Caroline or Change Thread

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 3:10am

I'm still in love with this show. I find it emotional,
thought-provoking, and beautiful. I'm not sure how it didn't find an audience. Although, the subject matter and the
sung-through nature of the show might have turned people off, but it's still a great show. I think this show would be brillant if staged striped down, bare bones. If John Doyle directed this show, I think it would be a hit. What do you guys think? I'm not sure how the original show was staged, I know it wasn't a big spectacle or anything, but it was still a large show. I'm still a little hurt that Tonya Pinkins didn't win the best actress in a musical award. I think she gave a brillant performance. To be able to sing that role and that show 8 times a week without having an alternate is something to be proud of.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 3:14am

I think CoC was already brilliant...John Doyle doesn't need to touch it. But I'm also willing to admit that I probably would have said the same thing about Sweeney Todd or Company five years ago! But it looks like anything Doyle directs for a while is going to be a hit.

I'm going to see it on Tuesday at the library...can't wait!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 3:16am

Please god, don't let John Doyle anywhere NEAR this show.

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 9:41am

I agree with the aforementioned statements. John Doyle STAY AWAY!!!

Just because a show doesn't find its audience doesn't mean it isn't perfect or brilliant. This show moved me more than any show I've seen. A piece of my soul dies when I think of the washing machine playing the oboe!

[SeptemberKel]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 9:43am

I concur with those above. Please, no John Doyle! I just don't think that would be a wise "fit." But I absolutely agree with your basic statemetn - CoC is brilliant on so many levels!

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 11:34am

John Doyle is NOT the end all, be all of theatre.

Besides, Mr. Gellman plays the clarinet.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 11:43am

Not every production he directs has to do with the whole actor playing the orchestra concept. He's got a way with minimalist productions, so I thought he'd be a good fit.

I just think Caroline or Change would benefit from a small scale production. I agree that it's brillant, but it wasn't a success. I would like to see this show a success so that more people can be exposed to it.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 11:51am

The production was perfect as was. It wasn't a huge show. It was what it needed to be.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 11:54am

Yeah, well obviously I agree with you. The show was perfect as is, but it didn't reach a wide audience. I just think with someone's name attached to it - like John Doyle - people might actually give the show a chance if they didn't in the past.

It's never going to happen, but I just hate the thought of a such a brillant show fading into musical theater history. I doubt regional theaters will take on the show, as it's hard to find such a large number of people and the score is a tricky score to sing.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 12:11pm

Tons of regional theaters are already doing it. I just saw it last week in DC and it's also currently playing in Boston. It's already been announced as part of the seasons next year of several prominent regional theaters around the country and the prestigious National Theatre in the UK will be mounting it in the fall.

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 12:12pm

While I admire that you want thousands to witness this show, redirection by a 'so called name' isn't the answer. I know that it never will happen, but if you're arguing that a name would've saved the show, is John Doyle bigger than George C. Wolf? Who knows who John Doyle is? I know tons of people in the theatre community who are only now starting to recognize his name let alone what he's done. Sure he's HOT right now, but what about Tony Kushner, or Jeanine Tesori having the success of Angels in America and Thoroughly Modern Millie at their respective heels. One would think this combo with the tony award winners/nominnes in the show would do the trick. I'm not sure Doyle could pull a bigger audience. I mean Doyle's gimmick is stripping down shows, right? But why strip well known shows with a built in audience base? Or maybe that question answers itself. How can you prove what kind of an audience he would draw.

Once again, I too, agree that everyone should read/see/hear this musical, and many will... Quite a few theatres have it on their slate this year in fact. I think the Midwest will identify with this piece in many regional theatres if they give it a shot.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 12:17pm

I agree, bare.

John Doyle is a name? Who the hell goes to see a musical because of the director? OK, like a few people.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 12:22pm

Tons of people go because of a certain director. I'm not saying people would FLOCK to it, but I think it would receive more attention then it did in its first mounting.

Of course nobody outside of the theater world would care about this show. I think everyone on the board realizes that. But John Doyle is a name as much as Joe Mantello is.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 12:24pm

As much as George C. Wolfe is.

And please don't let Joe Mantello touch this.

The show didn't find it's audience cause no tourist wants to see a show about a disgruntled domestic worker.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 12:34pm

No, I'm in no way saying Joe is capable of directing this show. Plus it doesn't seem like his normal commercial venture.

I think where this show went wrong was with the marketing. It poster didn't make anyone want to see this show. It turned me off as well, but I eventually gave the CD a listen and I loved it. I also didn't get the exposure it needed. Did it even perform on Today? Or anything like that?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 4:11pm

Can someone explain the title to me. I think I understand it and get the significance of it, but I'd just like to hear some other ideas.

[joshy]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 6:50pm

I am so excited about seeing the National Theatre production later in the year. I wonder if, because it's the same director, it'll be pretty much a 'replica' production?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 7:26pm

Not sure, but I really hope you post a review. I wonder how London audiences will like this show. It's very "American."

[Chitty]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 7:27pm

It was a beautiful show and the LA production was great.

[ThePinballWizard]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 7:30pm

I remember seeing the production when it was down in Los Angeles with Tonya Pinkins, Anika Noni Rose, Chuck Cooper and most of the rest of the original cast. It was one of the most moving moments in theater I had ever seen, and not to mention one of the most original I had seen in a long time. Along came a musical that wasn't jukebox, wasn't a movie, it was just completely original and I loved every moment of it.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 7:43pm

any idea where they came up with the story?

I also wish this show toured more.

[TonyaFanatic]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 7:48pm

i honestly think people just didnt want to se something that original. it was too new. even the people whom i saw it with, respected theatre individuals came back saying the most uneducated, juvenile things about it like, "why was she singing like that?", "the washing machine sang?", "can they stop singing?", "this is boring." "who is caroline?"

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 8:44pm

The story is a somewhat autobiographical one very loosely based on Kushner's family maid when he was growing up in Louisiana (I don't think the plot about the change actualy happened, though). Noah is a composite of he and his little brother. Similar to Caroline, his maid, whom he loved dearly (and is still alive -- he flew her up when the show made it to Broadway) wasn't like the other maids in the neighborhood, never smiling and a bit prickly but he loved her all the same because he could tell that she cared about him and his brother. He never understood why she seemed unhappy , but after visiting her house and seeing how she lived in basic poverty trying to raise a family he began to understand. Her story haunted him and he always wanted to center a play on her story. It took him many years to organize his thoughts and feelings and CAROLINE is the result.

Updated On: 6/10/06 at 08:44 PM

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 6/10/06 at 8:49pm

"it was too new."

Oh, not hardly. It was just too bad.

It doesn't matter who directs this show. Nothing will turn this boring sow's ear into a silk purse.





Boguslawa Wierszbicka
Gdansk, Poland
Updated On: 6/10/06 at 08:49 PM