Idahoans have an affinity for singer/songwriter Carole King. She owned a ranch in Stanley for more than 30 years and spent much of her time in the Gem State. But she’s not originally from Idaho, as audiences found out in a musical that’s been burning up stages from Broadway to London. The touring company of “Beautiful,” the Carole King story, is in Boise this week.
While King is known in Idaho for her wilderness ranch and her environmental activism, she was born in Manhattan and spent her early music years writing songs for groups like the Drifters and the Shirelles. This time period where she wrote song after song with her first husband is the focus of the musical Beautiful.
Marc Bruni is the show’s director. “Everybody has that personal relationship to these songs the first time that they heard it or the first time it was on in their car when they were experiencing a break-up of their own and they heard 'It’s too late.' These songs have been with people and with all of us as Americans all our lives,” says Bruni.
The show is still on Broadway, London and will open soon in Australia. The national tour is in its second year and is performing at the Morrison Center through Saturday.
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