Actress Katie Brayben is set to play the legendary singer-songwriter in Beautiful.

Katie Brayben is set to play the title role in the West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical

Actress Katie Brayben has clinched the title role in the West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, which opens at the Aldwych Theatre in February 2015. Alan Morrissey will play Carole’s husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, with Lorna Want as songwriter Cynthia Weil, Glynis Barber as Carole’s mother Genie Klein, and Gary Trainor as music publisher and producer Don Kirshner. The play is based on the early life and career of the legendary singer-songwriter and tells the story of her journey from schoolgirl to superstar.

“I’m thrilled and excited. Roles like this don’t come along very often and shows like this don’t come along very often either,” says Katie, who is currently playing Princess Diana in King Charles III at the Wyndham’s Theatre, and was previously seen in American Psycho - a new musical thriller at the Almeida Theatre. “It’s an incredible opportunity to play someone who actually exists, which is a real gift, but also has huge responsibility. But it’s a great challenge. “It’s difficult to choose a favourite Carole King song because there are so many good ones – some you don’t even realise were written by her. I’d say one of my favourites is Beautiful, I love the words. I think that it’s a great sentiment - you’ve got to wake up in the morning and be positive, and that’s how you are beautiful to the world, because you’re showing your positivity. “I’m a singer-songwriter as well and so I’ve grown up listening to Carole and a number of other songwriters, but the thing I remember most was getting Tapestry and listening to ‘I Feel The Earth Move’ on repeat, because it was just so uplifting, and her voice is so incredible on it. Carole is so passionate and that album is very inspiring to me.”

With a cast of 26 and an orchestra of 12, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical features a number of her classics, including So Far Away, It Might As Well Rain Until September, Take Good Care of my Baby, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Up On The Roof, Locomotion, One Fine Day and I Feel the Earth Move. It’s set to run at the Aldwych Theatre in London from 10 February, 2015, with bookings being taken until 13 June. Performances will run from Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, with matinees on Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm. Tickets are priced from £15 to £69.50. For group travel enquiries call 0845 200 7981 or visit www.beautifulinlondon.co.uk