By Liv Wilson
Time period: Chamberlain, Maine. Present Day.
The initial response to “Present Day” was two-pronged. 1) Curiosity around the modern context of bullying. How would the presence of social media impact this piece? 2) Intrigue toward the portrayal of femininity, sexuality, and purity. How do these dynamics play out (or not) in today’s world?
Carrie contains a slew of derogatory language in very overt forms of bullying, such as name calling and physical altercations. Often in-person bullying nowadays does not follow that pattern. However, cyberbullying is perhaps more akin with the anonymity of a keyboard present.
How does what we see in Carrie differ from the modern bullying we are familiar with today? How would social media be utilized if this musical occurred in today's world? In some ways, it’s hard to believe there would not be retaliation for the perpetrators of this media violence were someone to post hateful words about Carrie. There seems to be a greater awareness of cruelty today and more hope that someone would step in.
Who would that someone be? That brings us to a more global question: Whose story is this? Who is our protagonist? Sue Snell starts off our story and acts as a guide for the audience. But is she a reliable narrator? Sue changes throughout the narrative but Carrie drives much of the action and as well as undergoing many of her own character changes. Carrie goes through a tremendous, baffling transformation, while Sue is in contention with herself almost from the beginning and bookends the narrative.
The second point of entry (and, to me, the heart of the story) lives in the shame and guilt surrounding female sexuality portrayed in the musical. This takes many forms. Women and femininity are engrained throughout the piece, starting with (spoiler) Carrie getting her period at the top of the show. Not only do the other girls create a culture of shame, but so does Carrie’s mother, calling it The Curse of Blood. Female adult figures hold a lot of responsibility in this story. Not only do we see Margaret projecting her own experience onto Carrie, but Miss Gardener’s female fantasy about the Prom also impacts our lead.
She encourages Carrie that she will be beautiful with “lipstick and the right dress”, that maybe there’s someone out there for you who will see your beauty. Is she singing to Carrie or herself? Why does Miss Gardener feel a responsibility to protect Carrie? Does she see herself in Carrie?
Sexuality and purity are also highly present in the exposure of a very sexist and heteronormative society within the microcosm of this small Chamberlain high school. We hear more than one suggestive comment from student to teacher, as well as affirmed dynamics that women owe men something. Much of this guilt and blame around sexuality comes from Margaret, who has gone through her own trials and is thus hypervigilant and controlling of Carrie.
Carrie: The Musical would have a lot more political baggage were it truly set today. With the heavy hand of social media and less repressive expression of sexuality, some dynamics may not track. But, we must always ask the question: What is this play really about? And particularly when reviving a piece from the past: Why this play now? We may all have our own interpretations and answers to this question, but I implore you to stay open to the possibilities of what you may discover should you strive to search for meaning. (And I hope you do.)
