Friday, March 29, 2024

Sharon D Clarke is a Rhapsody in Blue in ‘Caroline or Change’ at the Roundabout Theatre Company Studio 54 NYC

Sharon D Clarke
Sharon D Clarke in CAROLINE OR CHANGE / Photo: Alastair Muir

*Caroline or Changenow playing through January 9, 2022 at the Roundabout Theatre in NYCtakes an ordinary slice of life and delivers a full course of entertainment from cue to cue.

It’s an all too familiar story of class and culture when emotional undercurrents brew as the upwardly mobile and stagnant laborers intertwine in a story set in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1963.

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Harper-Miles-Nasia-Thomas-Sharon-D-Clarke-Arica-Jackson-Caissie-Levy-in-Roundabout-Theatre-Companys-CAROLINE-OR-CHANGE-2021.-Photo-by-Joan-Marcus

Fresh from the UK, Olivier Award winner Sharon D Clarke makes her Broadway debut as the headliner and title character Caroline Thibodeaux.

She embodies every hard-working woman who is worn and torn between taking another gracious step or exploding from the dead end burden that she carries. Caroline works for the Gellman family.

They are oblivious to her plight, except for their frolicsome young son Noah. What Noah decides to do with his pocket change, are the hinges that this story rests upon.

As with any Broadway event, Caroline or Change is filled with a bevy of rich and spirit filled voices, dazzling choreography and staging that lifts your spirit from the audience and throws you into the woes of Caroline, the bewilderment of Rose Gellman (Caissie Levy), the wonderment of Noah Gellman (Adam Makké) and the hearts of Caroline’s children (Samantha Williams, Alexander Bello & Jaden Theophile).

Nya-Harper-Miles-Nasia-Thomas-in-Roundabout-Theatre-Companys-CAROLINE-OR-CHANGE-2021.-Photo-by-Joan-Marcus

Okay, enough of the formalities already, this cast can SANG!

Wait until you see the radio (Nya, Harper Miles and Nasia Thomas), the washing machine (Arica Jackson), the moon (N’Kenge) and the dryer (Kevin S. McAllister)! While every performer was excellent, I have only one critique.

I was waiting for Dotty Moffett (Tamika Lawrence) to really cut loose, just a few more bars where she can wail and put the audience over the top.  No, she’s not my cousin. That voice just cooks!

Tamika Lawrence – Sharon D Clarke in Roundabout Theatre-Companys-CAROLINE-OR-CHANGE-2021.-Photo-by-Joan-Marcus

Tony Kushner, what a way to tell a story! Jeanine Tesori, what a way to write a song! Outstanding job to Caroline or Change director Michael Longhurst. Kudos to Artistic Director Todd Haimes and The Roundabout Theatre for its commitment to revivals, emerging playwrights and productions.

While we’re at it, how about a shout out to The Broadway Advocacy Coalition for advocating for a more equitable industry and acknowledging the unique issues faced by its diverse community of performers and employees.

EURweb is proud to be a media partner for The Roundabout Theatre and we encourage member organizations and civic groups to enhance your support of these and other productions that tell our stories and employ gifted artisans from our families and communities.

The Roundabout Theatre is also presenting Trouble In Mind through January 9th 2022 and Caroline or Change is showing now through January 9th 2022. For  info click here:

Follow The ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY on Twitter, Instagram and on Facebook

LaRita “Jazzy Rita” Shelby is a writer & entertainer and Director of Digital Strategy & Sales for EURweb.com, newly branded Everything Urban & Radioscope.  Winner of MIMPA’S 2020 Entertainment Journalist of the Year Award & Proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho.  LaRita is the author of The Brand Beside the Brand and On My Father’s Side. Chat, swap ideas & vision at [email protected]

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