Toddra Brunson as Washing Machine, Kareema Khouri as Caroline Thibodeaux and Asher Makeba, Gabrielle Graham and Whitney Renee as Radio in Actors' Playhouse's "Caroline, or Change" through Sunday, April 14 at the Miracle Theater, Miracle Mile, Coral Gables (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
Benjamin Franklin wrote, in part: “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
But there is a third certainty in life that Franklin failed to mention – change. In fact, you can get around paying taxes (until and if the law catches up with you). But change will be a part of your life from the moment you are born until the moment you die, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
Of course, you can try to resist it. However, that will likely only make you a bitter, frustrated person. In fact, it may turn you into someone like 39-year-old Caroline Thibodeaux. She is Caroline, the Black maid working for a middle class southern Jewish family, the Gellmans, in the musical “Caroline, or Change” now onstage at Actors' Playhouse, Coral Gables through Sunday, Apri 14.
Kareema Khouri as Caroline and Franco Kiglies as Noah star in "Caroline, or Change" at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
In this timely, touching, layered piece set in 1963 Lake Charles, Louisiana, Caroline is resistant to change in her personal life and change about to happen in American society during this turbulent time in history.
The word “change” carries multiple meanings in “Caroline, or Change,” with a book and lyrics by Tony Kushner (“Angels in America,” among others) and music by Jeanine Tesori (“Violet, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “Shrek the Musical” among others). Actors' Playhouse's impressive professional mounting marks the musical’s South Florida premiere. The running time is about two-and-a-half hours, including a 15-minute intermission.
(Check out our Preview story of 'Caroline, Or Change')
This is a complex show that is not easy to perform. For instance, the varied score features multiple musical styles that change quickly and frequently. In addition, the show is almost entirely sung-through and includes recitative – dialogue sung in the rhythms of regular speech as opposed to the varied notes of a composed song,
Jeni Hacker as Rose in "Caroline, or Change" at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, Coral Gables. (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
But credit Actors’ Playhouse Artistic Director David Arisco, who helmed the production. He helped an obviously talented cast master the show’s complex music, which they nail. Indeed, they make it sound like their everyday speech. Also, Arisco and Company give the show’s touching moments time and space to truly land and affect us. In addition, under Arisco’s guidance, performer Kareema Khouri, who portrays the titular maid, makes her as likable as possible, which is not an easy task. Actually, one of this show’s weaknesses is that it’s simply hard to pull for the title character. She’s a bitter, angry, and sad woman who doesn’t seem willing to take the necessary steps to change her life situation.
Credit must also go to music director/conductor Antoine Khouri, Kareema’s husband, as well as associate director/choreographer Ron Hutchins, in addition to various behind the scenes artists.
Onstage, Khouri leads a talented large cast of local performers whom you may recognize from previous South Florida productions. Specifically, 11-year-old Franco Kiglies portrays 8-year-old Noah Gellman, Brian Golub plays his father, Stuart Gellman, Patti Gardner and Peter Tedeschi tackle the roles of Grandma and Grandpa Gellman, and Jeni Hacker appears as Rose Stopnick Gellman, Noah’s stepmother. In addition, Howard Elson plays Mr. Stopnick, Rose’s father.
Actors appearing as the Thibodeaux children are Cassidy Joseph, Liam Williams, and London Khouri, Kareema’s real-life son.
Other actors portray inanimate objects who, in Caroline’s imagination, move, talk, and sing just like the humans in the show, infusing it with magical realism. The inanimate objects, such as a bus, washer, dryer, the moon, and a radio comment on Caroline’s situation. They also enhance the show’s theatricality.
Tyler Symone bas the Moon in the musical "Caroline, or Change" at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
In “Caroline, or Change,” which Kushner has said is loosely based on an incident from his childhood, Caroline is divorced from her husband. Apparently, he loved her but also abused her. In order to keep her children fed, clothed, and housed, Caroline has worked for 22 years as a maid, mainly for the Gellmans. They are a family whose members are forever changed following the loss of a wife and mother to cancer. In return for her work, the Gellmans pay Caroline $30 a week, basically poverty-level wages.
Unfortunately, the Gellmans cannot afford to give Caroline a raise. However, Rose comes up with a plan to help ensure that Noah understands the value of money. The youngster constantly leaves loose change in his pants pockets. Caroline regularly finds the change when she prepares the boy’s clothes for the laundry.
Liam X. Williams, Cassidy Joseph and London Khouri as the Thibodeaux children in "Caroline, or Change" at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
Rose tells Caroline and her stepson that, from now on, she (the maid) can keep money she finds in Noah’s pants pockets. However, this locks Caroline into a conflict and moral dilemma that helps drive the plot.
Namely, she does not feel comfortable taking money from a child. But on the other hand, the money she finds in Noah’s pockets could help feed, clothe, and house her and her children. What is Caroline to do? And after a $20 bill disappears, the “friendship” between Noah and Caroline (it’s mostly an unrequited relationship, with the boy adoring the maid) is in danger of collapsing. Specifically, a fight erupts between them, during which Noah and Caroline say nasty things to each other. Afterwords, you wonder whether the Gellmans and Caroline can go back to the working relationship they maintained before the conflict.
Change, however small, has to start somewhere, Kushner seems to be telling us. But with problems such as racial tensions, bias against minorities, poverty, and other ills affecting society, is true, lasting change possible?
“Caroline, or Change” makes us ponder how far we have come as a society in addressing such problems, and how far we have to go. Sadly, this dark and meaty musical also reminds us how many problematic similarities exist between the early 1960s in the U.S. and modern-day America.
Unquestionably, this musical is even more urgent and timely than when it first appeared on a stage. Indeed, racial tensions, anti-Semitic bias and violence, and other crimes against minorities have cropped up like uncontrollable weeds since the show’s world premiere in 2003. On the other hand, society has taken steps toward impactful change. For instance, Black Lives Matter and other activist-driven movements have come into being.
In this climate of division and danger, shows such as “Caroline, or Change” are vital to spark thought, dialogue, action, and create empathy. The show is a reminder that, despite our differences, human beings share much in common and possess a remarkable resiliency to battle back against society’s ills. Ultimately, “Caroline, or Change” celebrates diversity both in its eclectic score and its varied characters.
Franco Kiglies, Kareema Khouri, Cassidy Joseph, London Khouri, Liam X. Williams and Tyler Symone in a scene from "Caroline, or Change" at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Alberto Romeu)
True, the show’s ending isn’t the strongest. Simply, we never get the sense that the titular character has changed much from the beginning of the show. Instead, she seems destined to continue working for the Gellmans in their home’s garage “16 feet beneath the sea” -- a place she compares to hell. But while we may wish for more character growth from Caroline, the ending imbues us with hope. Namely, her activist daughter, Emmie (a passionate and assertive Cassidy Joseph) seems willing to fight for reform, unlike her mother.
Kushner covers a lot of material in this piece, which never seems overstuffed.
In addition to highlighting the need for change, this richly symbolic musical touches on loss and grieving, the importance of family and faith, relationships between stepchildren and stepparents, the power of art, and the value of workers.
While the music isn’t particularly memorable or hummable, Tesori’s score succeeds in other respects. For instance, the music, as sophisticated as a Sondheim score, deftly builds tension and its variety reinforces the show’s celebration of diversity. The styles include gospel, pop, blues, jazz, traditional Jewish melodies, and contemporary Broadway. Dark, sad, haunting music contrasts nicely with brighter tunes.
While the show includes scant bits of humor, one of the songs offers comic relief from the darker material. It’s a playful, upbeat number that the child characters sing about a boy who pushed his mother too far asking how much money she makes.
Brian Golub, Cassidy Joseph, Tyler Symone and Annaya Charlicia in "Caroline, or Change" at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, Coral Gables. (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
Kiglies and the other child performers, Cassidy Joseph, Liam Williams, and London Khouri, dance energetically to the vibrant number and seem to have fun while doing so.
Speaking of Kiglies, this 11-year-old thespian is an up-and-coming star. He maintains an impressive naturalness onstage, speaks clearly and distinctly, and lends Noah depth.
The child actor imbues his character with a sad demeanor, which is understandable considering that the 8-year-old lost his mother. In addition, Kiglies grows convincingly angry, especially during Noah’s fight with the family's maid. But as the young performer portrays him, Noah is also a curious and enthusiastic child who grows excited and smiles during happy times, such as dancing with his grandmother. And, at the beginning of the show, the boy seems calm and at peace with Caroline.
It’s a bit of a mystery as to why Noah is so fond of her, especially when she doesn’t return the adoration. True, Caroline lets him light her daily cigarette, but is that all? When he refers to Caroline as the “President of the United States” you may scratch your head wondering what this boy, living in 1963, means. Certainly, it’s something to think about. Could he be foreshadowing a future in which an African American is elected president?
Peter Tedeschi, left as Grandpa Gellman and Patti Gardner, right, as Grandma Gellman with Franco Kiglies as Noah in "Caroline, or Change." at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. (Photo by Alberto Romeu)
In the role of Caroline, Khouri pours her heart and soul into the character, one of the most powerful female roles in musical theater.
With dark, wide eyes and a pained expression on her face, Khouri’s powerful and expressive voice drifts throughout the theater. Khouri forcefully, yet naturally, conveys emotional pain and frustration. In addition, Khouri provides Caroline with a touch of tenderness at the end. While experiencing it, you wish for more such moments.
Other cast standouts include Jeni Hacker. She endows Rose with an eager to please aura, and makes Noah’s stepmother a well-meaning woman, but also a high-strung, focused, and intense individual. The award-winning actor also conveys vulnerability during her character’s phone call to her dad (a firm but pleasant Howard Elson).
Brian Golub conveys a convincingly awkward and melancholy disposition as Noah’s grieving, musician dad.
Annaya Charlicia and Kareema Khouri in "Caroline,or Change at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, Coral Gables. (Photo courtesy of Alberto Romeu)
Patti Gardner and Peter Tedeschi make a spirited Grandma Gellman and Grandpa Gellman, respectively, while Annaya Charlicia shines as an animated, well-meaning Dotty Moffett, Caroline’s friend.
The actors who play the inanimate objects lend distinct personalities to their characters. They include a mournful Don Seward as The Bus, a serene Tyler Symone as The Moon, and a dark, tormenting Seward as The Dryer.
Asher Makeba, Gabrielle Graham, and Whitney Renee sparkle as brightly as their shimmering outfits as The Radio. It looks and sings like a Motown Girl Group.
The group members’ outfits are part of Ellis Tillman’s character-appropriate costumes. Also behind the scenes, lighting designer Eric Nelson bathes the stage with dim lighting to reflect dark moments in the show. Contrastingly, the lights are bright and intense during, for instance, moments featuring intense emotion.
Brandon M. Newtown’s multi-level set seamlessly rotates and realistically depicts the Gellman home. Also, a plain, grayish-colored exterior represents the Thibodeaux home, contrasting it from the more upscale Gellman house.
Actors’ Playhouse’s success with “Caroline, or Change” further cements the company’s status as a powerhouse when it comes to producing musicals. Kudos to them for deftly tackling a highly-complex piece. It would be a shame to miss this one.
IF YOU GO
- WHAT: Actors’ Playhouse production of “Caroline, or Change.”
- WHERE: The Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables.
- WHEN: Through Sunday, April 14. Performances are at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday (and an additional 2 p.m. performance on Wednesday, April 3.)
- TICKETS: Admission is $40, $55, $65, $75, and $85. Seniors 65 and over get 10 percent off weekdays only. Students with valid student ID pay $15 for a rush ticket available 15 minutes before a weekday performance.
- INFORMATION: Call (305) 444-9293 or go to www.actorsplayhouse.org.
