Presented as part of the Guthrie Theater's Tony Kushner Celebration, which also includes the world premiere of The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures and a collection of shorter plays, tinyKUSHNER, the Civil Rights-era musical begins previews April 18 and runs through June 21. Caroline officially opens April 24 on the Wurtele Thrust Stage.
Designing the acclaimed musical are Richard Hoover (set design), Candice Donnelly (costume design), Mary Louise Geiger (lighting design) and Scott W. Edwards (sound design). Andrew Cooke serves as musical director and conductor.
As previously reported, Marcela Lorca will direct and choreograph. The cast features Jefferson Award winner Greta Oglesby as Caroline Thibodeaux, as well as Michelle Barber, Jamecia Bennett, Felicia R. Boswell, Aimee K. Bryant, Nikki Renee Daniels, Lynnea Doublette, Bradley Greenwald, Kenny Morris, T. Mychael Rambo, Julie Reiber, Peter Thomson, Aurelia Williams and Regina Marie Williams. Children in the cast include Noah Coon, Jake Ingbar, Julius Andrews IV, Zadir King, Versell Ford IV and Jackson M. Hurst.
Set in 1963, Caroline, or Change "centers on the relationship between Caroline, a divorced, middle-aged African American maid, and Noah, the son of the Jewish family for whom she works. As Caroline comes to terms with racial turmoil and the end of segregation, and Noah deals with the death of his mother and his father’s remarriage, the pair struggle to find a place for their friendship," according to Guthrie notes.
Kushner won back-to-back Tony Awards for the two-part epic Angels in America. The first half, Millennium Approaches, won the 1993 Best Play Tony and the second, Perestroika, was awarded the 1994 Best Play prize. His other works include A Bright Room Called Day, Slavs!: Thinking About the Longstanding Problems of Virtue and Happiness, Henry Box Brown and The Mirror of Slavery. Tickets are now available by calling (612) 377-2224, or (877) 44-STAGE or by visiting www.guthrietheater.org.
