CARRIE Reading?- Page 9

[Dantes]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 12:07pm

I have to agree that i thought the staging was very good, i loved how the ensemble moved around the stage to reveal Chris and Billy, Sue and Tommy etc. I think Debbie did a good job on that one (once you get past the costmes haha)

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 1:58pm

I would guess that should the show go on to a subsequent workshop and/or full production that there will be more dance elements introduced back in. In a staged reading there's not much point in including dance music, since choreography is not allowed. Why waste the 29 hours you have working material that you can't do anything with?

[Famebroadway2]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 5:16pm

Does anyone have any connections to a CARRIE Broadway Window card? I sold mine 4 years ago (i STILL regret it) and i want to replace it. I would be willing to trade something for it or possibly buy it. I just dont want to spend 150.00... thats what the going rate seems to be these days.

[TheaterBoy7777]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 10:41pm

I assume you saw the one on ebay for $150 which I can't afford. I found a ok replacement for $15 not the original but it satifies my want for a poster until I find a cheaper one http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product_static.asp?master_movie_id=37003&AID=10680494&PID=2187177&SID=1259397455z1h1f8wc6nr7xfxkjmc1w6&ref=cj

[romgitsean]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 11:16pm

I never quite cared for Do Me a Favor. It was just too...dumb. But the revisions sound okay...although, Tommy working under a car? o_O I don't quite see that working, but time will tell.

I would concur with the statements made with the staging here. Those costumes were distracting though. I would agree with one reviewer that they looked like space cadets (or something along those lines). I think it was really the concept and the costumes that killed the production.

My big question is what did they do with Out For Blood? Did they cut the whole sequence or have a new song? I could hardly see ANY re-writes of that being good, because the bare bones is, people are singing about killing pigs.

Also, did the Principal sing at all?

[THDavis]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 12:09am

I'm assuming that there was a typo and the poster intended to write that BILLY was under the car with Chris. I believe it was also discussed that Out For Blood was cut, though Chris sings one verse of it somehow.

[Dantes]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 8:08am

i used to have 2 window cards for Carrie as well as a poster from inside the RSC, a Poster from the Virginia, a book of all the UK reviews, a magazine full page advert for the show, a programme from stratford and a playbill

However i had a flood at my apartment years ago and lost of it got ruined, all i have left is the stratford and broadway Programmes/playbill, the review book and my CDs and DVDs

[romgitsean]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 6:59pm

Ahh, that sucks.

Did the Principal sing at all?

[THDavis]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 10:41pm

Did they cast a singer as the principal? I'm assuming that would be Phillip Hoffman, but I've never heard of him. If yes, then I'm guess he does sing. I can't see a reason that the principal needs to sing seeing as he's such a small role in the book. I think it made sense for him to be left out of the musical all together, though it does give Carrie appropriate introduction to the title song.

[MillieDillmount]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 2:56am

I would love to hear more about how Sutton Foster did.

I would love to actually hear it, if that's possible. :) If it is, could someone PM me please? :) Thanks.

[THDavis]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 11:23am

Oh I'd love to hear it too... but I know that it's not possible via PM... you know, because everyone follows the law. I mean, we would never want to HURT an actors reputation. Whatever that means.

I thought Sutton would be a strange choice at first but I can see her doing it well when I take the whole "soulful" factor out of it. I mean, she already shouts a bit and has that whole "female gym teacher" thing going for her so I'd be very interested to hear more about her too. I think she has just the right amount of presence for a role like this. She can shine through as a scene stealer at times but will be offstage enough to not make this all about her.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 3:49pm

Yeah, that is a good point. Sutton seemed like kindof an odd choice (in comparison to Darlene Love), and she doesn't strike me as an authoritarian figure at all... D:

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 3:57pm

Sutton was fine. Damiano was excellent. Ranson was very very good. Mazzie was passable and quite more than that during "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance". DeGarmo stole the show and her new material is KILLER. The new material is all good to excellent with nary a dud in the bunch. Tommy's new song is fabulous and the Act 2 opening is pretty much perfect.

Love the new song for Carrie at the dinner table w/ Margaret, as well.

I'd be happy to write up all my thoughts if anyone's interested.

P
Updated On: 11/29/09 at 03:57 PM

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 4:04pm

I would love to be PM'd it as well, but, being law abiding citizens, we know THAT is impossible...

[myshikobit]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 5:18pm

I mean, I guess I would love someone to PM any opinions, bootlegs or pics... but I am such an upright citizen I'd have it deleted before it was even sent

[ABoyLikeThat]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 5:37pm

I would also loved to be PM'ed as well.

Pgenre, would love to hear more of your thoughts about the changes (especially for Chris) and more specifics of each character/the performances of the actors.

[Holbee]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 5:55pm

Perhaps the "hook" for the new version of "Carrie" should revert back to the framework of the original novel. It didn't just deal with the events in and around Prom Night (including Carrie's destruction of the entire town). It was a treatise on America's being forced to deal with an overt supernatural happening in this modern age. And the moral and societal implications that that realization engenders (one of the novel's striking questions deals with Carrie, postmortem, having been found to carry an abnormal gene that allows for her telekenisis: what happens if we find another young girl-child, who has this gene? What would we do with her?). Sue Snell (a character I love who has never really gotten her due) deals with her "popularity" in larger terms, what it will mean to be rich and pretty and white for the rest of her life, what kind of cage that might be. Billy is jealous of the these types, the rich kids, the popular kids, that's why he takes pleasure in defiling Chris. Why he agrees to destroy the whole bourgeois (not his word) idea of "prom" (perhaps this new song of his reflects that?) Margaret is a much more common type today than she even was in '73 when the novel was written. A Evangelical who sees EVERYTHING in the black and white of her bible ("thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"). The story of the movie was simple enough, but the original musical simplified things down to the point that the only people who had real characters were Carrie and Margaret (thus, they had the best music). Personally, I have always found Margaret less interesting than the five teen pro/antagonists and what they were going through. (Zealots, in fiction, actually lose something when their characters are "fleshed out"). I would also argue the much derided "I'm Not Alone" was actually one of the more perfect numbers for a musical version of "Carrie". Of course Carrie, in a surprise moment of happiness, would want to dance. And since her mind can animate objects, of course she telekinetically dances with her dress. Its a sweet moment before the fall, perfectly appropriate. And though this goes against my writer's "show don't tell" dictum, perhaps narration is the best way to tackle the show, maybe by Sue, maybe by the novel's professor who wrote the "definitive" book on the "Carrie White" subject. Seeing these melodramatic supernatural moments onstage, unless very very carefully done, can become silly and campy.
Updated On: 11/29/09 at 05:55 PM

[tourboi]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:33pm

Count me in on the PM!

[myshikobit]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:37pm

I agree, to an extent. I think the character analysis you provided is spot on

The success of the revival is based solely upon making sure the tone of the entire production matches that of Carrie's and Margaret's scenes in the original. And to create that tone, the creators definitely need to work on developing the teenage characters to the level they were in the book.

In choosing elaborate ensemble numbers rather than character development, the show became divided against itself. They seem to be going back to the drawing board and making A) one show with one tone and B) restoring the high school characters to the depth of which King created them and making the story more realistic and more moving.

However, I object to "I'm Not Alone", ironically, for the same reason; tone. Depending on the interpretation of the text, it could be the right moment for a happy song, but the Carrie as established by the effective parts of the show wouldn't sing those lyrics and probably wouldn't tap dance. It's the reason why Melchior doesn't do a jazz-inspired soft shoe during "I Believe" in Spring Awakening.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:47pm

I will join in the chorus of wanting a PM! Of course we wouldn't want to break any laws .

Pgenre, please elaborate.

I also agree that they need to for the most part match the serious tone of the Carrie Margret scenes if the want to have a "serious" musical. And character development is a given for a good show.

I liked "I'm Not Alone" for the reason that I believe it is really sad for Carrie to be so happy and hopeful knowing what happens, it makes it even more emotional. So I hope they replaced it with a song conveying the same message.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:48pm

To those asking for PMs.

You're not going to get it from here.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 6:55pm

TheaterFan4 is the TRUE QueenofBroadway!

On a COMPLETELY UNRELATED TOPIC, here are my general opinions of the score that I wrote to a good friend, as initial impressions. I knew the show very well going in, btw:

I TOTALLY dug CARRIE... I think the new songs are for the most part fantastic! I do think some stuff needs to be cut (chorus on "Open Your Heart", "Do Me A Favor", some of the lyrics in act 2 opener, etc.) but what REALLY, REALLY, REALLY impressed me was Tommy's new song, "The World According To Chris" and the FANTASTIC dinner scene with Carrie and Margaret with the new song for Carrie. LOVE IT! I wonder why Margaret didn't get any new material though? I thought the new scene with Margaret and the Principal and Miss Gardener was fun. LOVE the candelabra moment. I thought the new Destruction didn't really work but I like how Gardener is included in the plot more and her denying Sue to the prom REPEATEDLY even after she tells her what is gonna happen because she had a "vision" (interesting that it brought it back to the book with Sue having powers to a certain extent too though not understanding them or having the power to control them like Carrie, nor having anywhere near Carrie's power) and the way it was done, despite having mentioned the rigging for the bucket of blood, was far too much like the original. I thought the new act 2 opening is a strong B+ and with some adjusted lyrics and a slightly less bouncy tone it could be perfect and I think they should stick even more with this style song as opposed to the more staid sung scenes with the highschoolers. I'm not sure if I like "Someone Should Have Told Her" being reinstated from Stratford. Mazzie is good, Ranson is excellent, Damiano is VERY good and Foster is fine. The boys and chorus were very very good. DeGarmo stood out a loud and has probably the strongest material, almost moreso than Carrie at this point. I think Carrie needs another new song, especially since they cut "I'm Not Alone". Margaret needs a little more fleshing out as well. I'm surprised they didn't write a new duet, particularly for the dinner scene. The new song for Carrie works well as the lead in to "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance". The old material was all performed well and with aplomb. Overall I can't imagine that super-stoked audience didn't deliver a few investors. The show came off very well and I bet this is going to happen. I'd invest if I could.

And I stick by that.

P

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:02pm

TheaterFan4 is the TRUE QueenofBroadway!

I shall wear the title with pride.

[THDavis]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:08pm

I know we won't get a PM from here. Because it's illegal. And we're all good people. And we wouldn't even want to know for a second where we'd get it from via PM either.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 9:37pm

Also, I forgot to mention Carrie's other new song, "Why Not Me" which replaces "I'm Not Alone" before the "Give me the dress!" scene. It works MUCH better than the previous song.

P