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Chilina Kennedy lands title role in Broadway musical Beautiful

A New Brunswick woman has been chosen to play the lead in the Broadway production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

​Chilina Kennedy, of Oromocto, takes over the role of the iconic singer-songwriter on March 7 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

Kennedy says her audition last summer was taped and sent to Carole King so she could help decide who would get the role portraying her.

Kennedy made her Broadway debut as Mary Magdalene in the 2012 production of Jesus Christ, Superstar, which originated at the Stratford Festival in Ontario.

Beautiful is based on Carole King's rise to stardom from a teenager in Brooklyn to the composer/singer of Tapestry, one of the best-selling records in history with more than 25 million copies sold world-wide.

Kennedy is succeeding Jessie Mueller, who won a Tony Award for her portrayal of King.