Fans of the ORIGINAL Carrie Musical

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 8:29pm

My partner and I saw the original show three times! Twice in one weekend! I always said that I would have to live until a release of the musical CD was made! I've had pirated copies of the UK and the Broadway shows. I was somewhat but very little satisfied when they decided to do a much worked over revival off Broadway of Carrie. I of course ordered the CD immediately and listen to is frequently. NOTHING can ever be better than Betty and Linzie in the final pyrotechnic scene of the original! We'll never forget getting on the Eastern Air shuttle with the playbill and our hands still hurting from clapping so much until we got to National Airport! All Carrie fans share your memories and love of the show with me!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 8:32pm

I'd rather hear more about you! And Moose and Squirrel.

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 8:40pm

Moose and Squirrel? Did you just see the off Broadway of Moose Murders or what in the heck are you talking about? Are you a relative of Eve Arden?

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 8:43pm

I'll admit it. I saw it on a high school trip, and I'll admit also that I loved every single thing about it, including the black painted walls in the theatre, and finally, I'll admit that I had absolutely no taste back then. It was the 80's, after all.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 8:46pm

I saw the first preview of Carrie. Now tell us all about yourself, newbie.

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 8:51pm

Matt- I had entirely forgotten about the interior of the theater. And as far as "taste" you sell to the masses and sleep with the classes!

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 8:53pm

I'm 52 years old and was born in Bellingham, WA. I attended George Town University beginning in 1978. I lived in Washington DC/New York City/Rehobeth Beach, Delware for 21 years. I am a juvenile diabetic and am now blind and on kidney dialysis. All the years I lived on the East Coast I loved Broadway. My partner died in 1999 and it was in my best interest to return to Bellingham, WA where I currently live in an extended health care facility and am having a wonderful volunteer helping me set up this account. My partner's family was from Clifton, NJ and every month we would be up to the city at least two weekends a month and would do usually 4 shows a weekend. Several seasons we even were able to see every single show that opened on Broadway. Obviously I miss NYC and the theater community very, very much. We happen to be setting up this account on February 5th, which is the premiere of the second season of Smash, which I live vicariously through! I'm interested in any and all info on what all other theater fans have knowledge of to help keep me in the loop!

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 9:11pm

Welcome!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 9:13pm

Thank you for that background. I saw the first preview of Carrie. Maybe a year later, the Shubert Alley shop had the full color program for 20 bucks, which was a LOT of money, but I bought it.

I chatted with/yammered at Betty Buckley after a performance of Camino Real at Hartford Stage many years later. She wasn't as jealous as most gay men are when I tell them "I was at the first preview of Carrie!"

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 10:31pm

When I saw a preview of "CARRIE", I was fortunate enough to sit right behind Debbie Allen. The audiences reaction was a very mixed bag, they either loved it or hated it. The highlight for me was when they did the number at the drive-in and slid the cars in from the side. The stage right came in with no problem, stage left had a bit of a stall and almost through the whole song stagehands came out with equipment to "loosen" the car from where it had stopped. Unfortunately, the finished just in time for the song to be over and the cars to go back to where they had once come from. The other great part was the close to 30 minute intermission because I am sure that Ms. Allen was handing the dancer's their asses. The best part of the show was at the end when all of the indifference tranferred itself into a rousing standing ovation from everyone that was there.

Updated On: 2/6/13 at 10:31 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 11:07pm

I remember the long intermission but not the cars getting stuck. That may have been the exact moment I started blocking things out of my mind.

[After Eight]

Posted: 2/5/13 at 11:41pm

I thought it was awful from beginning to end, but hilariously awful in moments like Out for Blood and the dancing hairbrush.

In that respect, it was almost as "good" as the original Moose Murders.

Almost.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/6/13 at 9:29am

I was at #2, I believe (could be wrong:) a Friday night (the first had to be a Thursday?). I've since read that the staircase got stuck at performance #2, but I don't remember that. When that thing came down, it was so, uh, intimidating, its speed or cessation of movement were irrelevant. I still remember the black walls at the Virginia, too. And at the very start, the house lights snapping off rather than dimming during the overture as those ominous chords of "And Eve Was Weak" sounded, played at an eerie fast speed. The crowd let out an "oooooh!" The tone was, 'here comes some horror!' and then nothing remotely horrific ever happened, other than Betty Buckley almost pulling Hately's hair out when she pushed her into the floor.* I was in the third row side (house right) of the mezz. I recall that when the floor opened up at the climax of "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance," we could feel the rush of heat from that damned fire from hell under the stage (what was that? I still don't understand the fire in the floor or Carrie's hands, all from another King story altogether. But never mind.) Two old co-workers of mine from the early 80's were there, and they were screaming at one another at the intermission One wanted to leave, one was in tears she loved it so much.

I returned twice more, including the Mother's Day matinee, the final week of previews before the show opened on Thursday, sitting in the last row of the orchestra.

The audience went nuts at the end at all three performances. Even if memory plays tricks ... I can honestly say I've never been in an audience like those since.

*I talked to the understudy for Margaret White on the #10 bus, and she said Hately was terrified of Buckely, that she played all of the brutal stage business without putting on brakes, and did, in fact, pull some of her hair out. I also heard from her -- this isn't reported anywhere else -- that the producers and director kept trying to cut "When There's No One," and Buckley stood her ground. As only she could. Since it's widely considered the best number, the story provides further proof that no one knew what the hell to do to fix the show. As if that number was the problem.

Updated On: 2/6/13 at 09:29 AM

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 2/12/13 at 7:54pm

Enjoyed hearing your memories of one of my favorite Broadway shows, Carrie. Before I left the East Coast in 1999 I did not see a single production in NYC, Washington D.C. or for that matter any other cities in the country or London that got standing ovations like Carrie did. Thanks for your report from the #10 bus, I particularly got a laugh out of that but fully understand where it was coming from. "When There's No One" is one of my favorite numbers from the show. I also recall in the second time I saw the show there was a problem with the cars from stage left. Nobody yet has mentioned the AWFUL shower scene of the high school girls(?) totally out of pitch! The "Out for Blood" scene was absolutely dreadful. Although I have to admit I fell in love with Charlotte d'Amboise, and am not sure what she is currently doing. Seems like I encountered her later in some other musicals but can't quite remember. Maybe Jerome Robbins Broadway? My favorite post Carrie moment came when my partner and I were down in the village at a diner and sitting behind my partner was a man that I was positive was Ken Mandelbaum. I kept telling my partner, "it has to be him, it has to be him," so i finally got my guts up and went to the table and ended up having a nice 10 minutes conversation with him about his wonderful book. One of those only can happen in NYC moments! Did anybody see the original production in the UK with Barbara Cook in Betty's role? How about comments from the patrons of the original Carrie who saw the revises off Broadway Carrie production? I have a friend who is helping me on the computer and I usually see her once a week, so don't be surprised if I don't get back to you until next week.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/12/13 at 8:00pm

Charlotte is about to open in Pippin on Broadway, after trying out in Cambridge at the American Repertory Theater. I saw it there, she's great in it. There was a kid in the audience the day I saw it and he was wearing a Carrie hoodie from the off-Broadway production. Because life goes in circles.

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 2/12/13 at 8:28pm

Thanks for the rapid response. I am embarrassed to say I don't know the score of Pippin. I know Andrea Martin is in the cast and I would fly back east just to see her performance! So will it be worth my wile to purchase the Pippin CD with this revival cast when it comes out?

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 4/18/13 at 9:21pm

Buy the PIPPIN revival recording when it comes out in June. Its just incredible, and Charlotte's great. Its awesome to see her perform with Terrence Mann, who's her husband in real life.