CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
*Casting is relative. Don’t be afraid to audition against what’s suggested. It may give the creative team new ideas and a different perspective. Show us what ya got! Play Age is how the character will be perceived and not necessarily the age of the actor.
Carole (Klein) King
An aspiring singer/songwriter. A unique, appealing, funny, and vulnerable girl from a Jewish family in Brooklyn. Talented, good-natured, unassuming, and often the peacemaker in difficult situations. A reluctant star with no pretense and a passion for music.
Play Age: Young Adult & Adult / Teens to 30’s
Part Size: Lead
Vocal Range: Strong Belt / E5
Dialect: Brooklyn
Non-Dancing Role
*Dynamic acting range; No piano skills necessary; Fundamental rhythmic skills a plus; A hint of Carole’s iconic vocal style
Songs: So Far Away, It Might As Well Rain Until September, Some Kind Of Wonderful, Take Good Care Of My Baby, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, One Fine Day Reprise, Chains, Will You Still Love Me Reprise, It’s Too Late, You’ve Got A Friend, Tapestry, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman, Beautiful, I Feel the Earth Move
Gerry Goffin
Carole’s boyfriend, songwriting partner, and eventual husband. Innately sympathetic, wounded, and tortured. An ambitious artist always striving for more.
Play Age: Teens to 30’s
Part Size: Supporting
Vocal Range: A4
Dialect: Brooklyn
Non-Dancing Role
Songs: Some Kind Of Wonderful, Take Good Care Of My Baby, Up On The Roof, Pleasant Valley Sunday, I Feel the Earth Move
Cynthia Weil
A songwriter who becomes romantically involved with Barry. Carole’s best friend. She is sophisticated, smart & chic with a quick wit. Although self-confident and sarcastic, she is also extremely likable.
Play Age: 20’s to 30’s
Part Size: Supporting
Vocal Range: E5
Non-Dancing Role
Songs: Happy Days, He’s Sure the Boy I Love, Walking In the Rain, You’ve Got A Friend, I Feel the Earth Move
Barry Mann
A songwriter who becomes romantically involved with Cynthia. He is good-natured, appealing & neurotic. Ambitious, but likable.
Play Age: 20’s to 30’s
Part Size: Supporting
Vocal Range: A4
Dialect: Jersey
Non-Dancing Role
Songs: Who Put the Bomp, He’s Sure the Boy I Love, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, Walking In the Rain, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, You’ve Got A Friend, I Feel the Earth Move
Don “Donny” Kirschner
An influential music publisher and producer. He is a fast-talking, energetic force of nature. Powerful, direct & sometimes intimidating, but he has a real affinity for his writers and artists. A hitmaker.
Play Age: 40’s to 60’s
Part Size: Supporting
Vocal Range: Subtle Singing / C#4
Non-Dancing Role
Songs: You’ve Got A Friend, I Feel the Earth Move
Genie Klein
Carole’s Jewish mother. Once an aspiring playwright, she has been broken down by life & her husband’s infidelity. Protective of Carole and unforgiving of her husband’s mistakes.
Play Age: 40’s to 60’s
Part Size: Supporting
Vocal Range: Normally a Non-Singing Role / Alto
Dialect: Brooklyn
Non-Dancing Role
Song: I Feel the Earth Move
FEATURED ENSEMBLE
*Before you circle “No” at “Would you accept any role?”—consider what it means to be part of this ensemble. This isn’t your average ensemble. There are many parts for good actors and singers. Circle “Yes!” (But only if you mean it!)
Betty / Ensemble (Might be Doubled with Marilyn)
Carole’s childhood friend.
Play Age: Teen
Part Size: Featured
Vocal Range: Normally a Non-Singing Role / Alto
Dancing: Mover
Neil Sedaka / Righteous Brother / Lou Adler / Ensemble
Singer-Songwriter / Righteous Brother / Record Producer
Age: 18 & Up
Part Size: Featured
Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor
Dancing: Mover
Songs: Oh! Carol, You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
Gene Vincent (Guy) / Ritcheous Brother / Nick / Ensemble
Righteous Brother / A composite of Carole’s second husband Charles Larkey and James Taylor
Age: 18 & Up
Part Size: Featured
Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor
Dancing: Mover
Songs: Be Bop a Lula, You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
Marilyn Wald / Ensemble (Might be Doubled with Betty)
A singer based on Marilyn Powell, the first girl singer to record a cover of a Beatles track when only 15 years of age.
Age: 18 & Up
Part Size: Featured
Vocal Range: C5
Dancing: Mover
*Pleasant Valley Sunday – Lead Singer
The Drifters
An African American male singing group comprising four members. The Drifters sang many of Carole’s, Gerry’s, Cynthia’s, and Barry’s early hits. Members drifted in and out and many of these formed other groups of Drifters as well. Several groups of Drifters can trace roots back to the original groups but contain few if any, original members.
Songs: Some Kind of Wonderful, Up on the Roof, On Broadway, The Locomotion
Lead Drifter (May Vary) / Ensemble
Member of the doo-wop group The Drifters
Age: Any
Part Size: Featured
Vocal Range: A4 (Belt) / Eb5 (Falsetto)
Dancing: Mover
Back-Up Drifters / Ensemble
Members of the doo-wop group The Drifters
Age: Any
Vocal Range: Up to C5
Part Size: Featured
Dancing: Mover
The Shirelles as a historical mashup of The Chiffons, The Crystals, and The Cookies.
An African American female singing group comprising four members. The Shirelles sang many of Carole’s and Gerry’s early hits. The Shirelles formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens, Doris Coley, Addie “Micki” Harris, and Beverly Lee.
*The Chiffons had three members and sang One Fine Day. They consisted of Judy Craig, Patricia Bennett, and Barbara Lee.
*The Crystals had five members and sang Uptown. They consisted of Barbara Alston, Mary Thomas, Dolores “Dee Dee” Kenniebrew, Myrna Giraud, and Patricia “Patsy” Wright.
*The Cookies originally consisted of Dorothy Jones, Darlene McCrea, and Beulah Robertson and sang backup for Little Eva on Locomotion. Earl-Jean Reavis (McCrea) and Margaret Ross replaced Darlene and Beulah.
Songs: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, The Locomotion, One Fine Day
Lucille (Don Kirschner’s Secretary) / Shirelle / Ensemble
Age: 16 & Up (Generally Any Age)
Vocal Range: Spoken / Alto
Dancing: Mover
*Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – Lead Singer
Janelle Woods / Shirelle / Ensemble
She and Gerry begin having an affair. Janelle is based on Earl-Jean Reavis (McCrea) of The Cookies who had a child with Gerry while married to Carole.
Age: 18 & Up
Vocal Range: D5
Dancing: Mover
*One Fine Day – Lead Singer
Little Eva / Shirelle / Ensemble
A babysitter for Carole & Gerry performs one of Carole’s and Gerry’s hits.
Age: 14 & Up
Vocal Range: E5
Dancing: Mover
*The Locomotion – Lead Singer
“Uptown Girl” / Shirelle / Ensemble
Age: 14 & Up (Generally Any Age)
Vocal Range: D5
Dancing: Mover
*Uptown – Lead Singer
GENERAL ENSEMBLE INFO
Except for the Principals, the Ensemble play the rest of the characters. All will be required to sing, move, and simulate playing instruments. More or less doubling and some prerecording may occur pending auditions/casting.
Age: 16 & Up (Unless Otherwise Indicated)
Vocal Range: SATB
Dancing: Movers
Songs: The Locomotion, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, Chains, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Uptown, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman, Beautiful, I Feel the Earth Move
*Other Roles include Dick Clark, Bobby Vee, Students, “Buxom Blonde”, Donald Graves, Maurice Williams of The Diamonds, Club Patrons, Background Singers, Tech
*Other Solos include Little Darlin’, Splish Splash, Love Potion #9, Poison Ivy, Yakity Yak, There Goes My Baby, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Stupid Cupid, I Go Ape