By Kenneth Jones
03 Jul 2006

Julia Nixon plays the title character in Studio Theatre's Caroline, or Change.
photo by Eric Powell

The Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., has a hit on its hands with the area premiere of the Broadway musical, Caroline, or Change.

The resident staging of the musical by librettist-lyricist Tony Kushner and music Jeanine Tesori — featuring Julia Nixon in the title role — was embraced by critics and performances have been selling out. A fresh extension takes the show to July 23.

The run was originally to be May 17-June 25.

"As the Civil Rights movement ignites passions across the American South, one ordinary African-American woman dreams of changing her life," according to The Studio. "Caroline works as a maid for a Jewish family in Louisiana. When her employers tell her she can keep the change she finds in their eight-year-old son's pockets, they set in motion a series of events that will alter both Caroline and their family forever."

The cast features Max Talisman (as Noah Gellman) with Allison Blackwell (Washing Machine/Moon), Zachary Blumenstein (Jackie Thibodeaux), Kearstin Piper Brown, (Radio), Ilona Dulaski (Grandma Gellman), Elmore James (Bus/Dryer), Trisha Jeffrey (Emmie Thibodeaux), Kameron Lamar (Joe Thibodeaux), Otts Laupus (Mr. Stopnick), Omoro Omoighe (Radio), Monique Paulwell (Radio), Kelly J. Rucker (Dotty), Jim Scopeletis (Grandpa Gellman), Bobby Smith (Stuart Gellman) and Tia Speros (Rose Stopnick Gellman).

The creative team includes Greg Ganakas (director), Deb Booth (set designer), Kirk Bookman (lighting designer), Alex Jaeger (costume designer), Neil McFadden (sound designer), Jon Kalbfleisch (musical coordinator), Howard Breitbart (music director), Mike Maher (assistant music director).

Performances play The Metheny Theatre in the Studio complex. The Metheny seats a little over 200 people, and is double the height of the company's other theatres. No seat is more than 8 rows from the stage.

Tickets are on sale now at The Studio Theatre, 1501 14th Street NW, or at (202) 232-3300 or online at www.studiotheatre.org.

The Caroline schedule is Wednesday-Saturday at 8 PM, Sundays at 7 PM, with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets range $49-$65.

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Founded in 1978, The Studio Theatre is Washington's major venue for contemporary theatre. In 2004, The Studio Theatre celebrated the opening of its new four-theatre complex, which Peter Marks of The Washington Post said "immediately establishes itself as one of the best places in town for playgoing."

The Studio Theatre is led by Joy Zinoman, founding artistic director; Keith Alan Baker, managing director/artistic director, Secondstage; Serge Seiden, associate producing artistic director; and Morey Epstein, executive director of institutional development.

To date, The Studio Theatre has produced 130 plays by 116 different playwrights and received almost 200 Helen Hayes Award nominations for Artistic Excellence.