Natural Women! Cassidy Janson & Diane Keen Set for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in West End

Some kind of wonderful news for Cassidy Janson, who will take over for Katie Brayben in the titular role in the West End production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Diane Keen will also board the cast as Genie Klein, King’s mother, stepping in for Glynis Barber. The pair will begin performances on November 30.

Janson was a member of the original London cast of Wicked and played standby Elphaba. Her additional stage credits include Dessa Rose, Candide, Tick Tick Boom, Lend Me a Tenor, Company and Avenue Q. Janson has been seen on screen in Sweeney!, Thirteen at Dinner, Silverdream Racer, The Hike, Tail’s End, Day Trip to London, Full Circle and Coma. Keen’s multiple TV and film credits include Rings On Their Fingers, You Must be the Husband, Foxy Lady, Doctors, Brookside and New Tricks. On stage she has been seen in productions including Same Time Next Year, Ladybird, The Vagina Monologues, Small Hand and You’re Never Too Old.

Featuring songs written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and a book by Douglas McGrath, Beautiful tells the story of King from her early days as a Brooklyn teenager (named Carol Klein) struggling to enter the record business to her years spent as a chart-topping music legend.

Alan Morrissey will continue as Gerry Goffin, along with Lorna Want as Cynthia Weil, Ian McIntosh as Barry Mann and Gary Trainor as Don Kirshner.

The Broadway production continues its run at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.