DECEMBER 30 • 2021 | 49

up in the Bronx,
” said Blake 
who, at age 80, is one year older 
than King. “The entire world 
of Beautiful — The Carole King 
Musical is all about Jewish kids 
growing up and making their 
careers in New York City. It’s a 
Jewish success story.
”
And successful it is. The 
Tony and Grammy Award-
winning Beautiful — The 
Carole King Musical was the 
27th longest-running musical 
in Broadway history when it 
closed after nearly six years in 
October 2019 just before the 
pandemic. 
The touring production was 
originally scheduled to play at 
the Fisher Theatre in May 2020 
and was rescheduled to Jan. 
4-9, 2022. It resumed touring 
last month in Chicago. Blake 
said that he’s in talks to bring 
the show back to Broadway as 
well as make a film adaptation 
with Sony Pictures and Tom 
Hanks and Gary Goetzman as 
co-producers.
“We are thrilled to be com-

ing back to Detroit,
” Blake said. 
“This is a total Equity produc-
tion because we insist on the 
highest standards and want to 
give the audience the best show 
that we can.
” 
The Actors’ Equity 
Association (AEA) is the per-
formers and stage managers 
union that protects actors’ 
rights, provides fair pay, ben-
efits and work environments 
including strict adherence to 
safety and COVID protocols. 
This North American tour 
of Beautiful — The Carole 
King Musical features many 
of the cast members from the 
Broadway production. Sara 
Sheperd, who is Jewish, under-
studied the role of Carole King 
on Broadway and takes on the 
title character in this produc-
tion.
“Beautiful is filled with 
music that you grew up with — 
the soundtrack of your youth, 
if you’re over 45,
” Blake said. 
“The audience is going to have 
a wonderful time.
” 

JOAN MARCUS

continued from page 46

Details

Beautiful — The Carole King Musical runs Jan. 4-9, 
2022, at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. Tickets start at 
$39 (including facility and parking fees) and can be 
purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone 
at 800-982-2787 or in person at the Fisher Theatre 
Box Office.

THEATER

Sara Sheperd as 
Carole King 

Highland Park from Detroit. 
“I lived a half-mile from 
there,” recalled the Prentis res-
ident of almost five years. “It’s 
nice to look back.”

WORKING TOGETHER
Adams and Singer worked 
together professionally for 
about 15 years, a time after 
the digital approach to draw-
ing cars took over the respon-
sibilities that Adams had long 
enjoyed.
“I’m 81, and I wanted to 
bring back my childhood 
through these images,” Adams 
said. “My parents didn’t have 
a car when I was a kid, but 
we went all over the city on 
buses and streetcars. It was 
fun bringing back the places 
we saw.”
When Adams started work, 
he defined Detroit as the art 
center for advertising.
“I did brochures and 
newspaper ads when it was 
all flat art, but that died in 
the early ’90s,” Adams said. 
“That’s when I started going 
to outdoor fairs, including 
the Michigan State Fair and a 
couple in Birmingham. 
“I can’t do art fairs now 
because it’s too hard. I loved 
doing them from each May to 

late September, meeting the 
people almost every weekend. 
I think I did well because peo-
ple like reminiscing.” 
Adams’ favorite print shows 
the Vernors’ plant, which was 
by the waterfront. He recalls 
stopping there to get a Boston 
Cooler (ginger ale and vanilla 
ice cream) when his family 
was on the way to Boblo 
Island Amusement Park.
“I put the cars of the times 
in my pictures,” said Adams, 
whose work also can be seen 
in hospitals and Buddy’s 
Pizza locales as his current 
renderings focus on railroad 
projects.
“I always loved trains, and 
they have a lot of train shows,” 
he said. “I work according to 
the mood I’m in — from two 
hours a day to all day.”
In November, Prentis 
Apartments had a reception 
honoring Adams and Singer.
“Everybody here seems 
thrilled with the display, and I 
hear a lot of stories from those 
who used to go cruising down 
Woodward,” Singer said. “
A 
lot of the buildings that are 
shown along Woodward are 
gone, but the White Castle is 
still there. I like being remind-
ed of those other buildings.” 

Print of Downtown Detroit 1951. 

