‘Beautiful – The Carole King Musical’ brings message of empowerment

Turn on the radio to any oldies station and odds are a Carole King song may be coming through the speakers. King wrote some of the most popular songs in the ‘60s and ‘70s from “The Locomotion” to “Natural Woman.” Soon her music and her story will come to life on stage at the Des Moines Civic Center.

“Beautiful — The Carole King Musical” will be making a stop on its national tour from Dec. 6-11 in Des Moines. The musical — which features hits like “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” “On Broadway” and “You’ve Got A Friend” — shares the true story of King as it follows her journey as part of the songwriting duo with her husband Gerry Goffin, to finding her own voice and becoming one of America’s most celebrated singer/songwriters.

“You come in knowing nothing and walk out saying ‘I cannot believe Carole King wrote that’ because it is Top 40 hits of the ‘50s and ‘60s,” said Julia Knitel, who plays Carole. “On top of that we have a really beautiful story that I think hits home for a lot of people whether it is the story you are living, or your mother lived or your grandmother lived. There is something for everyone and especially for women it is a story of triumph.”

“Beautiful” is not another “jukebox” musical, according to Knitel. The play has a powerful message of empowerment and Knitel said she has had strong responses from audience members who share stories relating to the music and the message from the show.

“I think it is a powerful show,” she said. “The music is so much a part of our DNA as a country and to watch in real time the circumstance surrounding the songs when they were written and to be intimately involved in the lives of the people writing them it is very singular. And it is a real story about real people and the times in their lives when they were writing these songs that changed the landscape of our country.”

Knitel, who like King began working professionally at 16, said she hopes people will truly enjoy the experience of “Beautiful” and feel uplifted.

“Even if you are the grumpiest person in the audience you will walk out with a smile on your face because it is such an uplifting show,” she said. “In this day in age, sometimes you just need to sit down and relax for two and a half hours. And it is gonna make you laugh, it is gonna make you cry, it is just a really special show and I just hope, and I know that anyone who comes and sees it will be glad they did.”

The Tony and Grammy Award winning musical will have eight performances in Des Moines. Tickets are still available at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6-9, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11. Tickets start at $35 each at DesMoinesPerformingArts.org, the Civic Center Ticket office or by calling 800-745-3000.

“I think people just love the music so much they’d be happy if just a concert but then we have beautiful dance numbers and these ensembles,” she said. “Whether coming for the music or coming for the story I think you will leave really, really satisfied and having a great night.”