriting legend, Carole King. Douglas McGrath's libretto depicts the many ups and downs experienced by this modest, gifted artist. From a precocious 16-year-old, who skipped two grades in high school to study music education at local Queens College, to her first published and recorded hit song, "It Might as Well Rain Until September," we watch a talented young lady grow from a sharp kid into a wise and gifted woman."
Buzznews.net - Highly Recommended
"...First off, the production has a wonderful Carole King. Kaitlyn Davis certainly knows the role, having played King in productions both nationally and regionally. But it’s not just that Davis plays Carole King. She really becomes Carole King. I’m a big fan of Ms. King, and Davis’ portrayal—throughout King’s career—is spot-on. Like King, Davis is an accomplished pianist, accompanying herself throughout the show—while also nailing the timbre and tone of King’s voice; seriously, this isn’t a theater person approximating a songwriter’s voice, it’s someone with a warm singer/songwriter’s voice who’s also got Broadway chops."
Chicagoland Musical Theatre - Highly Recommended
"...Marriott Theatre’s regional holiday production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, the first of three stagings planned for Chicagoland over the next year, sets an incredibly high bar, superseding the first name of its title with whatever the superlative of “beautiful” might be."
Chicago Theater and Arts - Highly Recommended
"...With terrific dance and song examples, “Beautiful’s” long Act I showed how the music of the King-Gofin partnership was picked up and performed by well-known groups."
Chicago On Stage - Highly Recommended
"...There’s something magical and transcendent about a handful of albums in pop culture. It’s almost certain that “Thriller,” “Rumours,” or “Born in the U.S.A.” come to mind quickly. Still, Carole King’s 1971 “Tapestry,” which sold 25 million copies, holds its place firmly as one of the all-time greats. Douglas McGrath’s musical adaptation of King’s life & career, Beautiful, the Carole King Musical opens a magnificent portal to the past. Directed by Jessica Fisch, the staging of this outstanding production at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire is the feel-good experience we all need in our lives!"
Life and Times - Highly Recommended
"...Leave it to Marriott Theatre to top off the end of a stupendous season with its best show of the year. “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” is perhaps the best show Marriott has done in the last half of the decade."
Splash Magazine - Highly Recommended
"...This is entertainment worthy of the holiday season with heart, laughter, and pathos. At the finale, the audience was on their feet, rocking and rolling to “I Feel the Earth Move.”"
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