Musical (2003)


Musique: Jeanine Tesori
Paroles: Tonu Kushner
Livret: Tonu Kushner
Production à la création:

Louisiana, 1963, in the immediate aftermath of the Kennedy assassination. Caroline, a black maid to a southern Jewish family, is struggling to keep afloat both emotionally and economically, while the young son of her employer tries to make sense of the world following the death of his mother. A musical exploration of human relationships, love, loss and social transformation.

The musical is set in 1963 in Lake Charles, Louisiana during the American civil rights movement, November–December 1963, encompassing the time of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Caroline Thibodeaux is a black maid for a Jewish family, the Gellmans, spending her days in their dank basement doing the laundry for the pitiful sum of $30 a week. The Gellmans' young son, Noah, has a strong emotional connection to Caroline, a single parent who remains stoic amid the sweep of change she sees around her. Regardless of the circumstances, whether it is the death of a president, her daughter's growing activism and misunderstood dismissal of what she perceives to be Caroline's choice to remain a maid, her son's enlistment in Vietnam, a fight with a newly college-bound friend, or a spin with the dryer, Caroline remains unflappable. She provides stability during Noah's grief at his mother's death from cancer, and her constant anger appeals to his constant sorrow. Noah's new stepmother Rose, unable to give Caroline a raise, enlists Caroline's help in a plan to teach Noah a lesson about leaving change in his pants pocket. Rose tells Noah and Caroline that Caroline should keep the money Noah leaves in his pockets. Caroline loathes the unintended humiliation of taking money from a child—but her own children lack money for toys, sweets, dentistry, and Christmas presents, and she is late with the rent because her salary has gone toward two special meals for her children. As an experiment and while fantasizing to exchange his isolating family for the imagined compassion of hers, Noah deliberately leaves money in his pockets, dreaming that Caroline's family now talk about his generosity over dinner.
The lesson goes awry when the ownership of a $20 bill is contested in the laundry, and Caroline's relationship with eight year-old Noah is irrevocably ruptured. After a week of reflection, with deep regret for harsh words spoken in anger, Caroline decides to return to her dehumanizing work as a maid. In a furious and broken prayer to God, she acknowledges that she'll never escape her circumstances, and she vows to crush her soul so that she can resist the pride that would grant her change but cost her the money that she needs to support her family. Against a background of the death of JFK, the Vietnam war, and the non-violent direct action protests organized by Martin Luther King, the tide of change continues to define Caroline's liminal place in history, a working mother, bearing up under a broken marriage, economic hardship, and racial inequality. Forever a maid, her tragic destiny sears the memories of the two parted principals. The tragedy is ultimately offset by an epilogue, a heroic solo sung by her daughter Emmie, laying claim to the hope and determination for a better life for Caroline's appreciative and proud children.


The musical was first workshopped in May 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.
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 acclaimed[3] and nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Opening in October 2006, a London production at the National Theatre on the Lyttelton stage, also directed by Wolfe, ran in repertory with Marianne Elliot'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 and Clive Rowe as the dryer/bus.
In regional theatre, Pinkins and Anika Noni Rose (Emmie Thibodeaux) reprised their roles in late 2004 at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, California[5] and in early 2005 at the Curran Theatre, San Francisco, California. The Chicago premiere at the Court Theatre in fall 2008 earned 4 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 productions include Center Stage, Baltimore, Maryland, in December 2008-January 2009 with E. Faye Butler; the Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April–June 2009, and the Gallery Players, Brooklyn, N.Y., January–February 2010.


Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Caroline or change

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Caroline or change


Version 1

Caroline or change (2018-11-Playhouse Theatre-London)

Type de série: West End Transfer
Théâtre: Playhouse Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Durée : 3 mois 1 semaine
Nombre :
Première Preview : 20 November 2018
Première: 20 November 2018
Dernière: 02 March 2019
Mise en scène : Michael Longhurst
Chorégraphie : Ann Yee
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Avec: Sharon D Clarke (Caroline Thibodeaux), Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Keisha Amponsa Banson, Alastair Brookshaw, Me'sha Bryan, Angela Caesar, Dujonna Gift-Simms, Sue Kelvin, Teddy Kempner, Ako Mitchell, Abiona Omonua, Vincent Pirillo, Tanisha Spring, Lauren Ward, Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, Zalika Henry, Laura Medforth, Timothy Quinlan, Teddy Wills, Isaac Forward (Noah - some dates), Aaron Gelkoff (Noah - some dates), Jack Meredith (Noah - some dates), Mark Mwangi (Jackie - some dates), Kenya Sandy (Jackie - some dates), Jereiah Waysome (Jackie - some dates), Josiah Choto (Joe - some dates), David Dube (Joe - some dates), Raphael Higgins-Hume (Joe - some dates).
Commentaires : Following sold-out runs in Chichester and at the Hampstead Theatre, the brilliant Sharon D Clarke reprises her role in Tony Kushner’s ‘modern masterpiece’, Caroline, or Change.

Version 2

Caroline, Or Change (2003-11-Public Theatre-Off Broadway)

Type de série: Original Off-Broadway
Théâtre: Public Theatre (Broadway (Off) - Etats-Unis)
Durée : 2 mois
Nombre :
Première Preview : 29 October 2003
Première: 30 November 2003
Dernière: 01 February 2004
Mise en scène : George C Wolfe
Chorégraphie : Hope Clarke
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Commentaires longs: Transféré à Broadway après cette série dans l'Off-Broadway

Version 3

Caroline, Or Change (2004-05-Eugene O'Neill Theatre-Broadway)

Type de série: Original Broadway
Théâtre: Eugene O'Neill Theatre (Broadway - Etats-Unis)
Durée : 3 mois 4 semaines
Nombre : 22 previews - 136 représentations
Première Preview : 13 April 2004
Première: 02 May 2004
Dernière: 29 August 2004
Mise en scène : George C Wolfe
Chorégraphie : Hope Clarke
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Avec: Caroline Thibodeaux ... Tonya Pinkins
Emmie Thibodeaux ... Anika Noni Rose
Noah Gellman ... Harrison Chad
Stuart Gellman ... David Costabile
Rose Stopnick Gellman ... Veanne Cox
Dotty Moffett ... Chandra Wilson
The Dryer/The Bus ... Chuck Cooper
Grandpa Gellman ... Reathel Bean
The Radio ... Tracy Nicole Chapman & Marva Hicks

Version 4

Caroline, Or Change (2006-05-Metheny Theatre-Washington)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Metheny Theatre (Washington - Etats-Unis)
Durée : 2 mois 1 semaine
Nombre :
Première Preview : Inconnu
Première: 17 May 2006
Dernière: 23 July 2006
Mise en scène : Greg Ganakas
Chorégraphie :
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Avec: Caroline Thibodeaux ... Julia Nixon
Noah Gellman ... Max Talisman
Washing Machine/Moon ... Allison Blackwell
Jackie Thibodeaux ... Zachary Blumenstein
Grandma Gellman ... Ilona Dulaski
Bus/Dryer ... Elmore James
Emmie Thibodeaux ... Trisha Jeffrey
Joe Thibodeaux ... Kameron Lamar
Mr. Stopnick ... Otts Laupus
Dotty ... Kelly J. Rucker
Commentaires longs: Originally scheduled to play until June 25. An extension was added due to high ticket sales.

Version 5

Caroline, Or Change (2006-10-Lyttelton Theatre-NT-London)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: National Theatre (Londres - Angleterre)
Salle : Lyttelton Theatre
Durée : 2 mois 2 semaines
Nombre : 58 représentations
Première Preview : 10 October 2006
Première: 19 October 2006
Dernière: 04 January 2007
Mise en scène : George C Wolfe
Chorégraphie : Hope Clarke
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Avec: Tonya Pinkins {Caroline Thibodeaux), Greg Bernstein/Perry Millward/Jonny Weldon (Noah), Anna Francolini (Rose Gellman), Clive Rowe, Ian Lavender, Richard Henders, Hilton McRae Valda Avicks
Commentaires : This through-composed musical, combining spirituals, blues, Motown , classical music and Jewish Klezmer, began off-Broadway in November 2003, and received a Broadway production from May 2004 running for 126 performances. In spite of its very short run, it received six Tony Award nominations. The London production at the National Theatre did not achieve its hoped-for West End transfer, but it did win the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. (Tony Kushner was better known as the author of the AIDS play “Angels in America” )
Presse : NICOLAS DE JONGH for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Caroline, Or Change turns out, therefore, to be a quaintly charming musical, beautifully acted...Unfortunately Kushner's almost non-stop lyrics, whose words too often become submerged by the 10-strong orchestra, are embarrassingly inept, banal and rambling." MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "A remarkable musical...the real joy lies in finding a musical that combines compassion with social awareness." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Amazing piece of music-theatre...Kushner's great achievement is to make the political personal in a work that combines great dramatic intensity with wild flights of fantasy and music of thrilling variety and strength...Tonya Pinkins is simply sensational in the title role" BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "Tesori’s score, which embraces Afro-American and Jewish music, rock and blues and gospel, does help to give the evening the size and significance it’s in danger of lacking." ALEKS SIERZ for THE STAGE says, "Enjoyable to watch and highly emotional." PAUL TAYLOR for THE INDEPENDENT says, "The staging by George C Wolfe is a pictorial joy. Caroline, or Change makes a delightful change from the usual no-brainer musical."

Version 6

Caroline, Or Change (2009-04-Guthrie Theatre-Minneapolis)

Type de série: Revival
Théâtre: Guthrie Theatre (Minneapolis - Etats-Unis)
Durée : 1 mois 4 semaines
Nombre :
Première Preview : 18 April 2009
Première: 24 April 2009
Dernière: 21 June 2009
Mise en scène : Marcela Lorca
Chorégraphie : Marcela Lorca
Producteur :
Star(s) :
Avec: Caroline Thibodeaux … Greta Oglesby
The Washing Machine … Jamecia Bennett
Radio … Felicia Boswell & Lynnea Doublette & Aurelia Williams
Noah Gellman … Noah Coon & Ryan McDowell Poehler
Bus/Dryer … T. Mychael Rambo
Grandma Gellman … Michelle Barber
Grandpa Gellman … Peter Thomson

 Pas encore de video disponible pour ce spectacle