Header image by Scott Lahiff
You know the songs – but you might not realise just how many of them came from Carole King!
That’s a big part of what makes Beautiful: The Carole King Musical such a fun one. This September, Curtain Bounce and Laycock Street Community Theatre are bringing the Broadway hit to the Central Coast for the very first time, with a local company of 30 actors and musicians taking over the Laycock stage from 12 – 26 September.
Curtain Bounce brings ‘Beautiful’ to the Central Coast
The show follows Carole King long before Tapestry made her a household name. As a teenage songwriter in Brooklyn, King began writing hit after hit with her then-husband Gerry Goffin, alongside fellow songwriting duo Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann.
Between them, they wrote an enormous number of songs, including Will You Love Me Tomorrow, One Fine Day, The Loco-Motion, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’… and that’s before King steps into the spotlight herself with songs including I Feel the Earth Move and You’ve Got a Friend.
“I think most of us knew the songs Carole had released herself, but less so the ones she wrote for other people,” says Curtain Bounce founder Ruth Tiffen. “The biggest surprise for me was The Loco-Motion!”
This show is a first for Curtain Bounce. After productions including The Phantom of the Opera and A Chorus Line, Beautiful will be the company’s first jukebox musical – a show built around existing songs rather than an original score.
What drew them to this one was the sheer breadth of the music. Rather than following one recording artist’s back catalogue, Beautiful draws heavily on four prolific songwriters – King, Goffin, Weil and Mann – who spent years writing songs made famous by other performers. The soundtrack jumps through the 1960s and early ’70s, rather than sticking to one musical lane.
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Local talent brings Carole King’s story to the stage
They didn’t have to look far for their Carole. Central Coast favourite Josephine Emmett will take on the lead role, with the show chosen very much with her in mind.
“Anyone who has seen Josephine on stage knows what an incredible and dynamic performer she is and how lucky we are to have her performing on the Central Coast,” Ruth says. “Audiences are going to be blown away by her performance.”
She’s also a talented musician, and will regularly play piano live on stage throughout the show, just as Carole King did. And those very Carole-esque curls are all hers!
Behind the scenes, another familiar Coast name is returning. Stuart Smith, who directed Curtain Bounce’s hugely successful 2024 production of The Phantom of the Opera, is back at the helm for Beautiful.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical comes to Laycock Street Community Theatre
Music will be woven right through the production, with the 30 actors and musicians playing more than 45 instruments between them, which feels fitting for a show where the songwriting itself is such a huge part of the story.
“We knew music was such an important part of Beautiful and Carole King’s story, so we wanted all of the music to feel very organic,” Ruth says. “There will be times when the band are playing characters in the show, and times when our actors popping up in the band!”
When the promo photos arrived in our inbox, we immediately recognised that they’d teamed up with fashion label Bohemian Traders – love that local connection! The retro styling leans beautifully into the era without feeling too costume-y, and gives the whole campaign a gorgeous local touch.
For Curtain Bounce, though, the big moment will be premiering the show in front of a Central Coast audience.
What’s on at Laycock Street Community Theatre?
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
When: Saturday 12 – Saturday 26 September 2026
Where: Laycock Street Community Theatre, Wyoming
Tickets: Adults $65 | Concession, students, groups 10+ and under 30s $55 | Children $50
Book your tickets to see Beautiful: The Carole King Musical now.
Behind the scenes with Curtain Bounce
On any given morning, you might spot Ruth Tiffen at Ministry Cafe in Wyoming, grabbing a coffee with her husband Andrew, their son and two dogs in tow.
It’s conveniently close to Laycock Street Community Theatre – which makes sense given theatre is such a big part of their family life. Both Ruth and Andrew have long-standing connections to the performing arts, having spent years involved in productions on and off stage.
It’s this passion and experience that led Ruth to found Curtain Bounce in 2019, a theatre company that bridges the space between community and professional theatre on the Central Coast. We caught up with Ruth to find out where the idea came from and how Curtain Bounce has grown since.
Q&A with Ruth Tiffen, founder of Central Coast theatre company Curtain Bounce
Hi Ruth! Tell us, how did Curtain Bounce begin?
Ruth: The Central Coast has always had an incredible amount of talent and a strong community theatre culture. I wanted to create another pathway for local performers and creatives – somewhere they could work on ambitious productions with high professional standards, without losing that sense of community.
There are so many experienced people here, alongside emerging performers who are ready to take that next step. Curtain Bounce gives them an opportunity to work together and learn from each other.
Where did the name Curtain Bounce come from?
Ruth: Andrew and I both remember “curtain bounces” from performing in community theatre when we were younger. At the end of a show, if there was a particularly enthusiastic audience response, the crew would bounce the curtain to signal that the cast should come back out for another bow.
We loved what that represented: an audience that connects with a performance so much that they’re not quite ready for it to end.
That connection has remained at the heart of Curtain Bounce, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Has the company grown the way you imagined?
Ruth: It’s grown enormously, more than I could have dreamt. Curtain Bounce became a not-for-profit incorporated association in 2022 and is now run by a five-person board. Since 2019, we’ve staged seven musicals and 18 cabarets – a fair effort for a company that only began a few months before the world’s theatres were forced to shut their doors.
In 2025, the company took a major step into developing original Australian theatre after receiving a CreateNSW New Work grant for No Small Parts. The new musical was written by Curtain Bounce board member – and my husband – Andrew Sampford, with its world premiere workshop performances held at The Studio at The Art House, Wyong.
The production was directed by award-winning director Darren Yap, giving local performers and creatives the chance to be involved in shaping a brand-new work from the ground up.
10 years of The Art House – now that’s worth celebrating!
What was it like to see an original show reach the stage?
Ruth: It was incredibly rewarding. With an existing musical, you already know the show works. Creating something new is completely different. You’re testing, adjusting and learning throughout the process, and everyone involved plays a part in helping the work grow.
Curtain Bounce also earned wider recognition for its 2025 production of A Chorus Line, which received Best Musical and Best Ensemble at the BroadwayWorld Sydney Awards. Max Howard was also named Best Supporting Performer in a Musical.
Awards like this are a welcome acknowledgement of the work happening behind the curtain – from performers and musicians to directors, designers, crew and volunteers.
What makes you most proud of Curtain Bounce?
Ruth: The people, without a doubt. We’ve built a community of incredibly talented, generous and hardworking creatives. Everyone brings something different, but they all care deeply about making the best possible show.
That’s really what Curtain Bounce is about: bringing people together, creating opportunities and giving Central Coast audiences a reason to ask for one more bow.
What’s next for Curtain Bounce?
From 12 to 26 September 2026, Curtain Bounce is co-presenting the Central Coast premiere of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical with Laycock Street Community Theatre. Find out more.
Learn more at curtainbounce.com and be sure to follow Curtain Bounce on Instagram and Facebook to see what they’ve got coming up.
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