how did Barbra Cook almost die in carrie?

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 3:25am

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 4:51am

according to wiki- Cook resigned when she was nearly decapitated by an elaborate set piece on opening night,

[darreyl102]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 4:51am

I am sure someone on here can elaborate.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 4:58am

The grand staircase that descends, really randomly, after 'The Destruction, somehow nearly chopped her head off.
No idea how, no idea why. All we know is it did.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 5:48am

Because she enters from the top, she was obviously near the mechanics. Theatres can be dangerous places.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 11:01am

No offense, but she doesn't seem very agile. Watching her trying to navigate that staircase was painful. I think she was out of her league to begin with. Actors needs to have some level of physical fitness if they are going to do a full fledged production. Otherwise, just do concerts and cabarets.

Updated On: 7/14/13 at 11:01 AM

[icedtea]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 11:07am

I read a few years ago that Ms. Cook was almost decapitated during opening night of the show. That's all I know unfortunately.

Updated On: 7/14/13 at 11:07 AM

[lovebwy]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 11:52am

At the performance of Carrie on Broadway I saw, something went wrong with the set, there was kind of a loud crashing sound, and Betty Buckley got up from where she was and moved to the edge of the stage and looked on with her back to the audience. She seemed freaked out.

The performance was stopped for about 15 minutes before they resumed.

Posted: 7/14/13 at 11:59am

This story proves that "almost" only counts in decapitations and horseshoes.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 12:18pm

It actually was not the staircase, but the unit that became the house that caused the near accident. The entire set was sort of a white box that had pieces that would fold back over on themselves. (Imagine a sort of complicated garage door that goes up over and back). Barbara Cook was in place on a platform moving downstage when one of those units was supposed to come up and fold down to become the wall behind her, but the timing of the mechanics was off and the wall almost came down right on her head.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 4:59pm

It was just before they start to sing Evening prayers right after Dont Waste The Moon, however i heard from one of th cast members (who got sick of hearing her talk about the set nearly killing her) that in fact it was Cook's fault as she was not on her mark on time. She also fell one night getting off the lift which took her to the top of the staircase and was very fearful of walking down the staircase because (according again to a cast member) she tripped during a tech run of the show in Stratford and fell down a couple of stairs (she did not hurt herself) but she was nervous after that.

I know many people think they know the night the Stratford bootleg video is (ive heard so many) but since i was the one who first ever released the Carrie video over 10 years ago (i got it from the RSC archives and still have the original VHS here which is a much better copy then the ones out there), i can tell you it's actually the 3rd performance at the RSC and that is probably why Cook still looks petrified walking down the stairs.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 5:13pm

"Theatres can be dangerous places"
Two broken arms, a fractured foot and a puncture wound later ... I know. I told my agent to never get me jobs around sharp objects. Every role could be my last, my career is literally like Russian Roulette

[logan2]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 10:47pm

Thank you sondanddanceman2, for starting my theater bootleg obsession all those years ago.

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 7/15/13 at 3:38pm

At least there's on upside to her almost dying... Betty Buckley replaced her!