“Carrie: The Musical” Takes Thriller Classic On-Stage

>> WHEN KERRY WAS RELEASED IN 1976, THE MOVIE BECAME AN INSTANT HORROR SENSATION DUE TO ITS THRILLING STYLE SYMPATHETIC PERFORMANCES AND AN UNFORGETTABLE CLIMAX SCENE. IT WAS THE FIRST EVEN KING'S STORY TO BE ADAPTED FOR THE BIG SCREEN. AND HAS SINCE BUILT A LEGACY THAT IS CARRIED TO OTHER MEDIUMS. MUSICAL ADAPTATION FIRST DEVELOPED IN 1988, BUT A STINT ON BROADWAY LASTED A MEAGER 5 PERFORMANCES, THE SONG AND DANCE VERSION HAS BEEN REVAMPED, STOPS THEM AND HAS NOW PERFORMED AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING A CURRENT RUN AT THE BELL THEATER IN CAPE CORAL. WGCUS JENNIFER CRAWFORD HAS MORE. >> FOR MORE ON CARRIE, THE MUSICAL THAT OPENS AT 9.30 FRIDAY NIGHT. WE ARE JOINED BY WGCU ART REPORTER TOM HALL. AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT TIME. 09:30PM, FOR AN OPENING FOR AN OPENING FOR A SHOW LIKE. >> THAT MEANS THAT BY THE TIME WE GET TOWARDS THE TO NAUMANN OF THE STORY AND THAT FAMOUS BLOOD DROPS SCENE. IT'LL BE CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT. SO I THINK STRATEGICALLY THAT'S REALLY A GOOD JOB BY THE BELL. FAIR. NOW TO A THAT THE BOOK ALMOST NEVER HAPPENED. STEPHEN KING WAS SO DISGRUNTLED WITH THE STORY. HE ACTUALLY TOSS THE DRAFT IS THE FIRST FEW PAGES OF THE MANUSCRIPT INTO THE TRASH. FORTUNATELY, HIS WIFE TABITHA CAME BY, SAW THEM IN THE GARBAGE FISH TO MOUNT, READ THEM AND INSISTED THAT HE FINISHED THE STORY. AND IT WAS A GOOD THING, TOO, BECAUSE KERRY WENT ON TO SELL MORE THAN 4 MILLION COPIES AND IT CHANGED THEIR LIVES FOREVER. >> AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THIS CAST HAS AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME DESPITE BEING SO YOUNG, THEY REALLY DO. >> DIRECTOR TYLER YOUNG HAS ASSEMBLED IS TRULY TALENTED CAST FOR THE BELL. THEATRE'S PRODUCTION OF KERRY STARTING WITH SOPHIA BROOK WHO PLAYS THE LEAD. ALTHOUGH SHE'S JUST AN INCOMING SOPHOMORE TO NYU TISCH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS. THIS STUFF IS STAGE PRODUCTION. EMILY FIGHT CALLER WHO PLACED SEUSS NOW SHE ISN'T FAR BEHIND WITH 38 SHOWS ON HER LENGTHY RESUME AND MALIA MATTIS ALSO WHO PLAYS THE CHAMBERLAIN HIGHS, BULLION CHIEF ALSO HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY THEATER SHOWS. HERE'S A TASTE OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN YOU GO SEE THE SHOW. >> WANT DON'T KNOW HIM. AND NOW HE AND >> THERE'S A TEMPTATION TO LOAD KERRY IN WITH MUSICALS LIKE HEATHERS AND MEAN GIRLS. >> YEAH, WE GOT ANOTHER SAD STORY ABOUT TEENAGE PRESSURE. PECKING ORDERS AND THE DESIRE TO FIT IN. >> TRUTH IS KERRY IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS TO EVER SEE THE STAGE. FIRST AND FOREMOST CARE IS A STORY ABOUT ABUSE BEGINNING WITH CARRIE HERSELF. SOFIA BROOKE PLAYS THE LEAD AND PROVIDES THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF HER CHARACTER. >> SHE IS A VERY SHY AND ISOLATED GIRL. SHE HAS BEEN SEVERELY ABUSED BY HER MOTHER AND BULLIED AT SCHOOL AS WELL. >> TURNS OUT THE KERRY ISN'T THE ONLY CHARACTER IN THIS TORTUROUS STORY HAS BEEN ABUSED AT HOME. SO HAS HER TORMENTOR. CHRIS HARKINS. >> CHRIS >> IS PLAYED BY MALIA MAPS. SHE SEES HER CHARACTER IS A TRAGIC FIGURE, HER PATHOLOGICALLY NARCISSISTIC PARENTS COVER MATERIAL THINGS AND MOVE THE LOVE. SHE ACTUALLY CRAVES. TURN THAT LOVE. SHE IDOLIZES THEM, PUTS THEM ON A PEDESTAL, TRIES TO BE JUST LIKE THEM CONTROLLING AND HEAPING ABUSE AND THOSE POOR UNFORTUNATE SOULS WHO CROSS YOUR PATH LIKE KERRY. >> SHE'S WITH US THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE NUMBER. AND EVEN. EVEN IN THE AND WHEN. SUE TELLS HER TO GROW UP. SHE'S LIKE, BUT WHY? WHY DO I HAVE TO THIS IS SHE CANNOT CHANGE HER WAY OF THINKING. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO HER. >> SEUSS NOW PLAYED BY EMILY FIGHT. COLOR IS NOT CAUGHT UP IN THE CYCLE OF ABUSE. THAT'S ENSNARED HER BESTIE AND THE U.S. >> ONCE YOU SEE YOU CAN'T UNSEE. AND TO ME. >> THAT MEANS THAT ONCE YOU LOOK INTO SOMEONE'S LIFE AND YOU TRY TO UNDERSTAND. >> YOU CAN'T FORGET IT. AND SO ONE SHE'S TRIED TO UNDERSTAND KERRY. SHE CAN'T GO BACK AND BE WHO SHE WAS BEFORE SHE HAS TO. LEAVE WHAT SHE KNOWS BEHIND AND BECOME A DIFFERENT AND BETTER PERSON. >> SO THAT'S WHO'S DEFINING MOMENT. YES. >> EVEN IF IT MEANS LOSING, CHRIS IS A FRIEND WHO HAS THIS CHANGED? WELL, CHRIS, DOESN'T. >> AND IT'S VERY HARD TO LOSE A BEST FRIEND. I I KNOW. BUT I THINK DID THE RIGHT THING. >> AUDIENCES DISCOVER THE DEPTH OF KERRY'S DESPAIR AND DESOLATION AND THE SHOW'S TITLE NUMBER. CARROTS. >> I LOVE THE SONG. KERRY. >> BECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST MOMENT THAT YOU GET TO SEE CARRIES INTERNAL LIFE. >> HE'S GOING TO SPEAK NOT ONLY ABOUT THE WAY THAT THESE WORDS HAVE IMPACTED HER, BUT ALSO ABOUT THE INNER HOPE THAT SHE HOLDS WITHIN HER. >> AND THAT FINALLY BRINGS US TO THE CRUX OF KERRY. THE CONSEQUENCES THAT FLOW FROM LOSING ALL HOPE. SHE GAINS HOPE. >> THROUGHOUT THE STORY, WHICH IS ALL CRUSHED IN ONE DEVASTATING MOMENT. AND WHAT MAKES THIS EVEN MORE HEARTBREAKING IS THAT ALL SHE WANTED WAS TO BE SEEN AND LOVED. >> KERRY RESPONDS WITH A VENGEANCE. THE INSTINCT FOR REVENGE IS ENGINE. IT'S DEEPLY SATISFIED IT ACTIVATES THE BRAIN'S REWARD SYSTEM RELEASING DOPAMINE AND CREATING A FLEETING SENSE OF CONTROL, INCLUDING VICARIOUSLY FOR THE AUDIENCE WHICH MAY BE HORRIFIED BY THE OUTCOME. BUT SATISFIED THAT CHRIS AND HER CRONIES GOT WHAT THEY HAD COMING. THE BELLE THEATRE'S PRODUCTION OF CARRIE. THE MUSICAL IS WORTH SAYING. NOT BECAUSE OF OUR INHERENT FASCINATION WITH TELECOM. ISIS ARE THE STORIES FAMOUS BLOODBATH ENDING NOT BECAUSE IT'S WELL ACTED OR FIRT. OUTSTANDING VOCAL PERFORMANCE. BUT BECAUSE IT TRULY IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS TO EVER SEE THE STAGE. AFFORDABLE YOU-YOU NEWS COM AU.