AUDITIONS - Caroline, Or Change

The Lake Michigan College Performing Arts Department Invites you to audition for Tony Kushner & Jeanine Tesori’s Tony-nominated Musical "Caroline, Or Change" that will come to The Mendel Center this November 16, 17 & 18 in the Hanson Theatre. 

Produced & Directed by Paul Mow
Music Direction by Joshua Goines
Costumes by Julie Smiy

Auditions are Sept. 10 & 11 5:30 PM - 8 PM at The Mendel Center Hanson Theatre.

Please bring at least 2 contrasting selections of 32 bars of musical theatre to perform from memory. An accompanist will be provided, so please bring sheet music as well.

For questions, e-mail Director Paul Mow at pmow@lakemichigancollege.edu.

Book and Lyrics by TONY KUSHNER. Music by JEANINE TESORI.

Originally Directed on Broadway by George C. Wolfe. Originally Produced on Broadway by: Carole Shorenstein Hays, HBO Films, Jujamcyn Theatre, Freddy DeMann, Scott Rudin, Hendel/Morten/Wiesenfeld, Fox Theatricals/Manocherian/Bergere, Roger Berlind, Clear Channel Entertainment, Joan Cullman, Greg Holland/Scott Nederlander, Margo Lion, Daryl Roth, Zollo/Sine in association with the Public Theatre.

Originally Developed and Produced in October 2003 by the Public Theatre; George C. Wolfe, Producer; Mara Manus, Executive Producer.

CHARACTER LIST:

Caroline Thibodeaux - 39 years old, the Gellman's maid

Emmie Thibodeaux - 16 years old, Caroline's daughter, supportive of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement

Jackie Thibodeaux - Caroline's younger son

Joe Thibodeaux - Caroline's younger son

Dotty Moffett - An old friend of Caroline, also works as a maid

Noah Gellman - 8-years-old, Gellman's son

Stuart Gellman - A professional clarinetist and teacher/Noah's father

Grandma and Grandpa Gellman - Stuart's parents

Rose Stopnick Gellman - Noah's stepmother, a friend of the family who marries Stuart after his first wife's death

Mr. Stopnick - Rose's father, Liberal New York Jew

The Domestic Appliances - Caroline has given personalities and voices to the washer, dryer and radio that keep her company in the basement she works.

• The Radio is portrayed by three women that look and sing like a Motown girl group
• The Washing Machine, portrayed by an actor, is brand-new and a good force that pushes Caroline to move forward in life
• The Electric Clothes Dryer, portrayed by an actor, torments Caroline throughout the play

The Moon - Also portrayed by an actor, the Moon is a calming and healing presence throughout the play.

The Bus - Also portrayed by an actor, is the primary source of transportation for the African American characters in the play.

"Caroline, Or Change" Synopsis:

Set in one of the most dramatic times in America's history, the Tony-nominated Caroline, or Change is riveting, moving and awe-inspiring. 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.

In 1963, the Gellman family and their African-American maid, Caroline, live in sleepy Lake Charles, Louisiana. Caroline is drifting through life as a single mother of four working in a service job to a white family. A fragile, yet beautiful friendship develops between the young Gellman son, Noah, and Caroline. Noah's stepmother, Rose, unable to give Caroline a raise, tells Caroline that she may keep the money that Noah leaves in his pockets. Caroline balks and refuses to take money from a child but her own children desperately need food, clothing and shoes. Outside of the laundry room, some of the greatest social advancements that the country has seen are being set in motion, and change is knocking on the door.

Caroline, or Change, produces a valuable theatrical experience that continues to thrill audiences the world over. It is a story that must be shared and will touch hearts. It is a story that will open minds. It is a story that will change theatergoers for the better. Featuring one of the most powerful female roles in musical theatre, Caroline, or Change is a true tour de force that will leave audiences breathless.