Footlite Musicals is proud to announce open auditions for the Indiana premier of Caroline, or Change. Auditions will be held on Sunday, October 13th and Monday, October 14th at 7 p.m. Callbacks are scheduled for Thursday, October 17th.

The auditions will be held at Footlite Musicals in the Hedback Theatre – 1847 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis. You only need to attend one audition date. Caroline, or Change requires a racially diverse cast inclusive of all ages, body types, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. Please reference the character descriptions below.

Please come prepared to sing 16-32 bars from a song that shows off your vocal talent, with sheet music in the appropriate key. An accompanist will be provided. After vocal auditions, some auditioners may be asked to stick around to dance to or sing from music in the show.

Some vocal rehearsals will begin immediately after casting with a break for the holidays. However, regular rehearsals will begin Sunday, January 5th, 2025. Please bring all known conflicts starting Sunday, January 5th until opening. Conflicts after February 16th will be considered but are strongly discourageddue to all roles being heavily featured and no ensemble. Productions dates are February 28th, March 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 14th, and 15th, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. and March 2nd, 9th, and 16th, 2025 at 2:30 p.m.

For additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the director, Bradley Allan Lowe, at Bradley.Lowe87@gmail.com.

Short Synopsis:

Set in one of the most pivotal times in America’s history, the Tony-nominated Caroline, or Change is riveting, moving and awe-inspiring. Written by Tony Kushner (Angels in America,Lincoln) and featuring a virtuosic score by Jeanine Tesori(Violet, Fun Home, Kimberly Akimbo, Shrek The Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie), it blends blues, gospel and traditional Jewish melodies, creating a breathtaking medium for Kushner’s provocative and personal story.

In 1963, the Gellman’s and their Black maid, Caroline, live in sleepy Lake Charles, Louisiana. Caroline is drifting through life as a single mother of four working in a service job to a whiteJewish family. A fragile, yet beautiful friendship develops between the young Gellman son, Noah, and Caroline. Noah’s stepmother, Rose, unable to give Caroline a raise, tells Caroline that she may keep the money that Noah leaves in his pockets. Caroline balks and refuses to take money from a child but her own children desperately need food, clothing and shoes. Outside of the laundry room, some of the greatest social advancements that the country has seen are being set in motion, and change is knocking on the door.

Characters:

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. Black

Gender: Female​​      Vocal range top: E5

Age: 35 to 45​​     Vocal range bottom: E3

Washing Machine– Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. Black

Gender: Female​​     Vocal range top: E5

Age: 20 to 50​​     Vocal range bottom: G3

Noah Gellman– The son of Caroline’s employer, Stuart Gellman. Shy, forgetful, and looks to Caroline for comfort and distraction. Jewish/Non-black

Gender: Male​​     Vocal range top: E5

Age: 8 to 13​​     Vocal range bottom: G3

The Dryer– Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. May double as The Bus. Black

Gender: Male​​     Vocal range top: C6

Age: 20 to 50​​     Vocal range bottom: E3

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. Jewish/Non-black

Gender: Male​​     Vocal range top: G5

Age: 30 to 45​​     Vocal range bottom: B3

Grandma Gellman– Stuart’s mother and Noah’s grandmother. She is concerned for her son’s melancholy and an admirer of his new wife. Jewish/Non-black

Gender: Female​​     Vocal range top: E5

Age: 55 to 75​​     Vocal range bottom: G3

Grandpa Gellman– Stuart’s father and Noah’s grandfather. He is aloof to the changes occurring in the South. Jewish/Non-black

Gender: Male​​     Vocal range top: E5

Age: 55 to 75​​     Vocal range bottom: G3

Rose Stopnick Gellman– An old friend of the Gellman’s and Stuart’s new wife. She has recently moved to the South.Jewish/Non-black

Gender: Female    ​​Vocal range top: E5

Age: 30 to 45​​     Vocal range bottom: G3

Dotty Moffett– Caroline’s high-spirited friend and fellow maid. A drinker and smoker, she is routinely admonished by Caroline for her behavior. Black

Gender: Female​​     Vocal range top: D5

Age: 25 to 45​​     Vocal range bottom: F3

The Moon– Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. Black

Gender: Female​​     Vocal range top: A5

Age: 20 to 50​​     Vocal range bottom: B3

The Bus– Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. May double as The Dryer. Black

Gender: Male​​     Vocal range top: B5

Age: 20 to 50​​     Vocal range bottom: G3

Jackie Thibodeaux– Caroline’s son. Though older than Joe, they are sweeter and more naïve. Black

Gender: Any​​     Vocal range top: D5

Age: 9 to 12​​     Vocal range bottom: A3

Joe Thibodeaux– Caroline’s youngest. Though the baby of the family, they are outspoken and skeptical. Black

Gender: Any​​     Vocal range top: D5

Age: 8 to 11​​     Vocal range bottom: B3

Emmie Thibodeaux– Caroline’s teenaged daughter and the second of four children. Observant, rebellious, outspoken. Black

Gender: Female​​     Vocal range top: F5

Age: 16 to 25​​     Vocal range bottom: F3

Mr. Stopnick– Rose’s father from New York City. A politically progressive man with dissenting opinions. Jewish/Non-black

Gender: Male​​     Vocal range top: E5

Age: 55 to 75​​     Vocal range bottom: F3

The Radio– Part narrator, part friend, and part subconscious to Caroline and her story. Played by three women. Black

Gender: Female​​     Age: 16 to 50