CARRIE Reading?- Page 15

[Dantes]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 5:30pm

The stage play of Misery is amazing, i watched it here in the UK when it was on tour and it was brilliant, very creepy and very clever with a brilliant revolving set.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 6:58pm

Stephen King's works are well on stage...namely because they're so developed.

Misery is both a play and a musical, although I only know it as a play, and TOTALLY intend to do it some day. I'm surprised they haven't made one of his short stories, or Salem's Lot into a stage play, (though I don't know Lot that well...)

As it's been said, Carrie is STRICTLY a period piece. When I did it as a non-musical workshop, it was completely period. For the sake that it is not believable a girl can't find out about these things, and for the sake that kids would be calling, and the fire department would get out so quickly.

Whoever said people will be pissed at the new changes for a revival-on the contrary, I think they'd see it as a great thing. I mean they kept all the good stuff (minus the Heaven Reprise. Which I'm still bitter about...).

I honestly think it'll do fine. I actually thought the book was pretty abysmal though. Especially the dialogue leading into "It Hurts to Be Strong"...painful. ("Hey Sue. We need to talk to you." Clever ryheme there... 9.9). Glad they're clearing that up.

As much as I like Unsuspecting Hearts, I feel like they should've replaced it. Why they kept the reprise at the prom and not still done Heaven Reprise, I'll never understand. I felt like Unsuspecting Hearts (Reprise), specifically, was SO anti-climatic.

Margaret's monologue is so brilliant. I love it...and I wish they would use the monolgue. However, the Carrie Reprise only worked with the giant staircase, I feel, because, little did Margaret know Carrie was ploting to kill her while she was right there in her arms...I feel like it translates a little differently without that. Not anything against the new ending, cuz it sounds great, but I think they should tweak it.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 7:48pm

Unless they changed it, the monologue was already used as the basis "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance." It would not really add any new information and would in essence be Margaret repeating herself if they threw that monologue in.

[Disneyland Magic Man]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 7:59pm

Not exactly. In the movie at the dinner table and the scene leading up to Carrie slamming the windows shut, Margaret goes on about her husband and the evils of boys. THAT was used as the basis of I Remember...

What needs to be more clear in the musical is that Carrie is a CONSTANT reminder of what Margaret did. Margaret wasn't raped. Margaret liked it. She was a bad girl. And she got pregnant. And because of that trauma she found salvation in religion. As the story progresses, Margaret's obsession about this fact needs to be shown. I don't even think Margaret is even aware of what Carrie did to her class-mates. Carrie has become a woman and has defied her and has decided to "chase the lights" with those boys "who could dance"... And this is wrong to her.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 8:23pm

That's right, I had forgotten about the dinner scene in the movie. It's been a while since I've watched it.

I'm still not sure the monologue is really needed, at least as a verbatim quote from the movie. Let's face it, the bits of Maragaret's dialogue from the people that most people remember are the "dirty pillows" and "they're all going to laugh at you."

[Fairies]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 2:55am

Wow. Amazing how much time people actually put into this thread. I abandoned it when the level of discourse fell below sophisticated and respectful.

Anyway - thought I'd put a snag in the whole thing by reporting that the revival is dead. The producers pulled out this week without much explanation. There is no longer any future for the piece at this point in time.

[Disneyland Magic Man]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:44am

I know you're friends with a member of the creative team. Any thoughts about releasing the rights?

[Dantes]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 8:35am

What a silly move, they could have made a fortune of this, all they needed was a fresh pair of eyes to have a look at the small problems and iron out the kinks.

It seems odd as well that the whole project would be shelved due to the producer backing out, a lot of industry people have shown intrest in this show for many years and aksed to produce the show but the 3 writers have turned them down. If they finally managed to get them all back together i would have thought they are ready to put all they have in to this show.

Updated On: 12/5/09 at 08:35 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 10:53am

Dantes - in one final moment of disagreement --

Pulling out of investing in CARRIE is the smartest thing any producer could possibly do. One thing we have all been in agreement is that there is NO finite target audience for the musical for a long term commercial run. The special effects alone for a Broadway house would drive the budget over 15 million dollars. It would lose millions, even if it got raves -- and I think the reviews would still savage this new revision.

I think the smartest thing if the creative team wants it to have life is to just license the show and let (brave) regional theatres have a shot at it. If one of them manages to pull a brilliant rabbit out of a hat, someone with cash can always come along and fund a transfer.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:09pm

Aww man. I'm really bummed out now.

I think there's still serious promise for Carrie, but it is a very hard concept to sell.

As much as I love Carrie the Musical, ever since I saw the movie, I said, this is a PLAY. Not a musical.

I'm sure it'll get picked up eventually. Or it'll become licensable. I mean, licensing would be a better investment, I think it could become quite popular <(^_^)>

[Fairies]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:17pm

The revival was being driven by the producers involved. They were the first people the writers trusted after years of other producers attempting to revive it. I would highly doubt that any new version would be simply licensed directly without a full production to back it up. The writers are very protective of the material.

There was a lot of interest generated by the readings and it's possible another lead producer will step in at some point in the future.

I do think the pull out was probably due in large part to difficulty in targeting an audience for the show. Like I said before - it would obviously appeal to theatre people just based on the novelty and the history - but I'm not sure who would be the real target audience.

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:18pm

DAMN!!!! This makes me so upset! Jeffery Seller always said if he didt like the revisions he would drop it. I wonder what happended? They seemed really happy with it after the reading

[romgitsean]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 3:27pm

Fairies- I agree 100% with what you just said.

Maybe if there's a huge protest of some sort in Times Square soon to revive it, maybe they will... hehe :P

[Holbee]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 4:04pm

Look, I don't want to say "I told you so", but as I said in a previous post, there was no way this show, with that song listing and scene descriptions would ever make it back to the Broadway stage. I do think it was sad that Jeffrey and Kevin gave you people hope. I do find it endearing and sweetly naive that some of you love this show so much that you temporarily lost your minds. Cause I know you have to be smarter than that. Especially in your response "Carrie HAS to be a period piece!" Uh...what? What?? There is no way Carrie wouldn't know what she is today?? Carrie, no matter what time period, is sheltered. In 2010 she may have the Internet at school, but in the 70's and 80's she had the school and town libraries if she was so inclined to research her powers and the world around her. The kids would call the fire department on their cells?? And do what? Carrie is TELEKINETIC. It doesn't matter WHEN the fire department gets there! And teenagers are the same. Today. The 80's. the 70's. They are the same and they react the same. If the show's musical creators would like to ditch their book writer, let a new musical team write a fresh score for the teen characters and keep a couple of their original Margaret/Carrie numbers...then maybe. And hopefully get a director who DIDN'T direct "Alter Boyz". "Carrie" in the modern world is actually the only way to bring a sense of newness and excitement to this piece (and good interpretation, not the TV movie's rendition).

[myshikobit]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 4:45pm

Yeah, it was too good to be true. As I said, I wouldn't have produced it. I think now that they've revisited it, the authors should knock on Encore's door. Maybe someday I'll grow up and get to a place where I can take a stab at saving it. RIP for the meanwhile

[romgitsean]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 5:05pm

That's what I was saying from the start. I thought this was better suited for an Encores treatment and it could evolve from there, if it proved to be good enough.

It was really too good to be true, honestly. But I would agree with the no-audience thing completely. I really love Carrie for how bizarre and wonderful it is; but I don't think I would like it if I didn't know the movie or have read the book. I love it for what it is and for how legendary it is.

[Disneyland Magic Man]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 5:18pm

I think the fact that Altar Boyz is closing could have a lot to do with it too. Less money in the producers' pockets to toy around with something as epic and uncertain as Carrie.

And let's admit, most shows in New York are only playing at half capacity... I wouldn't want to produce anything right now unless I had stars in it or it was based on material that would sell regardless of how good the musical actually was. Someone should start writing that Twilight Musicals. I'm not even joking. It could be ****, and suddenly Broadway's major audience would be 12 year old girls.

Seth Rudetsky is a MAJOR fan of Carrie. He's been trying to get them to let him do it for Encores for a while. They should let it happen. If the Broadway community could be exposed to the piece in a new and better form, and the buzz is good, I feel like a producer could be more confident in putting real money into a production. Judging from the almost rediculous amount of online buzz and news converage (most of which doesn't usually report on Broadway matters), Carrie could find some audience. I feel like back in the 80s, people said Carrie the musical and response was negative. Before the show even opened. Google the reading now... Most people reporting seem excited. It's a different time. The idea of Carrie as a musical isn't so out there anymore.

Or release the rights... seriously. I have no doubt someone major wouldn't try to produce it out here in Los Angeles. Musical Theater Guild wanted to do it a while back but got turned down by the writers. Their mission statement is to produce musicals that people don't produce. They've got buzz in the air... don't let it die away. Use it for SOMETHING. Broadway might not be the best idea. Why not open a gritty intimate production at New World Stages?

[Dantes]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 7:10pm

I honestly don't agree about the target audience, i must be thinking something very different to you guys

If anything i think this musical appeals to a lot wider audience than say shows like Legally Blonde etc, i think this covers a wider spectrum.

Intrestingly (and im not saying anyone is wrong) i just got a PM from a very good source from here who said the revival of the show is most certainly not dead, so much so that the 3 writers generated a lot of intreset from producers and investors at the reading and the writers are still working on revisions.

Guess we will just have to watch this space

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 7:31pm

First time poster, but I've been reading all of this thread pretty much.

What I think would be perfect is if there is a concert version of Carrie for Equity Fights AIDS much like the Anyone Can Whistle in Concert with Bernie, etc..

Honestly, I just want a friggin' cast recording at some point in my life or a cleaned up sound-system tape given an official release (like Mackintosh's Moby Dick). Now that Betty is getting on in years I just want some crazy-amazing belters to put those songs down on tape with Harold Wheeler's crazy-amazing orchestrations.

I also want Lillias White to lead a cast recording of William Finn's Romance in Hard Times, but that's for a different thread.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 8:14pm

Gavin, you just became my favorite first time poster!

ROMANCE IN HARD TIMES is one of the greatest musical theatre scores ever written. Pure brilliance and magnificence from beginning to end. I RELISH every single solitary tidbit of information I can glean from anyone about it and I'm curious how you came to know the show. Feel free to PM me as well!

I think CARRIE will end up in New York in an official production. That's just my feeling. I think the changes are mostly for the better and I really like the new material, but, then again, what do I know? "A Night We'll Never Forget" is one of the catchiest songs I've heard recently, as well. I think a new opening number similar in style to that with more melancholy and menacing sections for Carrie would establish a more consistent tone and also give the score a new theme to tie everything together better. I think all that's missing is a musical theme to connect the highschoolers to Carrie to Margaret. The title song and reprises just doesn't do it, though none of the highschoolers ever sing it in any version I am familiar with. The 2 new songs for Carrie are a good start.

P

[Holbee]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 8:19pm

Great idea about Carrie being done for an Equity Fights AIDS benefit. Or better still, an Actors Fund Benefit (though I'm sure if Seth wants to do it for Encore's he's already approached the authors for Actors Fund). And I want ALL the songs. Not just the songs from the new reading. Cause regardless of how bad and silly and campy people (and probably me) think of them "I'm Not Alone" and especially "Don't Waste the Moon" are sorta classics now...

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 8:47pm

Yeah, RiHT is the best score ever. I can't believe the reviews it got at the time. I heard Lincoln Center has the full show on video tape in their archives. Go pick it up for me willya?

I think a concert of Carrie would allow some winkingly cathartic interpretation of the material. (Think Candide in concert with all its extra self-aware comical business) A Carrie concert could be somewhat self-conscious of its utter ridiculousness and be silly fun while allowing the full operatic impact of the Margaret material shine through.

Sorry, I love Carrie the musical, but it will never translate to a traditional segment of the show-going public. It's a show for show-people at this point. Musicalizing the destruction scene alone is absurd, and will never work. Including show-music removes the awe that the sequence is supposed to evoke. Plus, there's no way of interpreting to the stage the complicated Rube Goldberg device Chris cooks up to humiliate Carrie and her scheme is not believable any other way. (What was she planning to do after that anyways, if Carrie hadn't killed anyone? I want an Elseworlds "What if Carrie hadn't used her telekinesis on prom night?")

Maybe some complicated mixed-media film stuff would work, like doing a mash-up of the film and the musical.. hey there's a post-modern take I could buy.

Never. Gonna. Work. The score needs to highlighted at some point, but a full production is foolhardy. As a future arts manager I deem it so.

[Dantes]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 9:05pm

I just find these stamnets about the Destruction been to elaborate to stage insane. I own a production company (vertigo) and performed in West End shows for years and lets be honest the stuff that can be put on stage these days is amazing. Lets be honest, if they can set fire to a huge wall in Martin Gueere, land a helicopter in Saigon and so on and so on then they can set fire to part of the stage and flip a few chairs and tables for the Destruction in Carrie.

As i said earlier (i think) Carrie was one of the fastest selling shows ever at the RSC, selling out (with higher than normal ticket prices) and attracting everyone from school kids to grannys. It has to be one of the most diverse audience i or the RSC has ever seen. The show sold out in record time for them. Thats why i dont agree for a second it would struggle to find an audience. This show plays as grand musical in many parts so would attract the regular theatre goers, a teen show and spooky night for the teens and early 20s and the gay audience would eat it up.

Shows like LB that are mainly aimed at teenage girls are more limited in audience than Carrie

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 9:19pm

I'm not convinced. Not every moment in literature can be interpreted to staged drama. I remember reading some strange scripts back in the day that were parodying what stage direction cannot accomplish. Something like this: "The curtain rose angrily as a mouse crawls across the stage stirring soup in a thimble with a needle." Carrie is delicate material.

Adapting Carrie into a film was ambitious enough, and DePalma just happened to be at his peak. Many parts of the book and film are laughable as it is, adding songs only accentuates its inherent silliness. I could see focusing on Carrie and her mom, and eliminating the highschool and teenagers. Call it "The White Home Song Cycle" and call it a day.

R&H chose right in adapting Liliom into Carousel, but they would probably have an impossible time adapting, say, Jonathan Livingston Seagull into a musical.

[tourboi]

Posted: 12/5/09 at 9:43pm

"I think the fact that Altar Boyz is closing could have a lot to do with it too. Less money in the producers' pockets to toy around with something as epic and uncertain as Carrie. "

Um, you do realize that the producers of ALTAR BOYZ and the producers that were behind this new CARRIE are different people, right? One show has NOTHING financially to do with the other.