Caroline, or Change
In the musical the radio, washing machine, and dryer come alive when Caroline is doing laundry in the basement.
Noah and CarolineI truly enjoyed seeing the musical Caroline, or Change. It was a powerful production with multiple layers. All 3 of the Guthrie's theaters were showing plays by Tony Kushner including a world premier play. Caroline, or Change is an autobiographical musical of Kushner's youth.
Set in 1963 Louisiana, against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, Kennedy's assassination and the Vietnam war, this Tony-nominated musical centers on Caroline Thibodeaux, a divorced African American maid and Noah Gellman, the eight-year-old son of the Jewish family for whom she works. When Caroline finds loose change in Noah's pants pockets at laundry time, Noah's stepmother Rose tells her to keep it to teach him a lesson and to treat her four children. Yet the acceptance of change - from taking money from a child to coping with memories of the past - does not come easily and threatens to crush Caroline's relationships and spirit. It's finally through her independent teenage daughter's vision and strength that Caroline realizes that change can, in fact, set her free.
Featuring a virtuosic score by Jeanine Tesori (Shrek the Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie), it blends blues, gospel and traditional Jewish melodies, creating a breathtaking medium for Kushner's provocative and personal story. When Caroline, or Change opened in New York, Frank Rich of The New York Times called the musical "extraordinary" and Time magazine noted "the score is almost entirely sung through -- but with a story so grounded in the ordinary details of life in a specific place and time that it almost seems to have discovered a new genre." I enjoyed the clever score which incorporated famous classical clarinet excerpts and uplifting Klezmer music. Since Noah's father played the clarinet, my instrument of choice was highlighted. My favorite line came from Noah, "My father is a clarinet." The character expressed his feelings through his clarinet playing and turned to the clarinet rather than confronting his emotions.
Set in 1963 Louisiana, against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, Kennedy's assassination and the Vietnam war, this Tony-nominated musical centers on Caroline Thibodeaux, a divorced African American maid and Noah Gellman, the eight-year-old son of the Jewish family for whom she works. When Caroline finds loose change in Noah's pants pockets at laundry time, Noah's stepmother Rose tells her to keep it to teach him a lesson and to treat her four children. Yet the acceptance of change - from taking money from a child to coping with memories of the past - does not come easily and threatens to crush Caroline's relationships and spirit. It's finally through her independent teenage daughter's vision and strength that Caroline realizes that change can, in fact, set her free.
Featuring a virtuosic score by Jeanine Tesori (Shrek the Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie), it blends blues, gospel and traditional Jewish melodies, creating a breathtaking medium for Kushner's provocative and personal story. When Caroline, or Change opened in New York, Frank Rich of The New York Times called the musical "extraordinary" and Time magazine noted "the score is almost entirely sung through -- but with a story so grounded in the ordinary details of life in a specific place and time that it almost seems to have discovered a new genre." I enjoyed the clever score which incorporated famous classical clarinet excerpts and uplifting Klezmer music. Since Noah's father played the clarinet, my instrument of choice was highlighted. My favorite line came from Noah, "My father is a clarinet." The character expressed his feelings through his clarinet playing and turned to the clarinet rather than confronting his emotions.
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