A musical based on a Stephen King novel sounds like the sort of fanciful thing the Riverdale writers might concoct, but it’s actually totally real. Carrie: The Musical debuted on Broadway in 1988 and closed after just 16 previews and five performances.
Is the musical Carrie based on a true story?
Based on. Productions. Carrie: The Musical is a musical with a book by Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and music by Michael Gore. Adapted from Stephen King's novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely life is dominated by an oppressive religious fanatic mother.
What kind of character is Carrie White in the musical?
The main character of the musical, Carrie White is a shy outcast who is often bullied by her classmates. While showering at school, Carrie has her first period, for which the other girls in her class tease her.
Why is Carrie the musical so popular on Riverdale?
On April 18, 2018, the hit CW high school television series Riverdale featured a special musical episode centered around Carrie: The Musical. It was a huge hit with critics and viewers alike, and YouTube videos of its songs now exceed 20 million hits. “A strong, effective and remarkably coherent piece of terrific total theatre.”
What is the plot of the book Carrie?
Adapted from Stephen King 's 1974 novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely life is dominated by an oppressive religious fanatic mother. When she is humiliated by her classmates at the high school prom, she unleashes chaos on everyone and everything in her path.
Is Carrie a Broadway musical?
One of Broadway's most infamous musicals, Carrie, opened at the Virginia Theatre May 12, 1988. The production, directed by Terry Hands and choreographed by Debbie Allen, played 16 previews and just five performances before closing on May 15, making it one of the most expensive flops in Broadway history.
Did Stephen King like Carrie the Musical?
Stephen King himself has expressed the idea that Broadway has different standards back in 1988 when asked about the show: ''I liked it a lot. In fact, I liked it for most of the reasons that Frank Rich [the New York Times critic] did not. He and I saw the same show.
Is there a lot of dancing in Carrie the Musical?
The production is largely true to the Stephen King novel it's based on, with the jaunty addition of singing and dancing of course. And by gosh, there is a lot of singing and dancing.
Why was Carrie the Musical Cancelled?
“Carrie” closed on Sunday night, two weeks earlier than scheduled, as a result of poor ticket sales after the show opened to mixed to negative reviews. The production by MCC Theater did not earn all its money back.
Is Sue Snell pregnant?
Sue does not become pregnant with Tommy's child, which excludes the whole abortion plot completely. She has a sister, where as in the novel she appears to be an only child. The Black Prom leaves Sue traumatized, where as in the novel she becomes indifferent over her losses at The Black Prom.
What did they use for the blood in Carrie the Musical?
Directors have used ketchup, dyed cornstarch, animal blood, paint, or makeup to make blood look real on an actors' skin.
Is Carrie the Musical scary?
It may seem odd to transform a horror movie into a musical, but “Carrie” does it without watering down the creepiness. I personally think high school and prom are the perfect settings for a horror movie, as they are terrifying enough in and of themselves and “Carrie” only kicks it up a notch.
What powers does Carrie have?
Powers and AbilitiesTelekinesis: Carrie's main power is telekinesis, a very powerful ability to move objects or persons by the force of her mind alone. ... Telepathy: Carrie is also endowed with telepathic powers that include mind reading, mind projection and mind manipulation.
How long is Carrie the Musical?
2 hoursShow Information. Runtime: 2 hours, including a 10-minute intermission.
What happens at the end of Carrie?
Carrie had believed that Sue and Tommy had set her up for the prank, but realizes that Sue is innocent and has never felt real animosity towards her. Carrie forgives her and then dies, crying out for her mother. A state of emergency is declared, and the survivors make plans to relocate.
Where can I watch Carrie the Musical?
You are able to stream Carrie by renting or purchasing on Google Play, Vudu, and iTunes.
When did Carrie the Musical close?
“Carrie” opened on Broadway on May 12, 1988, and closed three days later, losing a record-breaking seven million dollars.
Why did Carrie the Musical close in 3 days?
With reviews like this the show's financial backers quickly pulled out. As a result, “Carrie The Musical” closed abruptly after only 16 previews and 5 performances, thus solidifying its reputation as one of the most expensive and notorious flops in Broadway history.
Is Carrie the Musical scary?
It may seem odd to transform a horror movie into a musical, but “Carrie” does it without watering down the creepiness. I personally think high school and prom are the perfect settings for a horror movie, as they are terrifying enough in and of themselves and “Carrie” only kicks it up a notch.
Who played Carrie in original musical?
CastsCharacterWorkshop (1984)Broadway (1988)Carrie WhiteAnnie GoldenLinzi HateleyMargaret WhiteMaureen McGovernBetty BuckleySue SnellLaura DeanSally Ann TriplettTommy RossTodd GraffPaul Gyngell4 more rows
Who wrote Carrie The Musical music?
Michael GoreCarrie / ComposerMichael Gore is an American composer. Gore is the younger brother of singer-songwriter Lesley Gore. Wikipedia
What was the name of the book that inspired the musical Carrie?
It inspired a book—Ken Mandelbaum’s Not Since Carrie: Forty Years of Broadway Musical Flops —and bootlegs from the Stratford and New York performances made the rounds, which grew the show’s popularity.
When did Carrie the Musical open?
Though it was sold out every night, the financial backers pulled their money. Carrie: The Musical officially opened on May 12, 1988 and officially closed on May 15, after only five performances.
Why did the writers decide to do Little Shop of Horrors?
The writers originally wanted to do Little Shop of Horrors for their big musical episode, but eventually landed on Carrie because its story better paralleled what the Riverdale kids are going through.
What was the problem with the musical The Musical?
The Musical Was Riddled With Problems From The Get-Go. The show had a trial run in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in February 1988 that was riddled with script and technical problems. The infamous pig blood scene was nearly impossible to sort out, as it caused the actress playing Carrie’s microphone to malfunction.
Who played Miss Collins in Carrie the Musical?
The crew brought Carrie: The Musical to Broadway for $8 million, an astronomical number for the time. Cook was replaced by actress Betty Buckley, who played Carrie’s teacher Miss Collins in de Palma’s film, but even that added trivia couldn’t boost the show’s miserable fate.
Who wrote the musical Fame?
Gore, who wrote the hit musical Fame, brought in his collaborator on that project, Dean Pitchford, to help with rewrites. The musical had its first workshop in 1984, but it took several years to scrabble together funding. It wouldn’t see the stage until 1988.
Is Carrie the Musical a Riverdale?
Carrie: The Musical is Perfect For Riverdale. The camp status and cult iconry is part of what makes Carrie such a great fit for The CW ‘s neon-noir teen series, which is already obsessed with its own over-the-top theatrics.
Who wrote the story of Carrie?
If you're somehow not aware, the story of Carrie was originally written in book form by legendary horror author Stephen King. It was published in 1974 and then quickly adapted into a film that came out in 1976. Both the book and film did so well, the powers that be decided the next logical move would be a musical. Lawrence D. Cohen, who adapted the original novel to the screen, teamed up with composer Michael Gore and lyricist Dean Pitchford to make the musical production a reality.
Is there a Carrie musical?
It's worth noting that very few traces of the original Carrie musical exist. There are no official photos or cast recording, just a few bootleg videos. There are traces of the source material here and there on the internet, but they're only bits and pieces. The show was finally revived in an off-Broadway production in 2012, but according to The New York Times, it developed something of a cult following in the years since it closed. After the flop, the creators were approached with hundreds of pitches. Scores of theaters wanted to attempt a production of Carrie, but the original producers were too heartbroken to say yes.
What songs are in Carrie the musical?
Songs from the show include 'Dream On', 'Open Your Heart', 'Out For Blood', 'Heaven' and 'I Remember How Those Boys Coudl Dance'.
Is there a cast recording of Carrie the musical available?
While there is no cast recording of the original production, an album of the 2012 revival is available featuring cast members Marin Mazzie, Molly Ranson, Christy Altomare, Derek Klena, Jeanna de Waal, Ben Thompson and Carmen Cusack.
What is the musical Carrie about?
Adapted from Stephen King's novel Carrie, it focuses on an awkward teenage girl with telekinetic powers whose lonely ...
What book was the Broadway show "Not Since Carrie" inspired by?
The Broadway show was instantly legendary and inspired the title of Ken Mandelbaum's 1992 book Not Since Carrie: 40 Years of Broadway Musical Flops.
Why did Chris and Billy run on stage and throw the blood on Carrie instead of dumping it from the ceiling?
This was because of the difficulty in drenching Linzi Hateley in stage blood, which would clog her body microphone. Since her song "The Destruction" began almost immediately, there was no time to clear the microphone before it was needed.
What does Margaret tell Carrie about the blood?
Margaret tells Carrie that the blood is a sign of her sin ("And Eve Was Weak") and forces her into the cellar to pray for forgiveness. That night, many of the high school students are at the drive in theater, including Sue and her boyfriend Tommy Ross and Chris and her boyfriend Billy Nolan.
What episode of Riverdale is Carrie White in?
A high school production of the musical is the focus of "Chapter 31: A Night to Remember " episode of Riverdale.
How did Carrie kill Chris and Billy?
In the musical, Chris and Billy are killed during The Black Prom. However, in the novel, Carrie kills them by causes their car to crash, a few hours after the Prom.
Why is Chris forbidden from attending the prom?
In the novel, Chris is forbidden from attending the Prom because she skips detention as punishment for bullying Carrie. In the musical, however, the detention is not mentioned and Chris is punished for choosing to yell out her standard taunt “Carrie White East S**t!” to Carrie, instead of apologizing to her.
Where is Carrie the Musical set?
Set in the present in the small New England town of Chamberlain, Maine, Carrie: The Musical features a book by Lawrence D. Cohen (screenwriter of the classic film), music by Academy Award winner Michael Gore ( Fame, Terms of Endearment ), and lyrics by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford ( Fame, Footloose ).
What year was Carrie first published?
Stephen King’s blockbuster 1974 debut novel Carrie sold over a million copies in its first year of publication. The classic 1976 film adaptation, directed by Brian De Palma, became a critical and box office smash, and earned two Academy Award nominations –- for Sissy Spacek as Carrie and Piper Laurie as Margaret White. First presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the original musical adaptation of Carrie premiered in Stratford-Upon-Avon in England for a limited run in February, 1988. Transferring to Broadway, it opened at the Virginia Theater on May 12, 1988 starring Betty Buckley, Linzi Hateley, Sally Ann Triplett, Paul Gyngell, Gene Anthony Ray, Charlotte d’Amboise and Darlene Love. Fiercely polarizing audiences and proving wildly divisive with critics, the show famously closed after only 16 previews and 5 performances.
Who wrote Carrie White?
Michael Gore , Dean Pitchford , Lawrence D. Cohen , Stephen King. Music by Michael Gore / Lyrics by Dean Pitchford / Book by Lawrence D. Cohen / Based on the novel by Stephen King. Carrie White is a teenage outcast who longs to fit in. At school, she’s bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else.
