Stephen King’s first novel, CARRIE was published in 1974. This cautionary tale posed the question: What would happen if someone who was bullied and had no safe place to thrive could galvanize that abuse in a powerful action of revenge? King’s novel became the hit 1976 Brian De Palma film that starred Sissy Spacek in the title role. The film brought great fame to the young cast and launched a cult following for the story of Carrie White.
In 1985, screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen, and “Fame” composer Michael Gore and lyricist Dean Pitchford began to workshop CARRIE as a musical. Their workshop starred Maureen McGovern as “Margaret” and Liz Callaway as “Chris.” In 1988, in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company – CARRIE THE MUSICAL (with a unique abstract and somewhat Grecian vision) made its out of town premiere in Stratford Upon Avon, UK. That production starred the young Linzi Hateley as “Carrie” and Broadway legend Barbara Cook as “Margaret.”
Soon after, CARRIE came to Broadway starring Ms. Hateley and Betty Buckley (who played the gym teacher in the film) as “Margaret”. The mother/daughter story soared and audiences were intrigued – yet it became something of a legend when the show closed after only 16 previews and 5 performances – making it at $8 Million Dollars one of the costliest flops in Broadway history.
To everyone’s astonishment, the show continued to gain a cult status through bootleg recordings and the many attempts to revive it. In 2012 a new version of CARRIE opened Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre produced by MCC Theatre. Directed by Stafford Arima, this production put CARRIE back on the map, but this time as a success. Recently, in 2015, director Brady Schwind took on CARRIE for an “immersive production” in Los Angeles and succeeded by putting the viewer, viscerally, in the line of fire.
In 1988, I was a high school student in New York City, studying to be a performer. A friend and mentor, dancer Darryl Tribble was the “swing” for the Broadway company and he arranged for me to visit the theatre and meet Lillias White (Miss Gardner’s standby) as well as Gene Anthony Ray from “FAME”. I was thrilled to also receive a complimentary ticket for the second week of the run. Sadly, that second week did not happen.
Thirty years later, I have the thrill of working with musical director Danny Lincoln and this extraordinary and fearless company! Thank you to Kristy Cates, Mark Olsen, David Klein, Mike Caputo, David Ward, Jordan Dragutsky, my assistants Lethabo Mofomme and Sean Ben-Zvi and everyone at NYFA
I’d like to dedicate this production to the memory of Mr. Tribble and with love to that original company.
When is it too late to show compassion? CARRIE resonates through today’s world – giving hope with horror and the caution: Be kind before it’s too late.
STEPHEN NACHAMIE
