Caroline, or Change Is a Moving Story from the Civil Rights Era

Caroline, or Change is a moving musical that chronicles the struggles of a Black, divorced mother of four who’s trying to care for her family as the world around her is taking steps towards progress and equality. Set in Louisiana in late 1963, the musical introduces us to Caroline, the family she works for, her children and her closest friend Dottie as they navigate a changing world. Fly North Theatricals’ production is remarkable not simply for taking on such an ambitious show, but for creating a moving and gorgeously executed production that enhances the story’s impact.

Caroline Thibodeaux works as the maid for the Gellman’s, a moderately well-off Jewish family, but she – like so many Black working women – is woefully underpaid. Though she’s worked for the family for years, the dynamic recently changed when Stuart, the widower father to eight-year-old Noah, remarried and brought Rose into the family. Rose and Noah have a difficult relationship, and Noah prefers to spend his time in the basement with Caroline where she’s continually washing, drying and ironing the family’s many loads of laundry while listening to the radio.

At home, Caroline’s family struggles to make ends meet and oldest daughter Emmie is experiencing the conflicts of the civil rights era from a different perspective than her mother’s generation. She’s young, ready for the world to change and not afraid to stand up to the status quo. When Noah’s stepmother Rose decides that Caroline should keep any change she finds in Noah or her husband‘s pockets as a way of teaching Noah to be more careful with his money, she sets up a conflict that causes Caroline to question her life and choices she’s made as well as how she feels about the challenges to the status quo that she’s witnessing.

As Caroline, De-Rance Blaylock is powerful, filled with gravitas, sincerity and a voice that easily captures the emotional impact of the story. Her companions in the basement include Kanisha Kellum as The Washing Machine; Kimmie Kidd, Adrienne Spann and Ebony Easter as The Radio; and Duane Foster as The Dryer, all of whom add context, meaning and texture to the systemic pain and uncertainty of Caroline’s story. Zoe Klevorn is plaintive and searching as young Noah, and is appropriately contradicted by the strength and certainty of Kenya Nash as Emmie. Avery Lux is complicit, but often sympathetic, as Rose while Jordan Wolk is distant as her husband Stuart. Cameron Hadley, Malachi Borum, Ken Haller, Mara Bollini and Kent Coffel round out the cast with strong vocals and small, but important, contributions to the plot.

The music by Jeanine Tesori, with lyrics by Tony Kushner, is layered, complex and almost operatic in scale, with complex harmonies and purposeful dissonance. The company under the musical direction of Colin Healy with stage direction by Brian McKinley does an excellent job of bringing the show together creating a whole story that is moving and emotionally evocative. Caroline, or change is not an easy show to watch. It is, however, important and gorgeously orchestrated, though you’re likely to shed a tear or two as the moving story unfolds.

Caroline, or Change was composed by Jeanine Tesori with a book by Tony Kushner. The Fly North Theatricals productions is directed by Brian McKinley with conductor and musical director Colin Healy and choreography by Caleb Long. The musical is now playing at the Marcelle (3310 Samuel Shepard Drive) through August 12, 2023.

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