CARRIE THE MUSICAL to premiere in Los Angeles — Page 6

Well, this sounds like as much fun as the re-write is ever going to be! Shame it's so far away.

Seeing this on Thursday night. Really looking forward to it!

Having never read the book, seen the film(s) or seen a stage version - nor heard much of the music, I really liked this production. I think I would have liked it had it been staged like any other show, but there was definitely something extra cool about the smallish space and being so close to the actors. Most of the “immersive-ness” is simply the sharing of the same small space. Also contributing to this though is the way you enter, what you see when entering and what goes on waiting for the show to start. There are no announcements from the staff (which otherwise occurs regularly at La Mirada) and no real warning the show is about to start. It just does. There are also brief moments where the actors interact – or attempt to interact with audience members. And of course some of the seats/platforms move around during the show.

Nitpicky stuff:
I didn't sit in a section that moved, but from my viewpoint my opinion was the movement was only sometimes a “novel” thing for those sitting there. At times, a platform would rotate 90 degrees where a very good seat became a not very good seat. I don't think much of the movement benefited the actors and associated choreography much, and it didn't seem to do much for the audience either (I thought). I'm not sure why speakers were attached to the front of the moving platforms and not attached to the bleachers behind these sections. If those speakers benefited those sitting in the moving sections, why not do the same for the fixed seating platforms? From my vantage point and I assume most everyone else in the bleachers, the sound all came from above. This was distracting at first. I got used to it after becoming “immersed” in the show, but it is a little odd hearing voices that are so close to you – as well as percussion and other distinct sounds coming only from the ceiling.

More to like:
I thought the performances were excellent. Emily Lopez, who played Carrie, was terrific. I disagree with those who said Misty Cotton's Margaret was mousy – or too mousy or that she was not imposing enough to be scary. When Carrie was supposed to be afraid, she was. And it was very convincing the reason she was afraid was because of her religious nut of a mother. Both sang and acted beautifully. The acting all around was excellent, as was the singing. This show could easily have come off as incredibly cheesy and given a “backyard family theater night for the wacky family down the street” feeling, but the acting by the entire cast prevented that from happening. The direction contributed to this too as scenes flowed very well – as did transitions from dialog to song. The pacing was perfect, and the night flew by. Other standouts for me were Kayla Parker as Sue, Valerie Rose Curiel as Chris (who went well beyond a Disney villain) and Jenelle Lyne Randal as Miss Gardner. The flying during the destruction scene was incredibly impressive. To pull that off in such a small space really surprised me. The illusionary effects were not overdone in any way and were really well done. I had a great time and would love to go back again.

One question I have is how does this show exist from a financial perspective? There is no way the seating configuration could hold more than about 200 people. And ticket prices are no more expensive than traditional shows. The cast was 19 members (10 equity), the band 7 and there was what appeared to be a full, award winning and not a small-time production staff. The building and materials included in creating the stage, particularly the prom reveal, could not have been cheap. I'm very glad La Mirada took this on and has succeeded, but I'm stumped as to how this show can live without some special considerations going on here. In any case, what's going on in La Mirada is very impressive.

Looked into seeing this again during the closing weekend and found out all remaining performances are sold out. Bummer! I expected to enjoy this show, but I was surprised by how much I actually did. I hope other regional productions of this version are as successful.

La Mirada is doing Pride and Prejudice, starting 4/17 - so that's why no chance of extending Carrie.

Unofficial word is there may be a sit-down production and/or tour with as much of the La Mirada cast as possible. The energy and audience reactions during the last performances matched those of many of the bigger musicals I have had the fortune to witness. And the mixed range of ages that came from faraway distances to experience it was surprising! I got to see this production again this weekend from a different seating area and there are moments of camp I did not catch before but not in the scenes that needed to be dead serious. Many of the teenager song lyrics/rhymes remain clunky but I feel as if this CARRIE was created today for this generation. I hope others on this board get a chance to see it for themselves soon.

I really hope that this winds up somewhere within the New York area! I'd love to see it!

^ link not working.

This should work: CARRIE-THE-MUSICAL-to-Reopen-Los-Angeles-Theatre-This-Fall

SEE, now this IS in "Los Angeles". Omg I'm going to be so broke in October lol

Carrie @ LA Theatre 10/1

Idina Menzel @ Hollywood Bowl 10/3

The Sound of Music @ Ahmanson Theatre 10/9

Annie @ Pantages Theatre 10/16

Steel Magnolias @ LA Theatre Works 10/22

Love Letters @ Wallis Center 10/23

Kansas City Choir Boy @ Kirk Douglas Theatre 10/30

I'm excited to see this in Oct. Question for those that have seen the show, or are familiar with it.... I wanted to bring my 15 year old niece. How appropriate is it? Lots of language? Sex? I'm no so worried about the horror.

jbm2 said: "I'm excited to see this in Oct. Question for those that have seen the show, or are familiar with it.... I wanted to bring my 15 year old niece. How appropriate is it? Lots of language? Sex? I'm no so worried about the horror.

"
Typical American worrying about cursing and filthy sex but not blood and guts

Unless this is some very extreme take on Carrie, I don't think there's anything there that would be too much for a well adjusted 15 year old at all.

I'm going tonight (first preview). I checked online to see how many people are going and was shocked with the result. There is 499 seats (for this production). 73 people are going (as of right now: 9am). 426 unsold seats. (Yes I went out of my way to count all those little squares lol) 14.63% sold seats, 85.37% unsold seats. So happy I bought a $40 seat. Maybe they will let us sit onstage in those $125 seats. This is going to be one empty theatre. Maybe it will make it scary hahaha I do love the score and the book so I'm going to try to enjoy it either way. I'll review it after.

Just got home from tonight's performance. I liked the "experience". I felt the same way as when I saw Once, but reverse. In Once I loved the score, but hated the book; In Carrie I liked the book and hated the score. OMG HOW MANY TIMES do they use the same music but change the words???? I couldn't stop rolling my eyes when it happened. I am so happy I didn't spend $125 to sit on those moving bleachers.. I saw people getting irritated and some got up and sat on the regular seats.

It was an "experience" I did enjoy myself. Once you walk in you feel like your in an amusement park show. Like with all those sound affects. They had one of the best speakers ever. My seat was shaking, and you can just feel the intensity of the situation. The special effects were okay. I was on the second row away from those expensive seats and I can still see the "stings".. On the ticket place online it looks like the farthest seat is miles away but I sat up there in intermission and you can still see everything. The flying scene was amazing.. not the Jesus but the *person* in the destruction scene. I was very impressed that they used real red liquid for the blood scene.

The ensemble was great. Most of them looked like models.. there was only 3 black people... a male and female student (ensemble). I was mad in one scene were the black guy was the only one wearing a hat and you couldn't even see his face. The black gym coach was amazing. Loved her voice. I just got irritated at times when she said punch lines like a stereotypical ghetto women. (rolled eyes). Carrie White was the best actress on that floor (stage). She was very believable and WHAT A VOICE! They made the mom (Margret) look like the mom from the recent movie version. She wasn't playing her as scary crazy.. just an annoying christian lady. BUT she did have a great voice.

I saw Paul Wontorek on those moving seats in front of me and he looked irritated getting moved so much HAHAHAHA (I thought those seats were electronic but stage crew and cast moved them) BTW, the stage crew didn't even TRY to hide.. I overheard a producer of this production (I'm guessing) saying that If they transfer to Broadway it would cost 12 million. There was less than 25% of seats sold.. so I don't know how it would transfer.. Look what happened to Side Show; don't revive flops.

Overall, It is a 3 out a 5 for me. The music is irritating to hear. It's so bad. I only liked "In", "And Eve Was Weak", and "A Night We'll Never Forget". The rest of the songs are forgettable and/or laughable and/or boring. It's a good musical for people who don't really like musicals and just want to see a spectacle.