Caroline, or Change

December 23rd, 2004
The Ahmanson, Los Angeles
Musical

Starring Tonya Pinkins, and the entire original Broadway Cast, give or take a few.

I rarely write a review this long, but I feel like my perspective is not one I've really read in print, so here goes.

It was great to get to see the original cast of this very creative and unique show. I especially liked the actress playing The Moon… she was amazing… the one and the same who sang “Aquarius” in the opening scene of the movie version of “Hair.”

Caroline’s daughter was absolutely wonderful (Anika Noni Rose, who WON the Tony for best supporting… amazing voice…). The Jewish family she works for…the mother (Veanne Cox) and the son especially were strong presences. A lot of characters surround Caroline.

The following is just my opinion, and it's going to differ wildly from all the critics falling all over themselves to laud this musical.

No truly memorable songs or melodies.
But if you listened to the cast CD, it would very likely grow on you, because parts are pretty and lovely and fun. It’s just that these pretty and lovely and fun parts are strung together by continuous, forgettable sing-songy bridges with odd choices. I always hate when the melody goes a direction that’s so opposite any kind of resolve… so that it stands out, and just kind of hangs there uncomfortably… somewhat like the discordant note at the end of “Music of the Night”…. but different in that this musical is riddled with these bastard notes that don’t feel right. You hear them and it takes you a second to tell if it’s the singer goofing it up, or if it’s intentionally in the score. Still, there were a couple songs I wanted to hear again.

The other thing that I didn’t like about the music… is that two or three times during the musical, characters would sing their individual songs, and then come together and sing them all at once. This only works with a brilliant composer at the helm. It didn’t work during this musical because the songs weren’t crafted in a way that they fit together. And they did it at least three times.

The actress playing Caroline is very good, convincing. It's a very honest performance. But I can tell you at least 3 other amazing, power-house black women of Broadway who could have ripped that part a new one (Lillias White, for starters). So, nominated for a Tony… sure. She sang her heart out. But the part only requires that an actress be grumpy, sullen, resentful and angry for two hours. There’s no range required for this character. No arc either. That’s intentional, and part of the message… everyone around her changes, but she stays the same.

Tonya has a very hollow and mournful quality about her voice that was really nice. And also, when she sang plainly, her voice was pure and soft. And having seen the musical now, I have to say that the song she performed on The Tony Awards… her emotional climax of the entire musical… is hands-down the worst song of the entire show (for me).

The sets were minimal, and just like the characters, they mingled and floated in and out together (the moon sang from inside a giant moon) –sometimes there would be three different sets on stage at once, and it all really worked well.

The kids were really strong in the show and gave the show some energy. Jewish or black caricatures were avoided, which was nice, and the plot didn’t take a big cliché turn that I was waiting for. So, as a piece of theatre, it was unique and creative and enjoyable.

But in the end....
the music didn’t grab us. Once again, I am on the lonely fringe of theatre-goers whose views are in sharp contrast to the masses. But like I said to B, people will applaud and give ovations to any production that can make a convincing noise these days. I’d say that this production was equal parts “take your medicine like a good boy” and “hey, good theatre.”
In retrospect, I liked it more than B, and I'd also like to see it with a different cast.