By Ashlei Havili Thomas
Caroline, or Change at the Good Company Theatre in Ogden is a musical unlike any others you may see around Utah. In a state chock full of brides for brothers, singing and dancing kitchenware, and enough Scrooges to fill a lifetime, this bluesey Motown musical is a breath of fresh air. Staged in 1960s Louisiana at the start of the Civil Rights Movement, Caroline, or Change tells the story of a woman caught in the middle of racial unrest and extreme poverty. As Caroline, a single mother, tries to provide for her family , she sings of the sacrifices she’s made to make ends meet: her pride, her dreams, herself. Caroline, or Change is not a show worth missing, and the performances of the cast at the Good Company Theatre will keep your toe tapping and open your heart to this beautiful show.
Caroline, or Change is a musical by the Tony Award winning duo of Tony Kushner (writer of Angels in America) and Jeanine Tesori (composers of Shrek the Musical and Thoroughly Modern Milllie). Caroline Thibodeaux is maid to the Gellmans, a Jewish family in 1960s Louisiana. Stuart Gellman, the father, recently remarried after the death of his first wife, and his son Noah is still dealing with the loss. Noah clings to Caroline despite her gruff demeanor, and calls her “President Caroline.” When Noah keeps leaving coins in his laundry, his stepmother Rose tells Caroline that she can keep any change she finds in the pockets to help teach Noah a lesson. What starts as pennies and nickels turns into quarters and dollar bills as Noah decides to help Caroline in this small way. Caroline debates over this small money, but can’t turn it down because her children need the extra income. When Noah accidentally leaves a twenty dollar bill in his pocket (almost a week’s wages for Caroline), things come to a head for them both. The themes of poverty and racial tension are timely, and no doubt will strike chords with many who attend this show.
Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin plays the title role, and is a joy to watch. In the intimate black box setting, her voice fills the space and lends itself to her talent as an actress. The bone weariness, frustration, and deep sadness Darby-Duffin conveys is compelling and heartbreaking. I saw very few dry eyes after “Lot’s Wife” and even I was choking back tears. Oliver Kokai-Means as Noah Gellman shows the hopeful imagination of a child while trying to come to terms with the death of a parent. Kokai-Means shows both great depth and innocence in his portrayal of Noah as he struggles with his father’s new marriage and his mother’s still fresh death. The relationship built between Darby-Duffin and Kokai-Means is fascinating to watch; not quite mother-son, not quite friend, not servant and master. I enjoyed watching them interact and how their relationship changed through the course of the show.
Many of the characters of the musical are personified elements of Caroline’s life: the Washing Machine (Kortney King-Lives), the Radio (Detorea Holy, Olivia Lusk, and Sibley Snowden), the Dryer (Tristan B. Johnson) and the Moon (Dee Tua’one). I especially enjoyed these performances, watching how they embodied these parts of Caroline’s life and pieces of machinery. King-Lives and Johnson have an interesting dynamic, written into the script in Caroline’s lines: “God made the washing machine. The Devil made the dryer.” Both King-Lives and Johnson live up to these written in character traits; even vocally they seem complete opposites, Johnson’s rumble a stark contrast to King-Lives honeyed tones. Tua’one also has wonderful vocal range and singing, and embodies the ethereal presence watching over Noah and the Thibodeaux family perfectly. I couldn’t think of a better choice for Emmie Thibodeaux than Daisy Allred. Allred captures the youthful determination and demand for change that makes Emmie so different from her mother Caroline. In fact, it’s through the relationship Allred and Darby-Duffin that we truly see how much Caroline has sacrificed to give her children a better life than she had. Natalie Keezer as Rose Gellman is enthralling, as she struggles with her new place in the Gellman family and trying to compete with the memory of Noah’s mother. The cast as a whole is seamless, creating a vulnerable experience that keeps the audience wanting more.
It’s not often in a black box space we are treated with a live band, but Anne Puzey, Matt Hewitt, and Cheryl Backley are a delight for the ears. Likewise the costume design put together by Alicia Washington is visually stunning, showcasing the changing times at the start of a new decade. While some of the aspects of the space (a support beam in the middle of the stage, for example) would frustrate some designers, Allen Smith takes it all in stride, using all available space to his full advantage with more than six levels and immersing the audience into the show. All of this paired with the wonderful direction of Teresa Sanderson puts this play in my top five favorite shows and had me talking my husband’s ear off the entire drive home.
On their website, the Good Company Theatre lists this as a PG-13 show, and I would agree with that assessment. Do not let that keep you from this performance, however. Though finding the entrance may be tricky for those not familiar with the theatre (park on the east side and enter through the double doors), it is well worth it. As I think back on the show, I find deeper meaning in the repetition of the idea of drowning; like lifeguards who drown trying to keep others above water, likewise Caroline symbolically drowns her hopes and dreams in order to keep her little family afloat amid racial tension and extreme poverty. The beauty and raw power of this show will leave you changed in ways Austrian nunneries and technicolor coats never can. Don’t walk, run to see Caroline, or Change at the Good Company Theatre.
The Good Company Theatre presents Caroline, or Change with book by Tony Kushner and music by Jeanine Tesori
The Good Company Theatre, 2404 Wall Ave, Ogden, UT, 84401
Nov. 29-30, Dec. 1, 6-8, 8:00 PM, Dec. 1, 8, 2:00 PM, Dec. 9, 4:00 PM
Tickets: $20
Contact: 801-917-4969
Good Company Theatre Facebook Page
Caroline, or Change Facebook event
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