Meet Becky Gulsvig who plays prominent American songwriter Cynthia Weil in the Tony Award-winning Carole King musical ‘Beautiful’
Carole King has been a national treasure for years now dominating the music world for decades with Billboard hits like “I Feel The Earth Move Under My Feet”, “Jazzman”, “You’ve Got A Friend” and “It’s Too Late”.
She has one Diamond, six Gold and two Platinum records and has had many No. 1 songs and albums. In 1996 the film Grace of My Heart, starring Illeana Douglas and Eric Stoltz, was a story loosely based on her life.
Her life has now been immortalized on Broadway in the show Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. It premiered in San Francisco, October 2013 and opened on Broadway, January 2014.
The show was nominated for seven Tony Awards and won two including a Best Actress Award for Jessie Mueller in the title role.
It was also nominated for eight Laurence Olivier Awards, (London’s version of the Tony Award), and won two as well.
The National Tour premiered in 2015 and is now coming to San Diego’s Civic Theatre for one week only from Aug. 2-7.
The story chronicles King’s life, loves and collaborators in her earlier years and her struggle to move past some of the heartaches in her life.
The National Tour boasts a cast led by Abby Mueller as King, Liam Tobin as Gerry Goffin, Ben Fankhauser as Barry Mann and Becky Gulsvig as Cynthia Weil.
Gulsvig, a Broadway veteran, has starred in Hairspray, where she played Amber Von Tussle, and Legally Blonde, where she created the role of Leilani. She later went on to play Elle Woods on the first National Tour of that show and was nominated for the 2009 Helen Hayes award.
Gulsvig grew up in Moorhead, Minn. and is a self-professed theater geek.
“I was absolutely a theater geek!” Gulsvig confessed. “I was also a speech geek! But I played basketball (until it conflicted with the school play), danced with a local dance company, sang in the choirs and all that good stuff too. I tried to be a part of everything that I could.”
As with most performers, having a favorite role they’ve performed or wish to perform, is almost a pre-requisite when involved in the world of theater. Gulsvig has a couple, with one that might just surprise you.
“Well I loved playing Annie because it was my first musical in fourth grade,” Gulsvig said. “I also loved playing Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. It was a summer program that brought in a New York City creative team and performed on a big outdoor stage in a park. We did a very futuristic take on the show … my hair was dyed black, I wore huge black boots, a mini skirt, cut off gloves … it was super fun and definitely one of the real of roles that you see on my resume these days!”
Clearly the acting bug hit her at an early age but she doesn’t come from a theatrical family. Her brother did perform when he was a child, but he is now an animator on the television show Archer.
As for theatrical inspiration, Gulsvig got that from none other than Julie Andrews.
“I loved her and I love her still,” Gulsvig admitted. “My introduction to musicals came from watching the film adaptations at my grandma’s house. I loved The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins so much. These days I am inspired by people who can stay sane and positive in this business. Also, as a mom, I am encouraged by my fellow theater moms who are able to keep it all in balance. I live in a town in New Jersey where a lot of theater folks have settled to be a commute away from New York City and it is so nice to see everyone help each other out and be there when you need them. I feel we also motivate each other to keep doing what we love and that is such an important thing for our kids to see.”
That love of musical theater has brought Gulsvig to Broadway and now to the first National Tour of Beautiful playing real life composer Cynthia Weil. The music of Weil and Mann is something the actor was more than familiar with.
“I absolutely knew their music!” Gulsvig said. “When I was waiting tables at a piano bar in Times Square, I used to sing ‘Somewhere Out There’ all the time! Of course when you start going through their song catalogue you realize just how many hits they have … it’s really astounding and so exciting. I’d say the biggest surprise came when I realized they wrote the song that was used for my daughter’s dance recital finale, ‘Make your Own Kind of Music’. It’s so neat to see how their work is still reaching the next generation!”
Weil and Mann wrote so many incredible songs that Gulsvig had a tough time picking one as her favorite, but in the end she was able to whittle it down to two.
“It’s a tie between ‘Somewhere Out There’ and ‘Make Your Own Kind Of Music,’” she confessed, “because of the personal attachments.”
Tour life for most performers usually means leaving behind the comforts of home, family and favorite restaurants, but Gulsvig, married (She met her husband in 2006 while working on a cruise ship) and mother to a five-year-old daughter, has found a way to keep the family unit intact while on tour, they come with her!
She has enjoyed touring the country with them and getting the chance to explore every new city they hit. In fact she already has a San Diego itinerary ready to go when they hit town in a few weeks.
“We are definitely hitting up the dog beach and the zoo,” Gulsvig shared. “It has been an absolute treat to be on this ‘Big Adventure’ with my family. We have seen every zoo, children’s museum, park, pool … it’s such a good excuse to get up and get out and explore! We have extra family in town visiting us in San Diego so we’ll be out and about for sure!”
Right now the Beautiful tour will be on the road until late December 2017 and Gulsvig is enjoying the opportunity to play such a great role with great music and a great cast. She makes it clear that she doesn’t know what the future holds for her. As with most performers, work comes and goes and it can change as quickly as the wind. That being said, Gulsvig is taking things one day at a time and enjoying every minute of it with set plans only for the approaching fall season.
“Well the most important thing in the fall is kindergarten for my daughter,” Gulsvig said. “We are heading back to New Jersey and she is so excited! I don’t know what will be next for me but this year has been amazing and so I will bring that spirit with me to whatever comes next!”
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is still playing on Broadway to packed houses. Catching the tour is a great opportunity for San Diegans to experience Broadway and King’s wonderful music before it heads on to its next city.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical plays at The San Diego Civic Theatre, Aug. 2-7. For tickets visit broadwaysd.com or call 619-570-1100.
