Brenda Parker Powers Rockville Musical Theatre's 'Caroline, or Change'

Brenda Parker's Caroline anchors a production of Caroline, or Change that runs through November 15, 2026 at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville, Maryland. Tickets cost $26 for adults, $23 for students and seniors, plus a processing fee.

The musical, with book and lyrics by Tony Kushner and music by Jeanine Tesori, opened on Broadway in 2004, earned six Tony Award nominations and won for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. It is set in 1963 Louisiana, where a Black maid works in a Jewish household while the civil-rights era reshapes the country outside its walls. Laundry, childcare and daily routine carry the show's questions about race, class, religion and identity.

Director Rikki Howie Lacewell leans into the contrast between the ordinary and the extraordinary, turning appliances into characters. The Moon watches over the house; The Radio carries the outside world into the action.

Who carries the show?

Parker does. Her Caroline is, in the original review's words, "a powerhouse both vocally and dramatically," holding the show's weight while keeping the details that make Caroline a person rather than a symbol. Lacewell's director's note observes that Caroline's exhaustion, anger and responsibility leave her "very little room to fall apart," and that Caroline doesn't need to become more agreeable for the audience to care about her — only to be understood.

Jules Kanarek plays Noah with youthful energy and vulnerability; his incomprehension of the social structure separating him from Caroline makes their later conflict, as the review puts it, "all the more heartbreaking." Sophia Rose Cichetti plays Emmie, and Paula J. Gibbs stands out as Dottie Moffett — the one character who can go toe-to-toe with Caroline, with a voice that matches Parker's power.

Marnie Kanarek's Rose, Alissa Faith Margolis and Nathan Rosen as Grandma and Grandpa Gellman, and Bob Bryant as Mr. Stopnick supply humor and a reminder that generational disconnect predates 1963.

What makes the staging distinctive?

The personified objects carry much of the invention:

• Jasmine Jones gives the Washing Machine "lovable sass and superb vocal riffs."
• MarQuis Fair's low, sultry Dryer plays counterweight, the two appliances like the angel and devil on Caroline's shoulders.
• Carolyn Ricks' soprano Moon seems to conduct the night over the household.
• Radio singers Eren S. Brooks-LeGrande, Rowan Campbell, Rachel Johnson and Taylor Mitchell add bursts of vocal energy.

When The Bus travels down the theatre aisle, the audience waits alongside Caroline. Yatta Lymas gives that moment memorable vocal presence, and the atmosphere shifts as news of President Kennedy's assassination enters the story.

Douglas Becker's multi-level set suggests the class divisions shaping the household; TJ Lukacsina's lighting moves from ominous dark to striking color. LeVar Betts leads a rich, jazzy, soulful orchestra whose brass and percussion act almost as another character — including a clever musical rendering of the unheard voice on Rose's phone line. Alexis Hooks' choreography, though occasionally more structured than organic, expresses the younger characters' energy.

What still needs work?

Sound. The performance carried noticeable feedback and microphones cutting in and out — a real cost for a show that depends so heavily on music and vocals. A consistent mix would make a meaningful difference before the run closes.

The show offers no tidy resolution. Lacewell's note asks whether Caroline changes, whether it is enough, and who can afford the risk — questions that outlast the finale. Performances run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with 2:00 p.m. Sunday matinees; running time is two hours and 35 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. Box Office: 240-314-8690.