Cast & Creative with Beautiful

Douglas McGrath is a filmmaker, playwright and essayist. His films include Emma, Nicholas Nickleby, Company Man and Infamous. He was nominated for an Oscar for the screenplay of Bullets Over Broadway. He has made two documentaries for HBO: His Way, about the legendary music promoter and movie producer Jerry Weintraub, and Becoming Mike Nichols for which he received an Emmy nomination. His book for Beautiful was nominated for the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Awards. His other plays include his adaptation of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence and Checkers. His essays have appeared in the New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Air Mail.

Born in Brooklyn in 1939, Gerry Goffin met Carole King at Queens College, and their musical collaboration began almost immediately. They married in 1959, and that same year wrote their first hit song “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” (The Shirelles). The duo penned over fifty Top 40 hits including “The Locomotion,” “Natural Woman,” and “Up On The Roof.”  In 1987, Goffin and King were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Goffin has left an indelible mark on American music.

Pop music would be very different without the contributions of Carole King, who wrote her first #1 hit at age 17 with Gerry Goffin, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” for the Shirelles. The dozens of chart hits Goffin and King wrote during this period became legendary, but it was 1971’s Tapestry that took King to the pinnacle, speaking personally to her contemporaries and providing a spiritual musical backdrop to the decade. More than 400 of her compositions have been recorded by over 1,000 artists, resulting in 100 hit singles and 6 Grammys.

Barry Mann has written the melodies of some of the most influential pop songs in musical history. In addition to “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” most played song of the last century, and the songs heard in Beautiful, he has composed later standards like “Somewhere Out There” (winner of 2 Grammys), “Here You Come Again,” “Sometimes When We Touch,” “Just Once” and “Don’t Know Much.” Together, he and Cynthia Weil have amassed an incredible 112 pop, country and R&B awards from Broadcast Music Inc. for significant radio air play. He has been inducted into both the Songwriters Hall Of Fame and The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.

Cynthia Weil is known as the lyricist of classic songs such as “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”, most played song of the 20th century. In addition to the songs heard in BEAUTIFUL, she has set the words to later standards like “Somewhere Out There,” “Here You Come Again,” “He’s So Shy,” “Just Once,” and “Don’t Know Much” to name just a few. Weil has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honored with multiple Grammy nominations and two Grammy awards for “Somewhere Out There” as Motion Picture Song of the Year and Song of the Year.

Beautiful on Broadway, West End, US and UK tours, and Australia (Helpmann Award for Direction), Trevor (Stage 42, Writers Theatre-Jeff Nom), The Explorers Club (MTC), Old Jews Telling Jokes (NY and Chicago-Jeff Nom), The Sound of Music (Chicago Lyric), How to Succeed… and The Music Man (Kennedy Center), Ordinary Days (Roundabout), 4 shows- Encores! and 8 shows- MUNY (two Kline noms).

Prince’s choreography has been seen on and off Broadway, Off-Broadway, in London’s West End, and throughout the world. He is the proud founder of Dance Lab New York (DLNY), the only independent organization dedicated to promoting and advancing the art form of choreography by gifting vital resources to a diverse range of dancemakers. Find out more about Josh Prince by visiting www.dancelabny.org.

Broadway composer: Paradise Square, Little Women. International/Regional: Last Days of Summer, Ikiru, Tokyo Love Story, Captain Nemo, The Great Gatsby. Music supervisor/conductor/arranger: Bonnie & Clyde, Wonderland, Jekyll & Hyde, Les Misérables, The Civil War, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Taboo, Spider-Man, Jekyll & Hyde revival, Flashdance, We Will Rock You. Tours: South Pacific (revival), Beauty and the Beast, La Cage aux Folles, Memphis, Elf, A Chorus Line, Shrek. Recording projects: Handel’s Messiah Rocks, Little Women, Taboo, Megumi Hamada’s Attitude, Ock Joo Hyun’s Gold, Jekyll & Hyde (OBC, revival), The Scarlet Pimpernel (OBC), The Civil War, Linda Eder’s Christmas Stays the Same and It’s Time. Proud father of Noah and Nina.

Broadway designs include Moulin Rouge! (Tony Award), A Soldier’s Play, The Price, Parisian Woman, The Heiress, Nice Work…, The Best Man, Follies, Anything Goes, How to Succeed in Business, Bengal Tiger…, Million Dollar Quartet, Ragtime, 33 Variations (Tony Award), Little Women, The Pajama Game, I Am My Own Wife, The Women. Off-Broadway: The Last Five Years, Ruined, Lie of the Mind, Hurlyburly, Abigail’s Party. He designed the Academy Awards for 6 years, and is the winner of 2 Obie Awards, 3 Lucille Lortel Awards, 2 Drama Desk Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, 2 Tony Awards.

An Argentine native, he has immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1990’s. He has designed for Broadway – Beautiful, Allegiance, Holiday Inn – and Off-Broadway, as well as for Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Radio City Rockettes, NYC Center Encores!, Atlantic Theatre Company, NYC Opera, Primary Stages, The Irish Rep, MCC, and Ensemble Studio Theatre, among other New York companies. He has also extensively designed for regional Theatres across the U.S., commercial projects, operas, ballets and for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He is an Olivier and Drama Desk nominee and the recipient of the 2010 TDF Irene Sharaff Young Master Award.

Broadway: sixty plays and musicals including Choir Boy, American Son, The Parisian Woman, No Man’s Land/Waiting for Godot, Venus in Fur, Anything Goes, A View From the Bridge, Grey Gardens, The Producers, Contact, Steel Pier. Extensive Off-Broadway, resident and regional credits. Opera: Met, San Francisco, Houston Grand, Santa Fe, St. Louis, Seattle. Abroad: Royal Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera/North, Maggio Florence, L’Arena di Verona, La Fenice, Bonn, Lisbon. Awards: Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Drama-Logue, Hewes.

Over 40 Broadway designs including Mrs. Doubtfire, Springsteen on Broadway, The Prom, Tootsie, Mean Girls, Escape to Margaritaville, Sting’s The Last Ship, Beautiful, The Book of Mormon, Anything Goes, American Idiot, Next to Normal, Spring Awakening, Grey Gardens and Cabaret. He is the recipient of Obie, Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Olivier and Tony awards. He has had the opportunity to work with the most talented composers, directors, designers, actors, musicians and stagehands in the world for which he is eternally grateful.

Stephen Kopel serves as casting director for Roundabout Theatre Company. Broadway: Moulin Rouge!, Jagged Little Pill, Caroline, or Change, Kiss Me, Kate, The Play That Goes Wrong, She Loves Me, Amelie, Sunday in the Park…, The Glass Menagerie, Noises Off, Harvey, Once, Anything Goes, The Scottsboro Boys.

Charles LaPointe is an award-winning Designer who maintains a highly successful career on stages throughout the United States and abroad. Numerous Broadway, Touring, Regional Theatre, West End and International productions including: Hamilton (Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylist Guild Award); Ain’t Too Proud; Beetlejuice; The Cher Show (Drama Desk Award); The Band’s Visit; Anastasia; SpongeBob SquarePants (Drama Desk Award); Jersey Boys; A Gentleman’s Guide…; In the Heights. Television: The Wiz Live! (Emmy Award Nomination); Jesus Christ Superstar Live! (Emmy Award Nomination and Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylist Guild Award).

Broadway/West End: Wicked, Beautiful. Broadway: Beetlejuice, Torch Song, SpongeBob SquarePants, Summer, Sunday in the Park With George, Anastasia, Allegiance, If/Then, Follies, etc. Off-Broadway: Fly, Sweet Charity, Into the Woods, The Wild Party, Show Boat. Television: Jesus Christ Superstar Live (Emmy nomination), The Gilded Age, City on a Hill, Castle Rock. Film: Don’t Look Up, Shrine, Godmothered, The Discovery, Manhattan by the Sea, Ghostbusters. www.joe2design.com IG: dulude2

Juniper Street Productions is Hillary Blanken, Christopher Batstone, Guy Kwan, Ana Rose Greene, Victoria Bullard, Ross Leonard, Sadie Alisa, and Hannah Wilson. Over the last 23 years, JSP has helped create over 100 Broadway, Off-Broadway and touring productions. Current and selected shows include: Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Diana, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge, Thoughts of a Colored Man, Tina, Waitress, The Bands’ Visit, Fun Home, King Kong, The Producers and Spider-Man. www.juniperstreet.com

Grammy award winner, Tony, Drama Desk, Emmy & Olivier nominated arranger, composer, producer, conductor, and trumpeter; has featured on numerous albums, television shows, advertising campaigns and films. BBC Special for VE Day 75 years; BBC Special for VJ Day 75 years, the London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony, George Michael, Robbie Williams. Musical orchestrations: We Will Rock You, Our House, Daddy Cool. Film orchestrations: Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Finding Nemo. Emmy nominated for his choir performance at the 79th Academy Awards and received numerous advertising/recording industry awards working with artists including Amy Winehouse, Oasis, Muse, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Sting, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger. www.stevesidwell.com

Her early career included background and studio singing. She found her way into music management in 2003, launching the career of singer Jesse McCartney. In 2011, she took on management of Carole’s career. She is proud to help bring her parents’, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, story to the stage.

Christine Russell is a partner at the leading talent agency for composers, Evolution Music Partners and Co-Founder/COO of Score Revolution, an online licensing platform for film music. She began as a recording artist at Rondor Music and transitioned from artist to agent when she began managing lyricist Gerry Goffin, whom she has represented for nineteen years.

More than 140 Broadway shows, including MJ, Mrs. Doubtfire, Tina, Ain’t Too Proud- The Life and Times of The Temptations, Waitress, Oklahoma, Jersey Boys, Newsies, Rock of Ages.  Musician (bass): Eric Clapton, Frank Sinatra, Carly Simon.  www.johnmillerbass.com

Has remounted Beautiful in Japan and Australia. Has directed and choreographed productions at The Cape Playhouse (A Chorus Line and South Pacific) and The Ivoryton Playhouse (My Way). Upcoming, new musical, Bliss, as associate choreographer.

As associate director: Beautiful, Network, School of Rock, Spider-Man, Follies, Lombardi, Million Dollar Quartet, White Christmas, A Man for All Seasons (Broadway); Phantom, School of Rock (National Tour); regional projects with The Kennedy Center & La Jolla Playhouse. Directing Projects with Norwegian Cruise Line, Pittsburgh CLO, Ogunquit Playhouse, Gateway Playhouse, Araca Project, Ars Nova and Chick Flick off-Broadway. @davidruttura

Tours: Avenue Q, Billy Elliot, White Christmas, In The Heights, Shrek, Flashdance, Dirty Dancing, Cheers Live. Broadway:  How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, Imaginary Friends. Off Broadway:  Reasons to be Happy, Fat Pig, The Exonerated; Regional: The Color Purple; Over 30 shows Old Globe Theatre, San Diego. Proud Member AEA

National Tours: Rock of Ages 10^th Anniversary Tour, The Illusionists, 42^nd Street, Once.  Off-Broadway: Primary Stages.  Regional: Alley Theatre (Houston, TX) , Contemporary American Theatre Company (Columbus, OH). Education: Otterbein University.  Proud member of AEA.

Rafi has extensive experience Off-Broadway (14 productions) and at various regional theaters. He holds a degree in computer science from Brandeis University.

The Charlotte Wilcox Company has managed more than 70 productions. Upcoming: Shucked. Broadway: Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Bandstand, On Your Feet, Allegiance, Jekyll & Hyde (2012-2013), Godspell, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Catch Me If You Can, Elf, West Side Story, Come Fly Away, Grease (all three Broadway productions), Cyrano, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Times Are-A-Changin’, The Wedding Singer, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty, Jesus Christ Superstar.

Mr. Blake is currently enjoying his Emeritus status after 22 seasons as the Executive Producer of the legendary St. Louis MUNY where he produced and/or directed more than 150 shows. In San Francisco, Mr. Blake produced and directed Sammy Cahn in Words and Music and directed and wrote ACT’s memorable Diamond ‘Lil. At the Guthrie Theatre, his Roman Holiday (Book-Writer) played to capacity last summer. Mr. Blake’s Tony-nominated Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Co-Writer & Co-Producer) had two highly successful seasons on Broadway and has become the most highly requested holiday musical in theaters across the country.

Established in 1995 as a joint venture between Sony and Michael Jackson, Sony/ATV is the world’s leading music publisher and owns or administers more than 2 million copyrights including those from such iconic music catalogs as EMI Music Publishing, Leiber & Stoller, Mijac Music, Motown and Famous Music. Sony/ATV controls many of the best-known songs ever written, like “New York, New York,” “All You Need Is Love,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Over the Rainbow” and “Stand By Me.” In addition, Sony/ATV represents the copyrights of such legendary artists as The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Sting, The Supremes, Hank Williams and Stevie Wonder, among others.  Its ever-growing list of chart-topping artists and songwriters includes Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, P!nk, Shakira, Taylor Swift and Kanye West.

Jeffrey A. Sine is proud to be a part of a remarkable company that is bringing Carole King’s music and story to the stage. Mr. Sine lives in New York City and has produced over twenty-five Broadway ­­and West End Productions over the past two decades. He has received six Tony nominations and three Tony awards. Love to Samira, Maya, Shailen, Roan & Jon.

With Paul Blake, Mr. Smith has co-produced Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Guthrie production of Roman Holiday, Come Fly With Me, songs by the legendary Sammy Cahn, and a national tour of 42nd Street. Prior to working with Mr. Blake, Mr. Smith spent 25 years on Wall Street with Salomon Brothers and Morgan Stanley. Mr. Smith left Morgan Stanley in 1992 as a partner and member of the Management Committee after having built the International Equity Department into a worldwide organization.

Mr. Bosner is thrilled to be taking Beautiful back out on the road! Beautiful enjoyed a highly successful nearly six year run on Broadway, as well as productions in London’s West End, UK Tour, Australia and Korea. Before Beautiful, he served as associate producer of the St. Louis MUNY for five seasons. At the MUNY, Mr. Bosner oversaw more than 35 productions alongside executive producer Paul Blake. He is truly honored to be working with this legendary material, inspiring group of collaborators and his mentor and friend, Mr. Blake.

Nice Work If You Can Get It; Ann; War Horse; One Man, Two Guvnors; Mountaintop; La Cage aux Folles; A Little Night Music; Superior Donuts; Burn the Floor; 39 Steps; The Crucible; Diary of Anne Frank; Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Norman Conquests; The Good Body; Beebo Brinker; Shockheaded Peter; Stomp.

Clybourne Park (Tony); The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Tony); Bonnie and Clyde; High; Race; Superior Donuts; Burn The Floor; Hair (Tony); Blithe Spirit; The Homecoming; Spring Awakening (Tony); Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me; The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial; ‘night, Mother; Enchanted April. OB: Falling; Silence! The Musical; Ministry of Progress.

Broadway credits include Orphans (Tony nominated), Hands on a Hardbody, Once (Tony Award), That Championship Season and A View from the Bridge (Tony nominated). Orin is the first recipient and the director of the TFellowship for Creative Producing, which was founded by Hal Prince in conjunction with Columbia University. He is the president of NETworks Theatrical Productions.

Broadway: All My Sons, Blithe Spirit, The Best Man, The Miracle Worker, Bonnie & Clyde, Memphis (Tony), Virginia Woolf (Tony), Glengarry Glen Ross, Matilda. She’d like to thank Carole King for touching all of our lives, Jeffrey Richards for his unflagging optimism, and Jay for his unflagging love. Hunter College Graduate.

Roger, who currently leads A&R Investments, previously was CEO of the EMI Group where he rejuvenated the business culminating in its successful sale in 2012. He is proud to have been instrumental in bringing Carol and Gerry, Cynthia and Barry together with Paul and Doug to create this great show.

Two Tony Awards, Four Nominations. Outer Critics Circle Award (Off Broadway). Heppelman Award (Australian Tony).  Billy Crystal 700 Sundays, Clams on the Half Shell with Bette Midler, among many others. Latest shows include The Rascals: Once Upon A Dream, I’ll Eat You Last with Ms. Midler. International Concert and Tour Producer.

Broadway:  November, Speed the Plow, Blithe Spirit, reasons to be pretty, Race, Enron, Hair (Tony winner), Priscilla Queen of the Desert, A Life In The Theater, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Tony winner), Glengarry Glen Ross, and The Anarchist.  Kit is a member of the Art Student League of NYC.

Lawrence S. Toppall is the owner of Mazel Musicals, Inc., the company that has presented and produced more than 100 productions for the audiences of south Florida. Broadway credits include The Gathering, the Tony-nominated Say Goodnight Gracie starring Frank Gorshin, Burn the Floor and Looped.

Ken Fakler, Dan Stone and Mary Solomon are thrilled to be on the producing team of Beautiful. Ken and Dan’s recent Broadway productions include the Tony-nominated shows How to Succeed… and Catch Me…. Mary is a partner in Star Thrower Entertainment.

As chairman of the theatrical general management/consulting firm, Theatre Now, I was privileged to be associated with over 125 Broadway and touring productions, theaters, dance companies and concert and cultural attractions.

John has won 7 Tonys, owns Broadway.com and Broadway Across America presenting shows in 40 cities across America, and producing over 50 shows on Broadway.

Barbara Freitag and Loraine Alterman Boyle both produced the 2010 Tony Award Best Musical Memphis, and Tony nominee Catch Me If You Can.

Matthew Blank is the long time CEO of Showtime Networks Inc. A native New Yorker, he has been involved with several on and Off-Broadway productions in the past.

Founder and president of a private financial consulting firm. I grew up on Carole King’s music and am happy to be a part of Beautiful.

Co-founder and CEO of Current TV. Previously, Hyatt was founder and CEO of Hyatt Legal Plans, and on the faculty of Stanford Business School.

Producing credits include Frozen, 33 Variations, Catch Me If You Can (Tony nominations), Burn the Floor, All My Sons, Lysistrata Jones. Board member MCC and Labyrinth Theaters. Thanks to partner Sharon Fallon.

Broadway producer, record producer, music director, entertainment entrepreneur from Youngstown, Ohio.  Broadway: Big Fish, One Night With Janis Joplin. Nat’l Tour: Evita. michaelmoritz.com.

StylesFour Productions: Broadway: Orphans, Once, Driving Miss Daisy, The Pee-wee Herman Show, Talk Radio, Spring Awakening. Off-Broadway: Judy Gold’s 25 Questions, Hand to God. London credits: Once.

Tony Winners: Pippin, Porgy & Bess. Peter & the Starcatcher (Tony Nomination), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Grammy Nomination).

Jeremiah J. Harris is the founder and Chairman/CEO of Production Resource Group, the world’s leading supplier of entertainment technology. Jere has been active in the theater industry since 1970, and has provided production management services for over 500 productions, including Beauty and the Beast, Starlight Express, and Dancing at Lughnasa. As the founder of Scenic Technologies, Jere revolutionized scenic automation with its patented Stage Command® motion control system, used on hundreds of shows, including The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. Most recently, Jere co-produced with Michael Cohl the successful turnaround of the record breaking production of Broadway’s Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, regarded as the most technically complex production ever mounted on a Broadway stage.