CARRIE Reading?

Was anyone there this afternoon?

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I heard from a friend that Marin Mazzie was incredible.

I was there and WOW!!!!

Marin Mazzie- riviting!!!!!

I feel like after lusting over this show for a little less than 20 years my crush has been fulfilled.

It was glorious!!

More details to follow but, Off the top of my head

The script is a lot more involved this time. Everything is explained in detail and there is a lot more character development this time around.

Cut songs:
Dream On
Don't Waste the Moon
Heaven - and reprise
Wotta Night
It hurts to be strong
In not alone
Out for Blood (but Chris does sing a verse of it in the new act 2 opening)

New Songs:
There were many... The only title i can remember off the top of my head was
The world according to Chris (with a slight melody of Don't waste the moon)

Tommy, Sue, Chris,and Carrie all have new solo songs

Act 2 is probably 75% different.

The opening number of act 2 (Cant wait till saturday night) sounds like OMG you guys... lol

One issue i had was that it takes place in 1984 but, they were using words like "he's a Tool" I dont recal that being 80's there were a few others that escape me at the moment.

OK thats all i have time for now.. Be back later!

Updated On: 11/20/09 at 06:38 PM

I'm definitely looking forward to hearing more about the reading. I'm especially hoping to hear more about how Jennifer and Diana pulled off their supporting roles and if those roles were changed/beefed up/made smaller/etc from the original.

Fmebroadway2 is gonna have a whole lot of Kidneys lol

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OK real quick.. I am at 15 min.. lol

The show starts present day with Sue telling Carrie's story. Then we go back to 1984.

The ending:

The destruction is the same.

Carrie goes home after killing everyone at the prom.
Mom sings same song to carrie
They hug.
Mom pulls out a knife and stabs Carrie
Lightning bolt strikes mom and kills her (THIS DOES NOT WORK)
Sue arrives at Carrie's house
Carrie dies in Sue's Arms.

Sue ends the show back in present day. finishing the story of Carrie.

More later! ;o)

Lightning bolt strikes mom and kills her (THIS DOES NOT WORK)

Bwahaha, you think?

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Im happy that 'In' remained, it was camp as tits

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I'm curious to hear, after all the excitement of getting to hear the material sung live settles a bit - if the new version actually works. I don't know that I really buy the idea of Sue telling Carrie's story, unless they preserved, perhaps the idea of the police interrogation from the book. Why would Sue in modern day be telling the audience about Carrie. What is the impetus for her telling the tale?

Updated On: 11/20/09 at 08:12 PM

I really like the idea of Sue telling the story, but you are right, there has to be a reason for her to be doing so

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I'm glad they cut Heaven. It's a nice song but its very generic. I did really like the reprise though, as I believe it was the only song that incorporated the entire cast.

I like the idea of Sue telling Carrie's story. But I agree that there should be some reason why she's telling it. If I recall correctly in the original novel she was writing a book of her own in which she told the story of what happened, so maybe they can track on that. But it would probably a lot cooler if she told the story while she was being interrogated by the police.

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Updated On: 11/20/09 at 08:43 PM

I was there. I know nothing about the original production except for seeing a few clips on Youtube. I've also never read the book and haven't seen the movie in years. So, the material was very new to me.

They are definitely playing this for REAL not camp or comedy. Problem is, much of the dialogue is just outright funny in a campy way. Getting huge laughs from the audience at dire, dramatic moments isn't good. Also, the actual plot is so thin and broad that it doesn't play with enough nuance to be really taken seriously. In a book and on film, a simple plot can be given real life by the nuance of the writing of a passage and the detail in an actors close up. The musical stage isn't kind to material that requires depth and nuance to be believable.

Marin was quite intense and formidable but pretty much one note. Molly did an admirable job as Carrie. Sutton couldn't shake her comedic tendencies. The ensemble was miscast - in my opinion. All obvious "types" and attitude which makes the already broad - bordering on campy - material teeter too close to the edge. They should cast much more out of the box. I think real teenagers could make the show work better. NOT Diana DeGarmo schmacting like a "bad girl".

Having said all that - I really enjoyed myself. As did the (entirely savvy industry) audience. I think theatre folk would flock to a full production but I'm not sure who else would show up.

I do think there is a lot of potential but it just worries me that trying to play the current script with the current casting seriously would fail miserably. Xanadu-ing the show might make it more commercially viable.

Updated On: 11/21/09 at 12:09 AM

Agreed. Although I was very impressed with Marin's simplicity. Not at all what I expected from her. In a reading setting in a rehearsal studio she was very understated. Although "one note" - as I mentioned before. I imagine if she took it to Bway - after a full rehearsal process, costumes, wigs, sets... her attempt to give the character more depth might very well result in too "grand" a performance. But, for now, she's the most grounded actor in the piece.