Sharon Brown as Caroline

[Shoshana BeanieBaby]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 5:54pm

Heard she was on for todays matinee - any word on tonight's performance?   Would consider going again to see a different take

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 6:32pm

I have tickets for tonight and got a call from Roundabout a half-hour ago and Sharon D. Clarke is out tonight as well. I'm still going and will definitely report back!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 6:38pm

I'm seeing the show this Saturday afternoon, and I really hope Sharon D. Clarke is back.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 6:40pm

They recorded the cast album on their day off. She's likely tired vocally. I'm sure she'll be back in no time. She is incredibly consistent.

[forfivemoreminutes]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 9:21pm

I’m at the evening show now (at intermission) with Sharon Brown on and she is INCREDIBLE. Her vocal range is amazing and I love her take on Caroline…she’s spent all of act one seething with quiet resentment and it’s absolutely brilliant. Khalifa is also on for Emmie and she’s great too. And not an understudy, but Jaden is blowing me away as Noah.

Updated On: 11/17/21 at 09:21 PM

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 11/17/21 at 11:23pm

Just got back from the show and I am SO happy I still went. 

Let me preface this all by saying that "Caroline, or Change" is my favorite musical and has been since I saw the original production seven times. My expectations for tonight were sky-high and I was already feeling a bit disappointed knowing Sharon D. Clarke was out. 

Sharon Catherine Brown is a REVELATION as Caroline. I've never seen or even imagined a take on Caroline like this (even on various videos I've seen) - while Tonya and most actresses I've seen clips of play the role pretty angry from the jump, Sharon didn't - her Caroline was clearly frustrated but not visibly or tonally upset. In Act Two, you could see the anger start to come out and then her performance of "Lot's Wife" might have been the best thing I have ever seen on a Broadway stage. 

The rest of the production was also magnificent - the direction exceptional and (spoiler for those who haven't seen it) the imagery of the Confederate Soldier at the beginning mirroring Emmie standing on the washing machine for the epilogue was simply brilliant.

The entire cast was terrific but yes, Khalifa White (another understudy) was brilliant - her "I Hate the Bus" was incredible - as was Jayden as Noah, Caissie Levy as Rose and a special shout out to Arica Jackson as the Washing Machine, N'Kenge as the Moon and Kevin S. McAllister as the Dryer.

Truly, this has been an insanely amazing evening and was made even better by finding fellow superfans of the show who loved it as much as I did tonight.

Bravo Sharon Catherine Brown - you deserve to play this in your own production soon.

[carderic]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 8:45am

Wow. Brown was really incredible as Caroline last night. Emmie cover was amazing too. Shout out to the audience for being so supportive, engaged, and energetic, making it feel and sound like a full house. Brown got a cute round of applause from the cast before their final bow. 

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 10:13am

These posts about Sharon's performance make me wish I lived close enough to have seen this.

I first saw her in the summer of 1983 as the Narrator in Joseph.  She replaced Laurie Beechman.  She was absolutely wonderful.  What a voice!

I also saw her as Effie in the revival of Dreamgirls after she replaced Lillias White.  Another great performance.

[Shoshana BeanieBaby]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 11:37am

Wait - she was in the 83 Joseph? She's that old?  Would never ever have guessed.  Would have guessed her at least 20 years younger from appearance and voice.  How does she still sound like that?  How does she look that incredible?  What elixir is she drinking :) 

Got a ticket last minute and could not have been happier.  What an incredible night.  Khalifa White was also on as Emmie. It was her second performance as well.  She reminded me vocally so much of Anika.  She also looks like a teenager.  And in terms of her actual performance she was wonderful.  Her I Hate The Bus was a little more subdued than Sammies but just as, if not more so, powerful in its quietness.  Would love to see her do this role full time.  

And Sharon Brown. Vocally her voice is so bright that I was a little thrown at first.  I've also never heard a Caroline with such a crystal clear high belt.  She had a few moments where she would option up and it was truly vocally thrilling.  But, more importantly, the emotional weight, understanding and nuance she brought to the role was incredible.  This would have been an amazing performance regardless of how many times she had done it.  The fact that it was her second was truly remarkable.  Overall, I would say you could see the girl Caroline used to be in her a bit more.  She seemed like a Dottie-type that had been knocked down a few too many times; meaning someone with a lot of joy and promise who just couldn't catch a break.  Its weird to say there was more "joy" in this Caroline but there was and it made the sadness/madness really interesting.  And her Lots Wife definitely felt a bit more like an "And Im Telling You" than a "Roses Turn" vocally if I were to make a comparison.  

Also, big shout out to the Radio.  Knowing the score and that different understudies were on for the matinee and evening I'm guessing they were having an interesting night of navigating some tired voices.  They switched up a few parts, optioned down/spoke a few solos, and still CRUSHED it.  If you didn't know the score you wouldn't know anything was up.  But, being a fan of the show I thought they navigated any bumps in the road flawlessly.  Also, for the people who like all the details they wore the first costume throughout the show with no costume changes (guessing things weren't ready for the understudy) but they did have the sparkly dresses for Salty Teardrops.

So, even with a good handful of understudies on in leading roles the company was still unbelievable.  The show had all the emotional weight it still in tact.  And, it was a wonderful night at the theater!

Updated On: 11/18/21 at 11:37 AM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 12:13pm

@ShoshanaBeanieBaby:  here you go!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubTMyRrLk2U

[Shoshana BeanieBaby]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 12:17pm

Wow - awesome.  Would not have put 2 and 2 together but she sounds so much like Laurie Beechman!  So glad I got to see her last night.  What a treat!

[seussical93]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 1:13pm

ahhh so jealous of you all! I know it probably can’t be predicted, but does anyone have any idea if she might go on again tonight??

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 1:17pm

I contacted Roundabout an hour ago and they weren’t sure yet. 

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 1:17pm

Sharon was also in the film version of A CHORUS LINE as Zach’s assistant. And she played Lucy in the first POST-Broadway tour of JEKYLL & HYDE. I saw her go on for Rachel York in HEAD OVER HEELS in January of 2019 and she was fantastic! Hope she gets a chance at her own role someday as she is fierce!!!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 1:34pm

I had the good fortune of seeing Sharon Brown in Dreamgirls - she blew me away. She's always been "under the radar" - but there is no denying her talent. I am so glad she is still around and "killing it". 

Her dad is comedian Johnny Brown, who played handyman "Nathan Booker" on "Good Times" in the 70's. 

Sharon was also in the movie of "A Chorus Line" in a non-signing role as Michael Douglas' secretary. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 2:13pm

Broadway Bob* said: "Sharon was also in the film version of A CHORUS LINE as Zach’s assistant. And she played Lucy in the first POST-Broadway tour of JEKYLL & HYDE. I saw her go on for Rachel York in HEAD OVER HEELS in January of 2019 and she was fantastic! Hope she gets a chance at her own role someday as she is fierce!!!"

Yeah, I remember Brown from the film version of ACL. Such a pointless role, especially since she didn't sing.

[BJR]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 5:32pm

Seeing this again tonight and as excited as all of you are about Sharon Brown, I must say I hope Sharon Clarke is on.

But I guess if she isn't, then it sounds like Brown will make it worth it.

[bwaylvsong1]

Posted: 11/18/21 at 10:12pm

I was there tonight and Clarke was on!  I have nothing to compare it to since I was only very vaguely familiar with the material, but thought she (and the rest of the cast) was phenomenal!  It was my first show back since the pandemic and I loved every minute of it.

On another note, I found the theatre to be absolutely sweltering, and was flabbergasted when (during intermission) the woman in front of me told her friend she was chilly and put on her coat 😂

[gooftroop]

Posted: 11/19/21 at 2:05pm

I am a huge fan of the show and I am gutted that I missed this opportunity.  I am going to keep checking the board and the next time she is on......YOU CAN REST ASSURED I WILL BE THERE.  I don't comment here very often but seeing this headline made me excited.  Reading the reviews simply confirmed what I already knew.   OK.......  Two Chers for the brilliant Sharon Brown.  Hip-Hip, Hooray!    Wait.....do we even cheer in this way?

 

How about...Heck yeah!!!!   Love me some Sharon Brown.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 11/23/21 at 9:24pm

Sharon Brown will be on as Caroline at the following performances:

Saturday, November 27 (2 PM and 8 PM)

Sunday, December 26 (1 PM and 7 PM)

Sunday, January 2 (1 PM and 7 PM).

[Miserent]

Posted: 11/23/21 at 11:46pm

I was really hoping to catch Sharon Brown, but didn’t think I would since the run is so short.  Last night I bought a ticket for the 27th and I am so so happy right now!

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 11/24/21 at 2:36pm

I have tickets for this Friday, the 26th, matinee. Regardless of which Sharon I get to see, I am distressed to see how poorly both the Friday matinee and evening have sold.

[binau]

Posted: 12/19/21 at 5:15am

I thought I'd try and find a clip of Sharon Brown singing "Lot's Wife" to hear what the hype was about and WOW....if I was in New York City right now I'd be buying a ticket immediately to see her performance in one of those upcoming dates. Having only seen Clarke and without really knowing enough about Sharon Brown's performance to actually comment I will prematurely describe the difference as perhaps Clarke's feeling like a very strong actor taking on the material and analysing it deeply to turn out a stunning performance while Sharon Brown has gone in a different direction to just bring out the pure visceral rawness and emotion in the song, perhaps in a more intuitive/ and less nuanced but very (maybe more) powerful way. It is great that Sharon Brown has been allowed to take the song in the direction she wants to and that is an understudy performance I would NOT be disappointed with! 

Updated On: 12/19/21 at 05:15 AM

[ShowBro]

Posted: 12/26/21 at 10:19pm

If you are a fan of this show, I cannot urge you enough to go back on Jan 2nd to catch Sharon Catherine Brown as Caroline. Her CT was a transcendent experience, and what she did with “Lots Wife” is nothing short of rapturous and divine. I was literally shaking in my seat as she exploded the roof right off of Studio 54. A definitive performance.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 12/26/21 at 10:31pm

Saw it for the very first time tonight.. and holy **** did Sharon Brown turn the house out. I’ve always known the story, I’ve seen some boots of the original, and saw Sharon Clarke do public performances but SB was so great. I didn’t expect to cry after Lot’s Wife AND after Salty Teardrops. 
 

SB also reads more as 39 IMO. Regardless, I’m very happy I got to see her go on tonight.