Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Producers Paul Blake and Sony/ATV Music Publishing announced today that Toronto’s Chilina Kennedy will join the first national tour of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning hit musical BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL exclusively for the Toronto engagement, June 27 – August 20, 2017 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre.
Kennedy, who has been on Broadway in the title role of BEAUTIFUL since March 7, 2015, will take a leave of absence from the Broadway company to headline the show in her hometown.
Says Kennedy: "I am beyond thrilled that this wonderful musical is coming to Toronto. After an incredible two years on Broadway, I am so excited to be playing Carole King at home! Her story is truly beautiful and the music is powerful - Toronto audiences will love it.”
Kennedy will be joined in the Toronto production by fellow Canadian, Liam Tobin, who originated the role of ‘Gerry Goffin’ on tour. Kennedy will return to the Broadway production following the Toronto run of BEAUTIFUL.
Abby Mueller will take over the title role in the Broadway company beginning March 7, 2017
Chilina Kennedy and Liam Tobin will join Erika Olson (Cynthia Weil) Ben Fankhauser (Barry Mann), with Curt Bouril (Don Kirshner) and Suzanne Grodner (Genie Klein).
The current ensemble of BEAUTIFUL includes Brianna-Marie Bell, Sarah Bockel, Andrew Brewer, Erin Clemons, Josh A. Dawson, John Michael Dias, Sidney DuPont, Matt Faucher, Rosharra Francis, James Michael Lambert, Traci Elaine Lee, Jay McKenzie, Alaina Mills, Aashley Morgan, Paris Nix, Noah J. Ricketts, Ximone Rose and Salisha Thomas.
Tickets for BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL will go on sale at 12:01AM Saturday February 4 at www.mirvish.com or by phone at TicketKing at 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Ed Mirvish Theatre Box Office, 244 Victoria Street. Group orders of 15 or more save 25% and may be placed by calling 416-593-4142 or 1-800-724-6420.
With a book by Tony® and Academy® Award-nominee Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni and choreography by Josh Prince, Beautiful features a stunning array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil.
The creative team of Beautiful also includes Derek McLane (Set Design), Alejo Vietti (Costume Design), Peter Kaczorowski (Lighting Design), Brian Ronan (Sound Design), Charles G. LaPointe (Wig and Hair Design), Steve Sidwell (Orchestrations and Music Arrangements), Jason Howland (Music Supervision) and John Miller (Music Coordination).
Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was Carol Klein, Brooklyn girl with passion and chutzpah. She fought her way into the record business as a teenager and, by the time she reached her twenties, had the husband of her dreams and a flourishing career writing hits for the biggest acts in rock ‘n’ roll. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.
Beautiful—The Carole King Musical opened on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on January 12, 2014, where it continues its record-breaking run. The production won two 2014 Tony Awards® as well as the 2014 Grammy Award® for Best Musical Theater Album. A London production opened February 25, 2015 at London’s Aldwych Theater, where it continues its run, and has won two Olivier Awards.
Beautiful - The Carole King Musical North American Tour is produced by Paul Blake, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Jeffrey A. Sine, Richard A. Smith, Mike Bosner, Harriet N. Leve/Elaine Krauss, Terry Schnuck, Orin Wolf, Patty Baker/Good Productions, Roger Faxon, Larry Magid, Kit Seidel, Lawrence S. Toppall, Fakston Productions/Mary Solomon, William Court Cohen, BarLor Productions, Matthew C. Blank, Tim Hogue, Joel Hyatt, Marianne Mills, Michael J. Moritz, Jr., StylesFour Productions, Brunish/Trinchero, and Jeremiah J. Harris.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES
CHILINA KENNEDY
Broadway: “Mary Magdalene” in Des McAnuff’s Jesus Christ Superstar. 1st National Tour: “Sophie” in Mamma Mia!. Selected Regional: “Pheobe D’Ysquith” in A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder (CT and San Diego Critics’ Circle Nominations), “Evangeline” in Evangeline (original production and album), Ross Petty’s Panto The Little Mermaid (Toronto Theatre Critics’ Award), three seasons at the Stratford Festival including “Maria” in Gary Griffin’s West Side Story, three seasons at the Shaw Festival and The Lord of the Rings (World Premiere Toronto). Chilina is a singer/songwriter with a debut album entitled What You Find In A Bottle. www.chilinakennedy.com
LIAM TOBIN (Gerry Goffin) Toronto: Alfred Packer in Trey Parker’s Cannibal the Musical, The Sound of Music. Tony in the Intl’ Tour of West Side Story. Selected Regional: Lord Farquaad in Shrek, Buddy in Elf (The Grand), Lancelot in Spamalot, Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, Lt. Cable in South Pacific (Drayton), Gabe in Next to Normal (Manitoba Theatre Centre), Link in Hairspray (Charlottetown), Joseph in Joseph…(StageWest). Liam is from Newfoundland, Canada.
BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL
Tickets go on sale Saturday February 4
Online www.mirvish.com
By Phone 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333
Groups of 15 or more 416-593-4142 or 1-800-724-6420
Twitter: @Mirvish
FB: Facebook.com/MirvishProductions
Instagram: @MirvishProductions
Mirvish Email Subscribers get access to tickets before the public.
Subscribe at Mirvish.com/estage
Photo: Chilina Kennedy as Carole King. ©2015 Joan Marcus.
2017-02-01
Toronto: Chilina Kennedy stars in "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical" June 27-August 20