She Loves to Laugh: Jessica Keenan Wynn Comes Aboard Broadway's Beautiful | Playbill

News She Loves to Laugh: Jessica Keenan Wynn Comes Aboard Broadway's Beautiful The latest in Broadway's royal Wynn acting family takes the stage.
Jessica Keenan Wynn Monica Simoes

Jessica Keenan Wynn (Heathers) rejoins the Broadway cast of Beautiful—The Carole King Musical June 26. Wynn stepped into the role of songwriter Cynthia Weil temporarily from March to October 2015 when Tony nominee Anika Larsen was on maternal leave, and becomes her permanent replacement starting today.

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Ed Wynn New York Public Library Digital Collections

Wynn is descended from a Broadway acting dynasty dating back to the 19th century, including Ziegfeld Follies star Ed Wynn (Uncle Albert, who sang “I Love to Laugh” in Mary Poppins) and Keenan Wynn (Senator Rawkins in the film of Finian's Rainbow).

Larsen's final performance in the role was April 24.

Wynn joins Canadian actress Chilina Kennedy, who made her Broadway debut as Mary Magdalene in the 2012 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, who continues in the title role, plus Scott J. Campbell as Gerry Goffin, Ben Jacoby as Barry Mann and Paul Anthony Stewart as Don Kirshner.

With a book by Tony and Academy Award nominee Douglas McGrath, direction by Marc Bruni and choreography by Josh Prince, Beautiful features an array of beloved songs written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King and Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil.

“Long before she was Carole King, chart-topping music legend, she was Carol Klein, Brooklyn girl with passion and chutzpah," according to press notes. "She fought her way into the record business as a teenager and, by the time she reached her twenties, had the husband of her dreams and a flourishing career writing hits for the biggest acts in rock ‘n’ roll. But it wasn’t until her personal life began to crack that she finally managed to find her true voice. Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation.”

For tickets visit Telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200.

 
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