CAROLINE, OR CHANGE Comes to Tempe Center for the Arts
Black Theatre Troupe presents the Tony Kushner–Jeanine Tesori musical October 17–November 2, 2025.
Black Theatre Troupe will present the powerful and moving musical Caroline, or Change at Tempe Center for the Arts from October 17 through November 2, 2025. Tickets are now available.
Set in 1963 Louisiana, Caroline, or Change follows Caroline Thibodeaux, an African-American maid working for a Jewish family in Lake Charles. When eight-year-old Noah Gellman’s stepmother suggests Caroline keep any change she finds in Noah’s pockets while doing the laundry, a moral conflict emerges that intertwines with the broader struggles of race, class, and identity during the Civil Rights era. The story unfolds against a richly textured score that blends R&B, soul, gospel, klezmer, and Jewish melodies.
With book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tony Kushner (Angels in America) and music by Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Thoroughly Modern Millie), the musical has been hailed as a modern masterpiece. Its original Broadway production received multiple Tony Award nominations, with Anika Noni Rose earning the Tony for Best Featured Actress.
Black Theatre Troupe’s production will feature a 13-piece live orchestra under the musical direction of Brenda Hankins, with Cory Duggar serving as musical supervisor. Executive Director David J. Hemphill directs. Making her local debut with Black Theatre Troupe, Heather McElrath stars as Caroline Thibodeaux. McElrath’s credits include Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray and Ode Mae Brown in Ghost the Musical, for which she was nominated for BroadwayWorld’s Best Female Actor in a Musical. She is joined by Aubrey Tillett as Emmie Thibodeaux, Christopher Spurling as Noah Gellman, Kori Jeanne Stearns as Rose Stopnick Gellman, and Mark Knoblauch as Stuart Gellman, with an ensemble portraying the Gellman family and symbolic roles such as the Moon, the Radio, the Dryer, and the Washing Machine.
Performances will take place at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, with evening and matinee showtimes available. Tickets are $57.50 and can be reserved at tempecenterforthearts.com or by calling 480-350-2822.
Founded in 1970 by Helen K. Mason, Black Theatre Troupe is one of the nation’s longest continuously operating Black theatre companies, committed to producing works that illuminate the Black experience while fostering dialogue across cultures. Based at the Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center in downtown Phoenix, the company continues to be a vital part of the region’s artistic landscape.
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