Come feel the earth move as the Augusta Players bring singer-songwriter Carole King’s music and life to the stage in their season opener “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” Oct. 2-4 at the Imperial Theatre.
The musical carries over last season’s “Girl Power” theme with females taking the lead performing and directing this show that highlights King’s early years of songwriting from her teens in the 1950s to her 1971 “Tapestry” album.
Rebecca Brune and Laura Thomas, both of whom once served as directors of the Augusta JR. Players, are integral to the show with Brune directing her first Players’ show from start to finish (she’s stepped in with other productions) and Thomas returning to the stage for the first time in about a decade in the title role.
A prolific singer/songwriter, King’s career started early.
She and her first husband Gerry Goffin, wrote “Will You Love me Tomorrow” which was recorded in 1960 by The Shirelles when King was only 18 years old. King and her husband wrote “The Loco-Motion” which was recorded by Little Eva (the couple’s babysitter) in 1962; “Take Good Care of My Baby” was recorded by Bobby Vee in 1961; “One Fine Day” was recorded by The Chiffons in 1963; and “Up On the Roof” was recorded by the Drifters in 1962.
“By the time she was 21, she had a huge body of work,’ said Thomas. “That woman did more in her teen years.”
She also wrote songs like “(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman” recorded by Aretha Franklin.
Thomas said some people think they aren’t familiar with King’s songs until she starts singing them, they change their tune.
They say “Oh I know that song, and I’m like ‘yeah, she’s amazing,’” she said.
While she was successful in her career, her personal life was tumultuous. Her songwriting partner and first husband struggled with substance abuse, and the marriage was fraught with infidelity. The two grew apart.
Thomas said she loves the music, and she sees songs in a different light as she knows what was going on in King’s life at the time.
There are about 18-20 songs performed in the show with instrumental transitions bringing in other pieces. Thomas sings about a dozen of them. “Beautiful” and “I Feel the Earth Move” are two of her favorites.
Brune loves the music as well.
“The music of Carole King I kind of grew up with my dad. We would listen to the oldies station in Atlanta. My dad installed appliances for a living, so he would be in his car all the time. When this opportunity came around, I knew all of the songs, just running around with my dad,” she sai
As a single mom, Brune said she can relate to parts of King’s personal story. Her song “It’s Too Late” is especially poignant for Brune.
While there are sad parts to the story, there are joyous ones as well..
“Her winning at the end and being able to play Carnegie Hall and having that Grammy for her entire album, and her song, best artist, and watching her go through that and ultimately win, it’s just a hopeful story,” she said.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2-3 and 3 p.m. Oct. 4. For ticket information, go here.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named best local writer by readers of Augusta Magazine in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here
