West End CAROLINE OR CHANGE to transfer; opening at Studio 54 in April

[GeorgeandDot]

Someone in a Tree2 said: "I’ll be as excited as the rest of you to see this revival next year, but coming at it from a different direction. I went to the original Bway production expecting to see the show that all of you love and revere so, only to be left unmoved and frankly not a little bored. I’ve gone back and listened to the OBC cd over and over, understanding clearly what the show wants to accomplish, and still falling short for me. (Maybe I’m hyper sensitive to the depiction of the Jewish family as a bunch of money-grubbing whiners for so much of the show that sets me off.)

So I’ll be there at Studio 54 ready to finally fall in love with Caroline like the rest of you. "

I don't think the Jewish family comes off as money-grubbing at all.  Not to mention Tony Kushner wrote the musical based on himself and his family.

 

[Alex Kulak2]

*tosses my wallet at Roundabout* just take it.

[MrBundles]

I am so glad I got to see this in London. This production and Sharon specifically was one of the best things I saw in London this year.

[SweetLips22]

Jordan Catalano said: "I’m so excited to be able to walk down the street and see this whenever I want for a few months. :)"

How fortunate--to live within walking distance of Broadway and have unlimited funds to attend shows whenever you want. No wonder you know so many show people---a dream life.

 

[Kitsune]

I'm only familiar with Lot's Wife from the 2004 Tonys. I'm really excited this is getting staged!

I think one of the local theater groups in San Francisco is doing Caroline or Change this fall, and I had been planning to go. If I end up really liking the material, there's nothing to say I can't also see the revival in New York next spring

 

[rjm516]

Impossible2 said: "I hated every second of it, but it's always nice to see UK'ers on Broadway.

Sharon seems like a lovely lady.

x"

same! glad I'm not alone Sharon is always so great but I don't get the love for this show. This production also really highlighted certain things/lines/readings in a way that felt hugely anti-semitic in a really strange way.

[Dolly80]

The score is painful on the ears. Tuneless and relentless.

Sharon D Clarke is sensational though and WILL win the Tony.

[Impossible2]

rjm516 said: "Impossible2 said: "I hated every second of it, but it's always nice to see UK'ers on Broadway.

Sharon seems like a lovely lady.

x"

same! glad I'm not alone Sharon is always so great but I don't get the love for this show. This production also really highlighted certain things/lines/readings in a way that felt hugely anti-semitic in a really strange way."

Probably unfair. I actually was onboard for the 1st act and on everyone's side, but by the end of the 2nd act I was on no one's side. It was far too idiosyncratic for me on every level, especially that score and while I felt the main character plight (and cried) I was so over it all I really wanted to do was leave.

Also, although the acting was very good, I don't know how the Broadway vocal snobs are going to go, as the night I saw it I heard more bung notes from practically the entire cast than I've heard since Dannii Minogue in Notre Dame De Paris...

The daughter is particular had some shockers and Sharon had more than her fair share as well. It was the middle of winter though, maybe they had colds and I can't imagine it's easy to sing that score.

 

[ArtMan]

Impossible2 said


Also, although the acting was very good, I don't know how the Broadway vocal snobs are going to go, as the night I saw it I heard more bung notes from practicallythe entire cast than I've heard since Dannii Minogue in Notre Dame De Paris...



"

LOL, now Danni Minogue, I get.  Had you said, Kylie, that would be some fighting words.

[Impossible2]

ArtMan said: "Impossible2 said


Also, although the acting was very good, I don't know how the Broadway vocal snobs are going to go, as the night I saw it I heard more bung notes from practicallythe entire cast than I've heard since Dannii Minogue in Notre Dame De Paris...


"

LOL, now Danni Minogue, I get. Had you said, Kylie, that would be some fighting words."

Kylie = God!

Poor Dannii, it wasn't really her fault. There was no band, all the music was pre-recorded and lets just say that apart from one song (the big one where she sounded fine), they didn't bother changing it to any key she was capable of singing in...

 

[luvcaroline]

My username says it all — I’m beyond ecstatic about this!

[C4b2a3b]

I am also beyond ecstatic too!

For those of you who saw this in the UK, is the score completely intact? I assume Clarke's performance was abridged for Olivier awards. Those lyrics that were cut ("murder my dreams so I stop wantin " ) are pretty important to understanding Caroline's arc....   They're also gorgeous/haunting against the piano playing "I Hate the Bus".

 

[Jordan Catalano]

The score is intact, yes.

[qolbinau]

C4b2a3b said: "I am also beyond ecstatic too!

For those of you who saw this in the UK, is the score completely intact? I assume Clarke's performance was abridged for Olivier awards. Those lyrics that were cut ("murder my dreams so I stop wantin " ) are pretty important to understanding Caroline's arc.... They're also gorgeous/haunting against the piano playing "I Hate the Bus".

"

Those “murder my dreams” were absolutely in. I cried at how truly low and helpless her character seemed to feel at that moment. It was very overwhelming. One of my theatre going highlights.

I kind of get how people can’t get into the show - it took multiple listenings and two viewings for me to really ‘get it’. I do think the show is unusually complex and dense. But the pay off is high once you can start piecing it all together. 

 

[MadsonMelo]

if i had any doubts that I was going back to NY in 2020, now that's not a thing anymore.

 

O

M

G!

 

 

[ukpuppetboy]

Impossible2 said: "Poor Dannii, it wasn't really her fault. There was no band, all the music was pre-recorded and lets just say that apart from one song (the big one where she sounded fine), they didn't bother changing it to any key she was capable of singing in..."

Rumour has it she only ‘sounded fine’ in THAT one song because she was miming to Tina Arena’s click track.

(from front of house staff at the time)

 

[Impossible2]

ukpuppetboy said: "Impossible2 said: "Poor Dannii, it wasn't really her fault. There was no band, all the music was pre-recorded and lets just say that apart from one song (the big one where she sounded fine), they didn't bother changing it to any key she was capable of singing in..."

Rumour has it she only ‘sounded fine’ in THAT one song because she was miming to Tina Arena’s click track.

(from front of house staff at the time)

"

She certainly wasn’t mining to Tina Arena’ s vocals and she has released a studio version of it which sounds the same as it did in the show. Their voices are completely different so it would’ve stuck out.

The main problem was the guy who played the Hunchback sounded like Joe Cocker on a bad day and she had this thin weedy voice that sounded like she was singing straight through her nostrils. It was not good. I have no idea why she did it or why they hired her. 

She did have another couple of solos that were equally as terrible, she only really semi nailed the one song.

[sing_dance_love]

I am over the moon (change) about this! Finally will get to see this live. And I’m with Jordan, the material is sublime. I cannot wait to see this.

[trentsketch]

The original Broadway production is among my favorite performances. I'm so excited to get to revisit this with a new interpretation of the material. Just having a different Caroline could make such a huge difference and Sharon D. Clarke's Oliviers' performance is so different from Tonya Pinkins' Tony performance of Lot's Wife. 

[rg7759]

I CANNOT have been the only one to see this article and think it was the company announcement

[David10086]

Pose2 said: "I know nothing about this show, but the praise it has gotten on these boards is good enough for me. Looking forward to it!"

Same with me. I've heard nothing but praise about this show from it's original premiere - can't wait to catch this next summer! 

[QueenAlice]

Was sad I missed this in London. This is very exciting! How was Lauren Ward? Do we think she will come back to the states for the broadway production?

[Jordan Catalano]

Lauren Ward was...fine. I hope they’re able to get someone different for this revival. But really as long as they get literally anyone other than the girl who played Emmie in London, I’m fine with whatever they do. God, she was awful.

[ukpuppetboy]

QueenAlice said: "Was sad I missed this in London. This is very exciting! How was Lauren Ward? Do we think she will come back to the states for the broadway production?"

She was great, and has remained in the production in all three UK runs so it is entirely possible I suppose. Honestly though, as good as the whole cast were Sharon D. Clarke eclipsed almost everyone and everything else on that stage.

[VintageSnarker]

I have no idea what I thought was going to happen. Somehow I was expecting casting that would recapture the magic of the original cast without knowing exactly who I wanted them to cast. But with the announcement of a West End transfer, my interest has plummeted. Will I still see it? 100% But my expectations are so low. Maybe it's just that it's such an American story, I wish it was being led by one of the many amazing American musical theater actresses. Or at least if Cynthia Errivo was involved in some way.