One of the most talked about musicals expecting to head back to the Great Bright Way when Live Theater returns in 2021 is the highly anticipated transfer of the recent Olivier Award winning Chichester Festival Theatre production of Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner's spiritual musical Caroline, Or Change.
Under the direction of Michael Longhurst, this production's Broadway engagement will be produced by Roundabout Theatre Company playing the legendary Studio 54 beginning in the Spring of 2021. No newly official rescheduled dates have been announced yet.
Originally, this revival of CAROLINE OR CHANGE was initially set to begin preview performances on March 13th, 2020. However, Live Theater was officially shutdown the day before. Yup, the company literally was supposed to have their INVITED DRESS REHEARSAL when Broadway was shutdown. Meanwhile, the official Opening Night was originally set for April 7th, 2020.
In case anyone may not be familiar with the story of CAROLINE OR CHANGE, it's loosely inspired by co-writer Tony Kushner's real life childhood experiences. Set in Louisiana 1963 during the Civil Rights movements, it centers on a poorly paid single African-American maid ("Caroline Thibodeaux") toiling endlessly in the sweltering basement of a middle-class Jewish family's household. When a small amount of money goes missing, buried tensions threaten to rip both two families—and the struggling maid herself – apart. The story deals with themes of poverty, racism, women's rights, along with racial and domestic tensions. It features some of the most unbelievable songs ever written for the stage including 16 FEET BENEATH THE SEA, THE RADIO, LONG DISTANCE, MOON TRIO, THE BUS, and the showstopping LOT'S WIFE.
Majority of the cast is expecting to be the same as it was for Broadway before this COVID-19 pandemic happened. It will feature an incredible cast consisting of….
Sharon D. Clarke reprising her acclaimed Olivier Award winning performance as the title role,
Caissie Levy as as concerned stepmother "Rose Stopnick Gellman".
Tony nominee John Cariani as father-musician extraordinaire "Stuart Gellman",
Arica Jackson as the voice of "The Washing Machine",
Tamika Lawrence as nighttime class student and friend "Dotty Moffett",
Alexander Bello as the son of "Caroline" himself "Joe Thibodeaux",
Broadway newcomer Chinua Payne as the son of "Caroline" himself "Jackie Thibodeaux",
Broadway newcomer Jonah Mussolino as the curious, sympathetic, and neurotic "Noah Gellman",
Broadway veteran Stuart Zagnit as "Grandpa Gellman",
Broadway legend Chip Zien as socialist ideology man himself "Mr. Stopnick"
Nasia Thomas, Nya, and Harper Miles as the voices of "The Radio",
and more.
Check out B-Roll trailer from the London company (featuring Clarke) below.
Who is excited?!!!!
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