Beautiful – The Carole King Musical Comes to the Hobby Center, So Get Ready to Go Up on the Roof

"It's great when some of the songs start — "Natural Woman" or "It's Too Late." There's a collective gasp; it's  really cool," says Canadian actor Liam Tobin. He's experienced this over and over as part of the national tour of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical coming to Broadway at the Hobby.

Carole King wrote some of the best-known songs of her time, initially for other artists and then for herself – “Up on the Roof” and “Take Good Care of My Baby” — to name just a few more. Her writing partner and first husband was Gerry Goffin, the character played by Tobin.

“We get to see Carole and Gerry meet in 1959 at Queen's College and them working together and falling in love and the marital issues. In the process, they kind of wrote the catalog for a generation,” Tobin says.

The story includes her collaborations with other artists such as Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and ends with her legendary Carnegie Hall appearance. Even if you're not a fan of jukebox musicals, you may find yourself singing along.

"It's a real story about real people, and a lot of people can relate to the things they go through," says Tobin. "It's a real feel-good tale about friendship."

Performances are scheduled for May 31 through June 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. . For information, call 713-315-2525 or visit thehobbycenter.org. $35-$175.