[Capdist-auditions] Caroline, or Change at SLOC: Audition dates November 18-- 19, 7pm

Michael McDermott irishmike518 at yahoo.com
Fri Nov 1 13:44:32 EDT 2013


"Caroline, or Change" at Schenectady Light Opera Company (SLOC).

Corie Rowe, Director
Michael Lotano, Music Director

Audition dates this November :

 Monday, November 18, 2013    7pm
Tuesday, November 19, 2013   7pm
Thursday, November 21, 2013 - Call Backs

Performance Dates: 
Friday, February 7, 2014 - Opening Night Party
Saturday, February 8, 2014 - Late Night Cabaret
Sunday, February 9, 2014 
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014 - Late Night Cabaret
Sunday, February 16, 2014Show times: Thurs, Friday and Saturday performances at 8PM, Sunday performances at 2PM. 
See breakdown below!

Please Join us for Auditions- prepare 32 bars of any traditional 
showtune or something in the style of the show.  Please bring sheet 
music for the pianist. 

Overview: The musical is set in 1963 in
 Lake Charles, Louisiana during the American civil rights movement, 
November–December 1963, encompassing the time of the assassination of 
John F. Kennedy.


Caroline Thibodeaux is a black maid for a
 Jewish family, the Gellmans, spending her days in their dank basement 
doing the laundry for the pitiful sum of $30 a week. The Gellmans' young
 son, Noah, has a strong emotional connection to Caroline, a single 
parent who remains stoic amid the sweep of change she sees around her. 
Regardless of the circumstances, whether it is the death of a president,
 her daughter's growing activism and misunderstood dismissal of what she
 perceives to be Caroline's choice to remain a maid, her son's 
enlistment in Vietnam, a fight with a newly college-bound friend, or a 
spin with the dryer, Caroline remains unflappable. She provides 
stability during Noah's grief at his mother's death from cancer, and her
 constant anger appeals to his constant sorrow. Noah's new stepmother 
Rose, unable to give Caroline a raise, enlists Caroline's help in a plan
 to teach Noah a lesson about leaving change in his pants pocket. Rose 
tells Noah and Caroline that Caroline should keep the money Noah leaves 
in his pockets. Caroline loathes the unintended humiliation of taking 
money from a child—but her own children lack money for toys, sweets, 
dentistry, and Christmas presents, and she is late with the rent because
 her salary has gone toward two special meals for her children. As an 
experiment and while fantasizing to exchange his isolating family for 
the imagined compassion of hers, Noah deliberately leaves money in his 
pockets, dreaming that Caroline's family now talk about his generosity 
over dinner.


The lesson goes awry when the ownership of a 
$20 bill is contested in the laundry, and Caroline's relationship with 
eight year-old Noah is irrevocably ruptured. After a week of reflection,
 with deep regret for harsh words spoken in anger, Caroline decides to 
return to her dehumanizing work as a maid. In a furious and broken 
prayer to God, she acknowledges that she'll never escape her 
circumstances, and she vows to crush her soul so that she can resist the
 pride that would grant her change but cost her the money that she needs
 to support her family. Against a background of the death of JFK, the 
Vietnam war, and the non-violent direct action protests organized by 
Martin Luther King, the tide of change continues to define Caroline's 
place in history, a working mother, bearing up under a broken marriage, 
economic hardship, and racial inequality. Forever a maid, her tragic 
destiny sears the memories of the two parted principals. The tragedy is 
ultimately offset by an epilogue, a heroic solo sung by her daughter 
Emmie, laying claim to the hope and determination for a better life for 
Caroline's appreciative and proud children.

CAST:
Caroline Thibodeaux: 39-year old African-American maid for the Gellmans, a middle-class Jewish family
Noah Gellman: The Gellman's 8-year old curious, sympathetic, and neurotic son
Rose Stopnick Gellman: Noah's concerned new stepmother from New York City, marries Stuart after his first wife's death
Stuart Gellman: Professional clarinet player and Noah's father, mourning the loss of his wife
Emmie Thibodeaux: Caroline's 16-year old free-sprited daughter, supporter of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement
Dotty Moffett: Friend of Caroline and fellow maid, takes night classes at the University
The Washing Machine: Domestic appliance portrayed by an actor, cleans 
clothes for the Gellmans and pushes Caroline to move forward in life
The Dryer: Domestic appliance portrayed by an actor, torments Caroline throughout the show
The Radio: Domestic appliance portrayed by a Supremes-like trio, serves as a Greek Chorus for the show
The Moon: Portrayed by an actor, is a calming and healing presence throughout the show
The Bus: Portrayed by an actor, is the primary source of transportation for the African-American characters in the show
Mr. Stopnick: Rose's father, a conservative Jewish man from New York City
Grandpa and Grandma Gellman: Noah's Grandparents, Stuart's parents
Jackie Thibodeaux: Caroline's young son
Joe Thibodeaux: Caroline's young son

CAROLINE THIBODEAUX 	Works as a maid to the Gellman family. She is a 
divorcee with four children and resistant to change in the world. 
Bitter, tired, devoted.
Range: E3 - E5

DOTTY MOFFETT 	
Caroline’s high-spirited friend and fellow maid. A drinker and smoker, 
she is routinely admonished by Caroline for her behavior.
Range: F3 - D5

EMMIE THIBODEAUX 	Caroline’s only daughter and the second of four children. Observant, rebellious, outspoken.
Range: F3 - F5

GRANDMA GELLMAN 	Stuart’s mother and Noah’s grandmother. She is 
concerned for her son’s melancholy and an admirer of his new wife.
Range: G3 - E5

GRANDPA GELLMAN 	Stuart’s father and Noah’s grandfather. He is aloof to the changes occurring in the South.
Range: G3 - E5

JACKIE THIBODEAUX 	Caroline’s son. Though he is older than Joe, he is more sweet and naïve.
Range: A3 - D5

JOE THIBODEAUX 	Caroline’s son. Though he is the baby of the family, he is outspoken and skeptical.
Range: B3 - D5

MR. STOPNICK 	Rose’s father from New York City. A politically progressive man with dissenting opinions.
Range: F3 - E5

NOAH GELLMAN 	The son of Caroline’s employer, Stuart Gellman. Shy, 
forgetful, and looks to Caroline for comfort and distraction.
Range: G3 - E5

ROSE STOPNICK GELLMAN 	An old friend of the Gellman's and Stuart’s new wife. She has recently moved to the South.
Range: G3 - E5

STUART GELLMAN 	Noah’s father and Rose’s new husband. He is also 
Caroline’s employer. He has trouble connecting to his son and new wife.
Range: B3 - G5

THE BUS 	Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. Can double as The Dryer.
Range: G3 - B5

THE DRYER 	Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. Can double as The Bus.
Range: E3 - C6

THE MOON 	Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story.
Range: B3 - A5

THE RADIO 	Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. Played by three women.
Range: G3-F5

WASHING MACHINE 	Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story.
Range: G3 - E5
 
Michael McDermott, Producer
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