"Revisiting Carrie" One Night Only- Page 2

[ChiChi]

Posted: 8/1/11 at 11:38pm

I want to see!!!

[Derrickg]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 11:31am

I hate to be the dissenting voice, because I love the Carrie material and I'd like to see this revamp succeed, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the presentation last night. Of course, we just saw a tiny percentage of what is apparently a really rewritten show and I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but the one new song we heard -- "Shine" -- didn't strike me as any less generic and insipid than either of the two previous Sue songs, "It Hurts to Be Strong" and "White Star."

And while Ranson shows promise, I'm having a hard time getting into the idea of Mazzie as Margaret. Now, I've been a fan of Mazzie ever since I first saw her way back in the 80s in Big River, through Passion, etc up to recently being really impressed with her in N2N and I'd love to see her pull it off. But I don't find her to be right for this part.

Still, I think the show could do fine. Without the crazy Terry Hands concept staging, the body suits and Debbie Allen Fame dancing, and the oinking... they'll be ahead of the game. Still, it remains to be seen if all the new material is really an improvement or not.

[binau]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 11:55am

I find it harder to see Ranson in her role than Mazzie...as a post mentions on ATC it would be interesting to see how she can handle the role 8 times a week because she doesn't really appear to have a big voice and because she is such a small presence and didn't show much personality I'm not sure whether she will command the stage and be sympathetic- if that is important.

Meanwhile, Mazzie is a powerhouse and a presence, clearly she can handle the vulnerable moments of the show, so I assume that your reservations are whether she can be ruthless and scary. She wasn't particularly ruthless calling Carrie a 'fool' in the Carrie (reprise) Dialogue, but I think she can do it - I imagine vocally her "Eve was Weak" will take cues from her "You Don't Know", if she screeched "And Eve was weak - AND EVE WAS WEAK" over the top of Carrie's lines like when she spoke-screeched "You Don't Know" in N2N I think that could be thrilling.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:05pm

I can see Mazzie pulling it off (though i was not blown away by her in the 2009 read through) Ranson however i thought was the weak link of the 2009 read through. After hearing Linzi belt out those songs it's sad to see it go to someone with little vocal power.
I quite like 'You Shine' but its just a pretty ballad, it couldnt be anything else really. Its far better than White Star and It Hurts to Be Strong.

[binau]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:18pm

I'm listening to "In" from the 2009 reading and although it is closer to what they performed last night than to the original it still sounds like they have still changed it quite a bit. Would like to 'hear' it again if anyone can PM :P?

Also, did you notice the structure for the title song has changed a little bit? E.g. In the original and 2009 reading after Carrie sings "I wish they'd stop" there is an abrupt change and she sings softly etc.., when last night she kept singing and this shift comes later in the song. Maybe they truncated it for last night only, I can't tell (it didn't feel particularly shorter to me, though). But I liked how they used to do it.

Updated On: 8/2/11 at 12:18 PM

[Derrickg]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:21pm

I just kind of thought Ranson seemed right for the character. We'll see about the singing.

I'm sure Mazzie will turn in a fine, professional performance, but I guess I don't see her as having the intensity for the role. I found her very effective in N2N because she was simple and real -- no small feat for an actress singing her way through a rock score. But for Margaret I think you need someone who can be more outrageous and powerful. And I'd prefer a steelier belt. Come to think of it, while I actually preferred Mazzie to Ripley in N2N, this is a part I'd probably like Ripley in better.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:22pm

Im dying to see if they kept many of the songs from the 2009 reading it, seemed to be on the right track. Ws in different to the 2009 reading?

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:34pm

Come on people. Last night was only a sneak peak with the creative team and four songs. Don't judge, they still have 6 months before the first preview. So they're still reworking but pretty much the songs you heard are what you are going to hear in the production. I thought the new "In" and the new version of the title song sounded amazing and true to the story. Pay attention to what the authors had to say that night, they don't want to present what was on Broadway in 1988 so that means they had to work on it. The songs are not going to stay the same, and the cast is something I've been fighting for.

People keep comparing Ranson and Mazzi to Betty and Linzi. They are not Betty and Linzi. Stop complaining that they don't fit the role. They are giving their own take on the role. And many of you say that at the reading, you didn't feel it from them. Well that's because at the 2009, they were reading from a script at a table and were not performing. Give them a chance to improve and get better. I'm sure this production is going to be a monster success.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:36pm

Im just listening to the reading again now, Mazzie is actually much better than i remember, her Eve Was Weak is brilliant.
Im sure Molly will act the role very well, i just hope her voice will match.
Im fully confident they will pull this off, Stafford is a smasrt director so its in very good hands.

[binau]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:42pm

I hope I can remember correctly but the arrangement of "in" last night sounded more contemporary, if slower than in the 2009 reading/original. The reading "in" seems to have the same drive as the original, like the beat and tempo etc..but this one feels different. The actual opening for the song is completely different and new and then transitions into the familiar "In" melody. If I remember correctly, it opens with the ensemble immediately with both girls/boys with this great harmony and doesn't have the solo female singer like in the reading. But the girls/boys do take a turn at some stage with the new lyrics about don't wanting to be seen as gay etc....I think the insightful thing is that the same people who are worried about fitting in etc.. were if I remember correctly also insulting Carrie too...which I can't really hear on the 2009 reading (but the dialogue is difficult to understand), which I think adds an extra layer about why they are bullying etc..

I liked it so much....I was amazed at what they did with the song.

[amoni2]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 12:55pm

Really really disappointed in Mazzie last night. My friend who was not familiar with her work at all, was more disappointed than me. Loved "In". Just a side note, would it kill the Lortel management to turn the AC onmore than ten minutes before a sold out audience arrives, it was hot as Hell in there.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 1:09pm

qolbinau Thanks so much for the description of 'IN' it sounds great, though i did love the beat to the 2009 workshop, it had good driving kick, though this new one sounds good.

I hope a recording leaks of this

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 1:43pm

Once Ranson gets comfortable with a song, she can blow the roof off a theatre. She has a much bigger voice than what I heard from the reading would lead one to believe.

[binau]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 2:30pm

RE: Mazzie not to be one of "those" people (i.e. blind fans) but what didn't you like about her performance?

Also another random thing about the discussion..the book writer quoted one of the new lines he was particularly fond of, paraphrased but apparently in response to Sue's disapproval of Carrie's bullying Tommy says "It's just high school" and Sue replies "I feel like it will always be high school"...I mean I think it is a good point, that bullying reaches further than high school but in the workplace etc..

They also repeated a few times that they think the show is probably even more relevant now than back in the day RE: Bullying, and christian extremists (citing the Westboro church), one even going so far to say that the issues have actually 'caught up' in reality to the show now, even if they seemed ridiculous at the time.

I feel like the biggest challenge will be the telekinesis etc...

If they have a well written show I feel like the issues they raise should be the focus, not a 'horror aspect'. I guess you could say then that it isn't "Carrie", but it is an adaptation after all...

[THDavis]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 3:58pm

From what I've heard of Mazzie, she's quite the singing actress as opposed to an acting singer. I'm looking forward to actually seeing her in the role because I wasn't sold after hearing the 2009 reading. I wish they would have done this five years ago with Ripley as Margaret, that would have been breathtaking to hear her sing the score before Next to Normal.

All of that being said, I'd love to get my hands on some of that audio from last night... hm...

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 8:41pm

Found Mazze very underwhelming and very unexciting as Margaret in 2009. Hope she's improved. DItto Ranson.

As for scape goating, IMHO they're right to blame the director. Hands had NO CLUE what he was doing.

Would also love to "hear" how it went.

[AKarp2013]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 8:46pm

Well there was a difference between the 2009 reading and the other night. First, they were working nonstop for 29 hours. They were probably exhausted. And second there is a difference from performing at a table at a simple reading and standing on a stage in front of a public audience and actually giving a performance. Trust me, she has improved amazingly. She had a year and a half to learn the new material since the 2009 reading when she only had 3 days.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 8:51pm

"Would also love to "hear" how it went."

It was reported that they had some sound problems, including losing speakers for at least a portion of the event, so not sure how things might have sounded in the theatre. Granted that the Lortel is not that big of a space, and doesn't need much amplification to begin with.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/3/11 at 8:57pm

I thought Mazzie nailed it in 2009 and wasn't surprised that she got first refusal after the reading. If you go in expecting Betty Buckley belting to the rafters you're going to be disappointed. But I'm confident that Mazzie will give a spectacular performance in the full production.

I'm still not sold on Ranson, especially after seeing her in JERUSALEM--and I mean "seeing her" quite literally, since I didn't hear a word she heard all night. And I was in prime center orchestra. She seems the kind of presence who fades while still in plain view on stage.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 6:04am

"As for scape goating, IMHO they're right to blame the director. Hands had NO CLUE what he was doing."

Well yes (though I think Debbie Allen's manic dancing, and the whole fact that they never managed to, even music wise, make the more Fame teenager songs fit with the more operatic material, played as much a part). But really, I think it's unfair to solely blame him--couldn't people see back in Stratfor or even before how bizarre his whole "Greek Tragedy from Outer Space" concept was?

I admit a part of me loves the original Carrie for the moments of Cheese (the whole constant dancing, leotards, and song itself in Do Me a Favour--which I'm certain is one of the ten cut songs--is a fave musical moment of mine :P ). But obviously it can't work that way, except as parody. I admit I don't know what to think as I haven't even heard the 2009 read through (hint...)

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 6:08am

Of course the blame goes on him, it was his concept and he was in charge of the show. The blame for Carrie falls to the man at the head of the table and that was Hands. And whilst Allen's choreography was over done (though often impressive) she was really the only one on the team who seemed to have a clear vision of what she wanted. Sadly her vision did not match Hands and he let her take over.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 6:33am

Her vision barely matched the material and was just as odd as Hands (though I think you're right that hers was clearer, Hands seemed to have several that contradicted each other). To turn it into a constantly moving music video for every school number, I mean...

[newintown]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 10:03am

It's reductive to blame Hands and Hands alone - much of the book and score were simply laughably bad. Gore and Pitchford just don't have the talent/skill to write a good show. If they did, they would have by now, they're both over 60, for cripe's sake. It's not like they're young BMI students, still learning the craft.

Pitchford and Gore have written a few pop songs that achieved a bit of success, but are in no way top-tier pop writers (Mann and Weill, Greenwich and Barry, even Lieber and Stoller are bigger than them). You can't call them nobodies, but they certainly aren't A-list; and when it comes to writing songs that are more than stand-alone simple ditties, that achieve the level of dramatic quality to which they aspire, they just don't have what it takes.

Of course there's an enormous level of subjectivity when discussing the appeal of music/lyrics - some people think that the nursery-song simplicity of Andrew Lloyd Weber is equal in complexity and richness to Ravel, and no amount of learning or expert testimony will convince them otherwise. So when I say that the score to Carrie is silly and incompetent, I'm definitely not trying to convince you that you're wrong, if you disagree.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 1:29pm

Your missing the point though, the Director is in charge of the show, he could demand changes etc if he wanted (as he did by cutting one song to replace it with When There's No One). He even says it himself through sitting down and talking to him that it was his fault.

The score was a mix of great work and some awful teen songs that tried to fit the times to pull in a younger audience. I will never take away from Gore and Pithford the great stuff they wrote though for the show.

[newintown]

Posted: 8/4/11 at 1:38pm

Oh, I don't think I'm missing the point - no director, no matter how great, can get good writing from bad writers. You'll never get "A la recherch du temps perdu" from Jackie Collins.

And yes, I've heard that opinion about how great "And Eve Was Weak" and the other Margaret/Carrie stuff is - I've played through the score over and over, and I find it's all dreck; it's just that some of the dreck is less obviously dreckich. Still - all the music is beginner-level, and none of the lyrics are better than awkward.

But note that I maintain the caveat that these things are ruled by subjectivity - although there are certain technical standards to composing and poetry, very few people seem to care about them much, relying instead upon "gut reaction" (or "heart reaction," if you prefer).