(OUTscene NW) RE-view: 'Carrie', the Musical was No Flop, it was just 25 years too early!

A testament of being Bullied            /Jeff Carpenter

by MK Scott

I first heard about 'Carrie, The Misical' back in 1995, when I covered the Seattle Fringe Theater Festival and captured David Edward-Hughes' production of 'Broadway Maladies' (a musical Revue of Broadway Flops, ie, Superman the Musical and Carrie). In the selection, Carrie is singing holding a candle and Carrie's mother is wielding a knife behind her. Quite Campy. The original 1988 show lasted only only 16 previews and 5 performances.

The revival began previews on January 31, 2012 and officially opened on March 1, 2012 and closed a month later on April 8, 2012 after a limited engagement with 34 previews and 46 performances. The MCC directors said: "MCC, the authors, and the director achieved what we all set out to do – to rescue Carrie from oblivion and to give her new life. Plans are underway to preserve this production for Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts, so it may live on in the memories of the thousands of theatergoers who saw and loved it.

One thing going for it is Broadway is so different than it was in 1988. The Big shows were 'Phantom' and 'Les Miz'. Now in a Movie turned Musical era of  'Hairspray', 'Priscilla', Legally Blonde', 'Xanadu', etc. plus in a Post Anti-bullying era, it actually works and is done so, 25 yrs later.

Carrie: The Musical, now performing at Balagan's new space at the Seattle Moore Theater,  is a musical with a book by Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and music by Michael Gore. Adapted from Stephen King's novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely life is dominated by an oppressive religious fanatic mother. When she is humiliated by her classmates at the high school prom, she wreaks havoc on everyone and everything in her path. Francis X. Clines, in The New York Times (March 2, 1988) noted that Carrie is "Mr. King's carmine variation on Cinderella".

According to its Hip, young Director, Louis Hobson. The story is played without the Camp of the original and and a serious tale about being bullied and Margaret White's Beliefs and Mission.

Sue Snell (Larissa Schmitz), haunted witness and tour guide to our story, struggles to recount the incidents leading up to the tragic night of May 28. As she's questioned about the past, figures from her life in high school appear. Whatever their differences - be they good girl Sue, her varsity-athlete boyfriend Tommy Ross (Kody Bringman) her spoiled-rotten best friend Chris Hargensen (Tessa Archer, recently played Fantine in Les Miz), Chris' trouble-maker boyfriend Billy Nolan (The super Hot and buff, Andrew Brewer), or perennial misfit Carrie White (Keaton Whittaker) - they are all wrestling with the same insecurities and united in their desire to belong ("In"). All universal themes of today.

After gym class, Carrie experiences her first period in the shower. Her terrified screams for help and seeming ignorance about what's happening to her amuse and inflame the girls. With Chris as ringleader, Sue and the others encircle Carrie, gleefully chanting names and savagely taunting her. As gym teacher Miss Gardner (Kendra Kassebaum)  races in at the height of Carrie's hysteria, an overhead light bulb inexplicably explodes. When the girls are reprimanded, they dismissively rationalize, "It's just Carrie," the butt of their jokes since childhood.

At the White bungalow, Carrie's mother Margaret (Tony award winner, Alice Ripley),  Carrie summons the courage to tell her mother about the day's traumatic event. The realization that her child is now a woman throws Margaret into a God-fearing panic. When Carrie resists, Margaret locks her in a closet to beg for repentance.

Nervous but honoring Sue's request, Tommy arrives at Carrie's front door and asks her to Prom. Wary, she repeatedly refuses, until Margaret calls her in for dinner. Worried that her mother will find her with Tommy, Carrie hurriedly accepts the offer to be his date. As he leaves, she calls out a joyous "thank you" as it begins to rain. While the storm outside intensifies, Carrie excitedly tells Margaret of her Prom invitation, triggering Margaret's own tortured reverie ("I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance"). When she orders Carrie to tell Tommy that she can't go, they battle and, as rain starts to blow in, Margaret walks away to close the windows. "I'll get them!" Carrie shouts and uses her mind to slam them shut. Horrified by this display of power that she's certain is the work of the devil, Margaret cowers in fear as Carrie calmly finishes her dessert.

Carrie gets all Bloody!          /Jeff Carpenter

It's finally Prom Night. The kids are electric with nervous excitement, and Carrie, no less anxious, resolves to make the most of the evening ("Why Not Me?"). Frantic with worry, Margaret tries to undermine Carrie's confidence ("Stay Here Instead"). Just then, Tommy arrives, and Carrie, looking ravishing in the gown she's made herself, departs with him. Alone, Margaret struggles with fundamentalist scriptures. "She must be sacrificed. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Her duty - however horrific and tragic - is clear ("When There's No One").

Mr. Stephens (Brian Lange) and Miss Gardner announce Tommy and Carrie as Prom King and Queen. While the assembled salute them with the school song ("Alma Mater"), Sue spots the bucket dangling above the coronation area, confirming her worst suspicions. Frantic, she tries to warn Miss Gardner, but the teacher, who's been wary of Sue's motives in forgoing her Prom in favor of Carrie, pushes her out of the gym. Chris cues Billy, who yanks the bucket and drenches Carrie in blood. As the Prom-goers' stunned silence turns to derisive laughter, her unimaginable humiliation turns to fury - and then madness. Lashing out with her power, she exacts a terrible revenge on friend and foe alike ("The Destruction"). Powerless, Sue watches her classmates all perish. She alone survives. As emergency whistles sound and sirens wail, Sue follows the path of destruction that leads through the street to Carrie's house.

Carrie arrives home in her bloody prom dress and finds momentary solace in her mother's arms ("Carrie - Reprise"). Just as she's lulled into a sense of safety, Margaret - fulfilling what she believes to be her biblical duty - plunges a knife into her daughter. Wounded and trying to defend herself from further assault, Carrie uses her powers to stop her mother's heart. Sue stumbles into this horrific scene and, hearing Carrie's anguished cries, rushes to her side to comfort her. But she's too late. As Carrie dies in her arms, the figures from Sue's memory provide a final, haunting testimony of redemption ("Epilogue").

Ripley shines in Black!           /Jeff Carpenter

According to Hobson, during a Post-performance chat, Margaret is afraid Carrie is a witch, and has to get rid of her. She considers herself the savior and thinks she is an Angel. Her attire in the final scene is all black and she knows she is attending her own funeral.

The whole production feels new and is hard to picture this show being a Flop on Broadway in a Post-Spring Awakening, It gets Better project and the new Broadway of turning Movies with good story into Musicals.

The addition of Alice Ripley as Margaret was inspired and just enough star power. On the negative, and just very small was of the relationship of Carrie and her mother needed more time, and the special effects were mediocre. Just imagine what a Big Broadway Budget could do. Perhaps a Full scale revival could be better than the original.

Ballagan's Carrie continues at the Seattle Moore Theater through Oct 26th, for more info, click HERE.