Caroline, or Change is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and lyrics and book by Tony Kushner. The score combines spirituals, blues, Motown, classical music, and Jewish klezmer and folk music.
The show ran both Off-Broadway and on Broadway as well as in London.
Production history
Workshops & Off-Broadway The musical was first workshopped in 1999 at New York's Off-Broadway Public Theater. Director George C. Wolfe continued to workshop the musical at the Public Theater, where it opened on November 30, 2003, and closed on February 1, 2004.Jones, Kenneth."Before Broadway, Caroline, or Change Ends Public Theater Run Feb. 1; Final Weekend Sold Out" playbill.com, February 1, 2004Brantley, Ben."Theater Review; Outsiders Bond in a South of Roiling Change" The New York Times, December 1, 2003
Original Broadway Production It transferred to Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on May 2, 2004, and closed on August 29, 2004, after 136 performances and 22 previews. The musical starred Tonya Pinkins in the title role, Anika Noni Rose as Emmie Thibodeaux, Harrison Chad as Noah Gellman, Veanne Cox as Rose Stopnick Gellman and Chandra Wilson as Dotty Moffett (all both off-and on-Broadway). The choreographer was Hope Clarke; scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez; costume design by Paul Tazewell; and lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer. Despite its relatively short run, it was critically acclaimedSommer, Elyse."A CurtainUp Review: 'Caroline, or Change' " curtainup.com, May 3, 2004 and nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Musical – winning Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Anika Noni Rose.
Original London Production Opening in October 2006, a London production at the National Theatre on the Lyttelton stage, also directed by Wolfe, ran in repertory with Marianne Elliott's production of Thérèse Raquin to January 2007. The production did not transfer to the West End but did win the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. The opening night cast in London starred Tonya Pinkins as Caroline. Other cast members included Pippa Bennett-Warner as Emmie Thibodeaux, Anna Francolini as Rose Stopnick Gellman, Hilton McRae as Mr. Stopnick, Perry Millward, Jonny Weldon and Greg Bernstein alternating as Noah, Clive Rowe as the dryer/bus, with Joy Malcolm, Ramona Keller, and Nataylia Roni, as the Radio.Billington, Michael."Review:'Caroline, or Change' " The Guardian, October 20, 2006
2018 London Revival A revival was produced at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester as part of Daniel Evans' inaugural season as artistic director of Chichester Festival Theatre, running from 6 May to 3 June 2017. The production was directed by Michael Longhurst, starred Sharon D. Clarke as Caroline and received critical acclaim earning five star reviews."Exceptional revival of a powerful and innovative drama – Caroline, Or Change review" telegraph.co.uk 12 May 2017 The production transferred with Clarke to the Hampstead Theatre, London from 12 March to 21 April 2018.Vine, Hannah. First Look at Sharon D. Clarke in 'Caroline, or Change' at London’s Hampstead Theatre" Playbill, March 19, 2018 The production transferred to the West End at the Playhouse Theatre, where it began playing on 20 November 2018, and ran until 2 March 2019, once again starring Clarke.
2021 Broadway Revival A Broadway revival by Roundabout Theatre Company based on the Chichester production initially was announced to start previews on March 13, 2020 and open on April 7, 2020, at Studio 54. On March 12, 2020, the show suspended production due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rescheduled previews began October 8, 2021 and it officially opened on October 27 and ran through January 9, 2022. Direction was by Michael Longhurst with choreography by Ann Yee. The revival starred Sharon D. Clarke and Samantha Williams (Emmie).Clement, Olivia. "Cast Complete for Broadway Revival of 'Caroline, or Change'" Playbill, January 23, 2020
Regional theatre Tonya Pinkins and Anika Noni Rose reprised their roles in late 2004 at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, California and in January to February 2005 at the Curran Theatre, San Francisco, California.Hernandez, Ernio; Jones, Kenneth. "Kushner and Tesori's 'Caroline, or Change' with Pinkins Plays in San Francisco" playbill, January 14, 2005 Its premiere in The Washington, D.C., area at The Studio Theatre in 2006, starring Julia Nixon and Max Talisman, received rave reviews, and won the Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical (Nixon), and Outstanding Resident Musical. The Chicago premiere at the Court Theatre in fall 2008 earned four Jeff Awards for director Charles Newell, Musical Director Doug Peck, star E. Faye Butler, and best production of a musical at a large scale theater.
Other regional productions have included Main Street Theater, Houston, in January 2008 with Tamara Siler; Center Stage, Baltimore, Maryland, in December 2008 to January 2009 with E. Faye Butler;CenterStage listing centerstage.org the Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April to June 2009,Guthrie listing guthrietheater.org Hetrick, Adam. "Guthrie Announces 2008-09 Season of "Firsts," Including Kushner Premiere and Little House Musical" playbill, March 26, 2008 the Gallery Players, Brooklyn, N.Y., January to February 2010, The Human Race Theatre Company, Dayton, Ohio November 4–20, 2011, and Syracuse Stage (Syracuse, New York) February 1-February 26, 2012."Greta Oglesby Leads Kushner & TesoriÂ's 'Caroline, or Change' at Syracuse Stage" broadwayworld.com, January 31, 2012 In 2017, the Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland staged it as part of a season with a focus on Tony Kushner plays. Its Colorado regional premiere took place April 5 to May 5, 2019, at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, directed by Kenny Moten and starring Mary Louise Lee as Caroline."Aurora Fox ushers in daring new era with ‘Caroline, Or Change’" denvercenter.com
A 2012 production by Acting Up Stage Company in Toronto, Ontario, garnered Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Sterling Jarvis (principal actor), Arlene Duncan (principal actress) and Outstanding Musical Direction (Reza Jacobs).Ouzounian, Richard. " 'Crash'; 'Caroline, or Change' and 'Topdog/Underdog' win most Dora Awards" The Star, June 25, 2012 A new production by Acting Up Stage Company, now called The Musical Stage Company, in Toronto, Ontario played January 31 to February 16, 2020, starring Jully Black as Caroline and Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman as The Moon at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres."New Production of 'Caroline or Change'" The Star, May 22, 2019
Plot
Act One On a hot day in 1963 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Caroline, a Black maid who works for the Gellman family for $30 a week, launders clothes in the basement ("16 Feet Beneath The Sea"). Caroline keeps herself sane in the basement by imagining the appliances in the basement as people ("The Radio"/"Laundry Quintet"). The Gellmans' 8-year-old son Noah, whose mother has recently died of cancer, is attracted to Caroline, a no-nonsense single parent ("Noah Down The Stairs"). Caroline allows Noah to light her one cigarette each day, a secret they can share ("The Cigarette"). Caroline puts the laundry in the dryer and sings about her four kids and cleaning houses for 22 years ("The Dryer"/"I Got Four Kids").
Noah's new stepmother Rose cannot give Caroline a raise, but tells her to take some extra food home to her kids ("Caroline, There's Extra Food"); Caroline declines. Noah's father Stuart, despondent since his wife's death, tells Noah he has lost his faith ("There is No God, Noah"). Noah confesses that he hates Rose ("Rose Stopnick Can Cook"). Rose confesses to her father, Mr. Stopnick, that she is unhappy as well, after uprooting her cushy New York lifestyle to move to the bayou with Stuart ("Long Distance").
After work, Caroline argues with her friend Dotty about each other's lifestyles ("Dotty and Caroline"). The moon rises as they wait for a bus ("Moon Change"). They discuss the recent mysterious destruction of a statue of a Confederate soldier at the courthouse ("Moon Trio"). The bus arrives with devastating news: President Kennedy has been assassinated ("The Bus"/"That Can't Be").
Rose tells Noah to stop leaving money in his pants pockets, and that any money Caroline finds in his laundry will be hers to keep ("Noah and Rose"). The Gellman family reminisces about the good President Kennedy did for the Jews and Dotty reminisces about the good he intended to do for African Americans ("Inside/Outside"/"JFK"). On the front porch of her house, Caroline tells her teenage daughter Emmie that the president is dead. Emmie says she does not care, because JFK never fulfilled his promises to the Black community ("No One Waiting"/"Night Mama"). Noah, awake in his bedroom, asks Caroline what laws she would pass if she were president ("Gonna Pass Me a Law"/"Noah Goes To Sleep").
Rose tells Caroline she is allowed to keep any money she finds in Noah's pants, to supplement her salary and teach Noah a lesson ("Noah Has a Problem"). Noah and his father, Stuart, have trouble bonding ("Stuart and Noah"). Noah, aware of Caroline's situation, purposefully leaves his candy and comic book money in his pockets, as well as 75 cents ("Quarter in the Bleach Cup"). Caroline feels bad about keeping it, but does so, out of necessity. Caroline brings the money to Emmie, Jackie, and the adorable little Joe who discuss all the things they can do and things they can buy with it ("Caroline Takes My Money Home"/"Roosevelt Petrucius Coleslaw").
Act Two As Christmas approaches Caroline, ironing clothes in the basement, remembers her ex-husband, who was kind and thoughtful until he became abusive ("Santa Comin' Caroline"/"Little Reward"/"1943"). Rose tells Caroline to keep any money Stuart leaves in his clothes as well but Caroline snaps at Rose saying she does not need her pity or money and threatens her with the iron ("Mr. Gellman's Shirt"/"Ooh Child"). Rose then asks if she, Dotty, and Emmie will work at her upcoming Chanukah party ("Rose Recovers"). Emmie, Jackie, and Joe encourage her to keep taking the laundry money, because the family needs it ("I Saw Three Ships").
At the Chanukah party, Noah educates Emmie about the holiday ("The Chanukah Party"). Rose shoos Noah out of the kitchen ("Noah, Out! It's Very Rude") and Dotty tells Emmie about the courthouse statue ("Dotty and Emmie"). When Mr. Stopnick belittles Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolent civil disobedience, Emmie tells him white people have no right to be critical ("I Don't Want My Child To Hear That"/"Mr. Stopnick and Emmie"). Mr. Stopnick is impressed with Emmie's bravado, but Caroline tells her she cannot talk that way to white people; Emmie retorts that slavery is over. Caroline slaps Emmie ("Kitchen Fight"). Mr. Stopnick's Chanukah present to Noah is a $20 bill, intended as a life lesson about money and its value ("A Twenty Dollar Bill and Why"). At the bus stop, Emmie dreams of growing up to be independent and fighting for justice ("I Hate the Bus"). Back at the house, Stuart laments that he can give neither Rose nor Noah what they need ("Moon, Emmie, Stuart Trio").