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Caroline, or Change
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caroline, Or Change is a through-composed Broadway musical with book and lyrics by Tony Kushner and score by Jeanine Tesori, originally directed by George C. Wolfe.
The musical was first workshopped in May 1999 at New York's Public Theater. Director George C. Wolfe continued to workshop the musical at the Public Theater through 2003, when the show finally opened. After a successful run Off-Broadway, it transferred to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre and ran from May 2, 2004 to August 29, 2004 for a total of 136 performances. Despite its relatively short run, it was critically acclaimed and nominated for several Tony Awards including Best Musical. In 2006, a London production at the Lyttelton Theatre has been very successful, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
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The musical is set in Lake Charles, Louisiana during the American civil rights movement, just before, after and during the Kennedy Assassination. The title character, Caroline Thibodeaux, is a black maid for a Southern Jewish family, the Gellmans. The Gellmans' young son, Noah, is enamored of Caroline, a woman resistant to the sweep of change she sees around her. When Noah's stepmother, Rose, enlists Caroline's help in a plan to teach Noah a lesson about leaving change in his pants pocket (since Caroline does the family's laundry as part of her duties), the tide of change begins to affect Caroline's life firsthand, and she must come to terms with the necessity and inevitability of the end of segregation.
Much of Caroline's work day passes in the Gellmans' laundry room, which adds some surprising singing characters to the cast.
The title Caroline, Or Change has several meanings. The word 'change' is used in the sense of the change in Noah's pocket. Another sense is Caroline's tentative decision to quit her job. In addition, Noah goes through a social change after a family tragedy and Caroline changes by treating her family better and understanding Noah better. Finally, Rose changes from a Northerner to a Southerner. The nation changes as a result of JFK's death.
The opening night cast starred Tonya Pinkins as Caroline. Other cast members included Anika Noni Rose as Emmie Thibodeaux, Harrison Chad as Noah Gellman, and Chandra Wilson as Dotty Moffett.
The opening night cast in London (2006) starred Tonya Pinkins as Caroline. Other cast members include Pippa Bennett-Warner as Emmie Thibodeaux, Anna Francolini as Rose Stopnick Gellman, and Clive Rowe as the dryer/bus
Caroline, or Change was nominated for a total of six Tonys in 2004, winning one:
- Best Musical
- Best Book (Tony Kushner)
- Best Score (Jeanine Tesori)
- Best Actress (Tonya Pinkins)
- Best Featured Actress (Anika Noni Rose) - winner
- Best Direction (George C. Wolfe)
The musical also won the Olivier Award in 2007, for Best New Musical (at the Lyttelton Theatre)
- Official website
- Caroline, or Change at The Internet Broadway Database
- Caroline, or Change - Professional and amateur licensing at Music Theatre International
- Review of Caroline, or Change at the National Theatre
- "Production: Caroline, or Change" - Working in the Theatre Seminar at American Theatre Wing.org
- Tonya Pinkins - Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org