Photo Flash: First Look at the West End Production of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE

Production photography is released today for the hit West End production Caroline, or Change, currently playing preview performances at the Playhouse Theatre, London with Opening Night on Monday 17 December.

Chichester Festival Theatre's critically acclaimed production which also enjoyed a sell-out engagement at Hampstead Theatre, recently extended its West End run due to popular demand through to 6 April 2019.

The celebrated musical is written by Tony Kushner, author of Angels in America and recent recipient of the Arthur Miller Foundation Humanitarian Award. The soaring score is by Tony Award-winning Fun Home composer, Jeanine Tesori.

Led by Olivier Award-winning actress Sharon D. Clarke in a critically acclaimed virtuoso performance as Caroline Thibodeaux, the full includes Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Keisha Amponsa Banson, Alastair Brookshaw, Me'sha Bryan, Angela Caesar, Dujonna Gift-Simms, Sue Kelvin, Teddy Kempner, Ako Mitchell, Abiona Omonua, Vincent Pirillo, Tanisha Spring and Lauren Ward with Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, Zalika Henry, Laura Medforth, Timothy Quinlan and Teddy Wills.

Nine young performers have been cast in the roles of Noah, Jackie and Joe. Isaac Forward, Aaron Gelkoff and Jack Meredith alternate the role of Noah, Mark Mwangi, Kenya Sandy and Jeremiah Waysome alternate the role of Jackie and Josiah Choto, David Dube andRaphael Higgins-Hume alternate the role of Joe.

Directed by Michael Longhurst, this five-star production received phenomenal critical praise when it opened with sold out engagements at Chichester Festival Theatre and again at the Hampstead Theatre.

Louisiana, 1963. Revolution is in the air, though not so much for Caroline, the poorly paid maid toiling endlessly in the sweltering basement of the Gellman household. It's a fantastical, magical place amidst the piles of laundry and singing washing machines, especially for eight-year-old Noah Gellman who sneaks downstairs to see her whenever he can. Yet a simple gesture to leave more money in Caroline's pocket is about to test who and how far the winds of change can ever really reach...

Winner of the 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, Caroline, or Change is a playful, funny, and deeply moving portrait of America at a time of momentous social upheaval, set to an uplifting and profound score of soul, blues, classical and traditional Jewish folk music.

A truly welcoming and joyous musical, Caroline, or Change opens its doors to new audiences with unique ticketing initiatives:

Chichester Festival Theatre's highly successful Prologue scheme, which enables 16-25 year olds to purchase £5 tickets across all productions in the theatre's Festival season has now also been applied to Caroline, or Change in the West End. The limited number of £5 Prologue tickets can be purchased by 16-25 year olds, on the day of performance and in person from the Playhouse Theatre Box Office, where proof of age ID will be required. For further information and to sign up to the Prologue scheme, visit the Chichester Festival Theatre website.

'Carolines Go Free' is an exclusive offer to anyone named Caroline. Carolines will receive a complimentary ticket when purchasing one or more accompanying tickets. The 2 for 1 initiative will be available in person at the box office or via the telephone on 0844 871 7631.

500 tickets have been allocated to young Black people who do not normally have access to the theatre in a partnership with Black Theatre Project. In addition to the free tickets which were all taken up in record time, Black Theatre Project will be raising money through bucket collections after every performance of Caroline, or Change. In a scheme called Change For Change, all the money raised will be used to buy tickets for future productions for more young Black people to attend, or will cover their supplementary costs (eg. travel) to ensure the easiest access to the shows.

Photo Credit: Helen Maybanks