Sydney season extended

Rave reviews give audiences extra

week to see Caroline, Or Change

DUE to popular demand, the stunning award-winning musical Caroline, Or Change has been extended by an additional week. 

The Voice's Ruva Ngwenya in Caroline or Change. Photo by PHIL ERBACHER

Featuring a spectacular cast and helmed by a stellar creative team, this Hayes Theatre Co production has captivated audiences and received rave reviews.

Directed by four time Helpmann Award winner Mitchell Butel, this uplifting and profound musical by Tony Kushner (Angels in America) and Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Violet) will now play at the Hayes until September 28, 2019.

1963, Louisiana. The president is dead and America is on the verge of one of the greatest social movements of the 20th Century.

The Gellman’s maid Caroline, a single mother of four, shares a special bond with eight-year old Noah, who is heartbroken after the death of his mother and his father’s remarriage.

Sneaking down to the basement laundry to spend time with Caroline and a range of fantastical, anthropomorphic characters, Noah will find his relationship with Caroline tested by an attempt to put more money into Caroline’s pocket, devised by his stepmother, Rose.

Loosely based on Kushner’s own memories of growing up in Louisiana, Caroline, or Change features a stunning score by Jeanine Tesori, combining spirituals, blues, Motown, classical, and Jewish klezmer and folk music.

In the title role of Caroline Thibodeaux, the Gellman family’s maid, is Elenoa Rokobaro.

Fresh from entertaining audiences in smash hit The Book of Mormon, Elenoa returns to the Hayes Theatre Co. where she stunned audiences in Violet and Side Show and is creating similar waves in this show.

In the roles of Noah’s father Stuart Gellman and new stepmother Rose Stopnick Gellman are Andrew Cutcliffe (Darlinghurst Nights, The Dismissal) and Amy Hack (American Psycho).

Making the switch from radio presenting on Triple J’s Roots ‘n All to musical theatre is Nkechi Anele who plays the role of Emmie Thibodeaux, Caroline’s teenage daughter.

Acclaimed screen and stage actor Tony Llewellyn Jones (She Loves Me) returns to the Hayes to play Rose’s father Mr Stopnick, while Helpmann Award Winner Genevieve Lemon (Billy Elliot) plays Grandma Gellman.

Playing Caroline’s friends and companions are The Voice’s Ruva Ngwenya (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Emily Havea (Grounded), together with Elijah Williams (The Rolling Stone) and Alexandra Fricot (Spring Awakening).

Mitchell is one of Australia's most prolific and versatile acting and directing talents and was recently appointed Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia. He is one of the recipients of the 2019 Artist Led Initiative, supported by Frederic Marguerre and Rodrigo Martino, which began last year with the critically-acclaimed She Loves Me.

Joining Butel in the creative team is musical director Lucy Bermingham (In The Heights, Violet), Yvette Lee (American Psycho), set designer Simon Greer (Violet), costume designer Melanie Liertz (Antigone) and lighting designer Alexander Berlage (American Psycho).

Tickets for CAROLINE, OR CHANGE are available now at hayestheatre.com.au or by calling the Hayes Theatre Co box office during business hours on (02) 8065 7337.

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