Carrie Revival?- Page 4
Carrie Revival?
#75re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 5/30/06 at 11:44pmFor a revival of Carrie to work so much would have to change, and honestly...it isn't really the music. I think that about 80 percent of it works. First...make it all sung. We don't need some of the bad dialoge. Next...let's not all get the idea that everyone has seen the movie or read the book. So, let's get a script that does a little more explaining on what is going on. OKay...let's not have Carrie make her clothes dance. I love the song and idea, but it made Carrie look like a two-bit magician. Cut or fix: Don't Waste the Moon. It really was Bye Bye Birdie gone bad. Also...fix the end. Don't have Carrie come home from the prom and bam!!! Dead!!! So much will need to be fixed, but i think it is a possibility. If i was a producer, which I'm not...I would go for smaller houses like Off-Broadway, or even regional theatre. That is where the audiences would be. Oh...I saw the show when it opened in NYC, and it wasn't that bad...it just wasn't that good...but I would love to see a future because what was good was good!
#76re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 5/31/06 at 2:39pm
i agree to an extent what your saying as in dont waste the moon def needed a face lift but im pretty sure they have done that(there is a lot of set nods etc in the script and its moved away from the silly abstract look and they are going for reality).As for the finale it does need changing(but carrie never went home in the 88 show in fact to this day knowone has any idea where the hell the ending happened ,big white staircase?)
I def dont think the show should be sung through that would be awfull and the new book is very good and smart.They have also addressed the point of thinking everyone had seen the film so carries powers are explained(she looks it up in the school libary)
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#78re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 5/31/06 at 5:49pmI was just listening to "Ain't It A Bitch" (shouldn't really mention this), but I still don't think it's a great fit for the revival. "In" was cheesy, but really fun judging from (err...the Stratford dvd). I also just can't imagine Charlotte D'Amboise not being Chris, she fit the role so well, and her dancing was awesome as well as her singing!
Nycboi23
Understudy Joined: 4/25/06
#79re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 12:25pmI have to admit, without "IN", "OUT FOR BLOOD" and the others, it isn't going to be the Carrie I love, but I'm sure with upbeat numbers like "Ain't It Bitch",which haven't heard it yet, I'm sure I'll look at this as a musical I'll love, nontheless. Too bad two of the best numbers were cut though....
sondheim78
Chorus Member Joined: 4/18/06
#80re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 6:41pmYou may like "In" and "Out for Blood," but they should be cut. They are *awful* songs. You like them for the camp factor, but any workable version of this show is going to lose the camp factor. They would be wise to cut "I'm Not Alone" as well.
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#81re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 7:09pmsondheim78- I completely agree with you, without a doubt, Carrie is probably going to lose it's camp factor through the new production. The producers are definitely trying to get to the core of Carrie. The 1988 production had so many dramatic moments, but they weren't taken seriously because of the ridiculous ensemble numbers like "Do Me A Favor" (which made no sense whatsoever for those who have seen it). "Out For Blood", while catchy, needs to go. After Joel Siegel called it "the worst song ever created for Broadway", it will definitely not be even reconsidered for the revival. "In" should stay, I mean "Ain't It A Bitch", while it is more realistic, it's completely annoying, it's a bunch of girls whining about life. "In" was close to "Ain't It A Bitch" lyrically, but "In" has a great beat to it, and is a great opener even with the abysmal lyrics. Let's just hope this revival pulls through and possibly makes it to the Great White Way once again.
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#82re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 9:26pm
Hey, I'm happy I found this review. I thought all critics panned it on Broadway, but I was surprised to see that Clive Barnes(who lately has been on a mean streak with the new musicals) from The New York Post gave it a great review!
Carrie
12 May - 15 May 1998: Virginia Theatre, NYC, USA
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon (13 February - 5 March 199
MUSICAL 'CARRIE' SOARS ON BLOOD, GUTS AND GORE
New York Post
Clive Barnes
Surprise, Surprise! Terry Hands' blood, sweat and tears staging of Carrie for his Royal Shakespeare Company works.
Part morality play, part melodrama, part grand guignol, part laser show, the one thing that no one can deny about Carrie is that it is definitely a theatrical handful.
When this musical - based on the modern Gothic-style horror novel by Stephen King and its phenomenally successful screen adaptation - opened at the Virginia Theatre last night, few could have known quite what to expect. Apart from the blood.
Scheduled as the last show of the 1987/88 season, a slight postponement for fine-tuning made it, by chance, the first show of the 1988/89 season. This posteponement was merely the last mishap in a concatenation of accidents that has haunted the musical right from its disastrously received and critically trashed English out-of-town opening in Stratofrd-upon-Avon, after which it replaced its star and reworked its entire firmament.
The result of all these switches and changes in a project that seemed, at best, unlikely from the outset, has unexpectedly emerged as a strong, effective and remarkably coherent piece of terrific total theater.
This Carrie unlike the novel or movie, abandons realism for the black and white - plus red for blood - of a schematic morality play, replete with forces of good and evil, to say nothing of a cathartic finale of biblical proportions. Carrie as visualized by Stephen King's novel and Lawrence D. Cohen's original screenplay adaptation, triumphantly combined through-going naturalism - the timeworj familiarity of school-room, suburban home and high school prom - with the shatter-horror of the unknown,a young girl misfit with the gift of telekinesis who brings down the wrath of Beelzebub upon her tormentors.
It was the mixture of the ordinary and extraordinary - right down to that final nightmare hand stretching out from the grave - that gave Carrie its punch.
Cohen, and director Hands, together with composer Michael Gore (of Academy Award-winning Fame fame) and lyricist Dean Pitchford, have approached the story quite differently as a musical.
It concentrates on such set pieces as the gymnasium, where it opens in a piston-powerhouse display of women's calisthenics, gymnastics, acrobatics, and even chorus-line high kicks; the showers; a drive-in; the final prom; while the domestic scenes of Carrie and her insensitively cruel, religious maniac of a mother, Margaret, are played in cube-like stylized settings.
Indeed, all of Ralph Koltai's marvelous high-tech environments, mostly glistening white and moving and slithering around smoothly at the barest hint from the computer, are stylised and depersonalised, as to some extent are Alexander Reid's costumes.
In total effect, Gore's music sounds unmemorable, like movie music seeping into the mind to support the action. Once in a while, helped by Pitchford's unaffected, ungimmicky lyrics, a certain emotionally melodic lyricism is reached, but this is by no means a great score, merely music more than adequate to the purpose.
But this is really Terry Hands' show, and that of his Anglo-American cast. In passing, I note that this is the first time British and American Equities have been able to settle on a totally joint venture - and I not only note this, I beseech all concerned that it not be the last.
Hands' contribution is evident everywhere. As with his earlier RSC musical Poppy - which for some reason never reached Broadway - his directorial method here is both operatic and essentially fluid.
It has a kind of spartan epic directness that rushes to the heart of any dramatic action and stresses the momentum of each and every moment, often with the dazzling chiaroscuro of his own intensely dramatic yet usually simple lighting design.
This relentless directorial push finds another partner here in Debbie Allen's choreography which, while not unduly imaginative apart from the occasional imitative flash of Bob Fosse, is wonderfully dense and energized in texture.
And, of course, there are the special effects, which here are unusually special and effective, including great lasers, a grand collapsing finale with a quietly magisterial epilogue and some nice telekinetic tricks.
And the collaborators - not least Hands - have had the good sense to realize the mythic possibilities of this original King-size story.
Cohen's book beautifully spotlights the crucial scenes of Carrie's chilling progress to mass destruction, and Hands and Allen let the cast have their way with the larger-than-death legendary story.
As the good girl and bad girl respectively, a conscience-stricken Sally Ann Triplett and a glitteringly venomous Charlotte d'Amboise are simplistically superb, while Darlene Love sings handsomely as the sympathetic teacher who wants to help Carrie.
But the two performances that must support the entire structure of Carrie are Betty Buckley's as Carrie's mother, Margaret, and Linzi Hateley's as Carrie herself.
Buckley, with her vinegar and molasses voice, is superbly dramatic as the mother, from her first tortured entrance to her final tragic gesture.
As for young Hateley, and English teenager suddenly projected to Broadway stardom, she has just the right gaucheness, that lumpen, clodlike outsider quality as well as the spark of Cinderella radiance, and while she might miss the full strange force of Sissy Spacek in the movie, she sings with childlike innocence like a fallen angel.
#83re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 9:53pmIs there a recording?
...What happened next, was stranger still, a woman breathless and afraid, appeared out of the night, completely dressed in white. She had a secret she would tell, of one who had mistreated her. Her face and frightened gaze, my mind cannot erase...But then she ran from view. She looked so much like you...
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#84re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 10:06pmThere are no official recordings of either the Stratford or Broadway production, but there are many soundboard recordings floating around the internet as well as sound clips, if you can find them. From the soundboard recording, you can completely tell why the show flopped.
#85re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 10:15pm
God bless Clive Barnes. How much scotch did he put away the night he saw CARRIE? Maybe drunk and half-asleep is the best way to appreciate certain shows.
TT
"Me flunk English? That's unpossible!" - Ralph Wiggum
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#86re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 10:29pmClive Barnes has a good side to his review and a bad side. His good side, is that he says the score is bad, because it was, it needs a lot of help (cough...Out For Blood...cough....Wotta Night....cough.....Do Me A Favor). The bad side to his review is unfortunately, what he did like in the show. Debbie Allen's choreography was scary and not in a good way. It was scary as in completely atrocious. It really took the seriousness out of the story and make it look ridiculous, Out For Blood is a perfect example of how choreography can ruin a show's story (for those who have seen it know what I mean, it's really bad). Overall, at least there were a few critics that actually saw some life in Carrie.
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#87re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/1/06 at 10:35pmI'm actually afraid to link this, but if you go to youtube you can see "In", "And Eve Was Weak", "Out For Blood", "Wotta Night", and "The Destruction" from the 1988 Stratford Production, I'm sure someone has mentioned this already, but if anyone hasn't, I hope this doesn't get me banned, it's not my videos! Anyway, Carrie fans check it out.
#88re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/2/06 at 12:15am
hi guys i have some more carrie goss
please note that all this info im giving you is not full proof as im just telling you what im hearing from people at my show footloose,my agents and freinds phew just so u diddnt kill me if i get somehing mega wrong
but here is the latest goss
Ive heard that the workshop is still def down for the end of sept but the performance dates have vanished(they prob just want to see if it has a chance first and im sure they will be a few more workshops before hand)
My freind of many years was recently given a complete script of the workshop to look over(hes a book writer and show doctor)and here is some of the things he has told me.
Now ive already seen act 1 of the new script thanks to a not very discreet freind hehe but here is the lowdown on act 2
1st Out for Blood has def gone and act 2 does not open with the pig farm but with a scene in carries bedroom and a song called What If
2nd the scene at the pig farm is of course still in but is now done as a scene NOT A SONG
3rd it hurts to be strong ,im not alone and wotta night have all gone(thought they would)
4th the big dance prom song is called Under The Stars
5th there is a scene in which carrie paces her bedroom and causes all her furniture to float around her
6th sue and tommy have an Untitled song (in the sameish place im not alone was)
7th heaven and heaven reprise have stayed in
8th alma marter has gone (instead the tune of heaven plays as carrie and tommy walk to get there crowns)
9th the blood drop in the script describes it been rigged above her like in the film (so the awfull running on and plonking it on her head has gone)
10th the destruction scene describes collapsing walls ,fire eruptions ,falling lights and tables flying through the air
11th after the prom carrie walks home and the final showdown takes place in the kitchin as margaret stabs carrie and carrie make a knife fly of the work top in to her mothers heart
12th sue sits alone on stage at the end rocking back and fourth whilst a distorted version of the song carrie plays we hear a thunder crash and then lighting strikes to reveal carrie stood behind sue ,sue screams lights go down
i think thats everything
of course a lot of this will change in the workshop im sure but it gives you an idea of where its heading and i for one am excited and soooo putting in for the workshop
BIG POINT
my freind said that in his meeting with them(they offered him a job but it clashed with work hes already doing)they said they were no plans for it to come to new york as yet and if it opens it would play around the uk and hopefully make it in to london
lol
#89re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/2/06 at 12:22am
oh 1 more thing i forgot
in the prom there is a song between chris billy and norma (ive not scene the script just been told this)but it has something to do with the ballot papers for the king and queen
TheaterBoy7777
Broadway Star Joined: 1/28/06
#90re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/2/06 at 1:16pmI like the changes so far it should be good. Im glad they are getting rid of those songs as much as I love all of them, especially Out for Blood, they have to cut them to make the show good of it will only play another 5 performances. As much as we want it to be the Carrie we remember it can't be if they are planning on having it succeed. I wish they would keep Open Your Heart because I love the song but maybe there will be an even better song. I will fly to London to see this if it opens just incase it doesnt come to Broadway, the BWAY soundboard recording is one of my favorite cds.
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#91re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/2/06 at 5:00pm
Wow, the changes sound great. This show is definitely going to be expensive, my guess is at least $10-12 million depending on the special effects. I just hope this revival (if it works) doesn't become just a spectacle with a lackluster story, I hope the story can match the score. The cuts are good, I didn't mind "I'm Not Alone" though, just the staging was terrible (a floating brush, dancing dress, really dumb). Can't they reconsider "In"? Come on! The ending sounds good, the white staircase is gone which is a really great change. I just don't know if it should end so abruptly like that though.
westendartist1- How much has Do Me A Favor changed, it was really bad in the 1988 production, and I was just wondering if they aren't going to have it be a really dumb excuse for a dance number. If it was realistic, they would just have some choreography, but it would be more like a conversational song. No more dumb pelvic thrusting, it looked stupid. I liked the song though.
#92re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/2/06 at 6:51pm
Do me a Favour now takes place at school and is a pretty similar song though they have been a lot of lyric changes in the song(i actually really liked the original version).This version is a lot more easier to understand as like with the original they explain the set up during this song.The leads on this are again sue tommy chris and billy and at the end of the song it moves in to the libary where tommy makes his first of 2 attempts at asking carrie to the prom.About ten mins later the song is reprised for a min when tommy asks carrie a second time and she says yes.
It does seem to work a lot better
ps i to will miss IN and actually thought debbie allens choreography on this song was great mixing dance with workout with sexuallity worked really well.
i do like aint it a bith though
lol
#93re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/2/06 at 7:21pmIn is a wonderful song.....maybe aint it a bitch might actually work but i like what they r doing with it so far...giving it more structure, a base to sit on.....
camfatkin_
Understudy Joined: 10/23/05
#94re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/3/06 at 5:18pm
im probabaly gonna get shot for this...but ROCKER05
those youtube clips are mine. (waits for the flaming arrows)
#95re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/3/06 at 5:28pmthem you tube clips are off a dvd i got from the rsc 5 years ago and started selling years ago
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#96re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/3/06 at 10:16pmdon't start shooting the flamed arrows yet, I (gulp) have the Stratford DVD and the (gulp) Act I Broadway performance, I shouldn't really have said that, but I really love this show as you can see, and I only hope that it can be revived on Broadway and last more than 5 performances.
rocker05
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/05
#98re: Carrie Revival?
Posted: 6/3/06 at 10:24pmyes i did, they're always on ebay (well not now), but I bet the person I bought it from could have been you cause I remember you telling me about the RSC!
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