Following in the footsteps of crowd-pleasers such as Jersey Boys (more on that here, too), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a biographical dramatization of singer-songwriter Carole King's rise to fame. It's also known as a tremendous showcase for the lead actress, who is tasked with a portrayal of a very famous person from teenager to adult star, blossoming from songwriter-for-hire to empowered performer in her own right.
IT voters elevated Maisenbacher above all others for her thoughtful and thorough embodiment of King in the Hoogland Center for the Arts production in what felt more like an intimate conversation with the audience than a performance. It was humorous, emotionally deep and vulnerable, as well as technically impressive, as Maiesenbacher learned to convincingly play piano for the role. She was wholly disarming, warm and captivating.
If you're a regular local theatergoer, you're probably already familiar with Maisenbacher's work on and offstage. She's been flying high as leads in everything from Peter Pan to Jeckyl and Hyde to directing or choreographing shows with her signature style. Always on point and careful with every detail, she truly spread her wings in Beautiful, capturing King's colloquial style while infusing it with her own heartfelt touches and impressive vocals. It was, in a word, beautiful.
