Bloody good show

Classic horror movie ‘Carrie’ finds new life as Broadway-style musical

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If you ever thought, “Hey, someone should adapt a Stephen King novel into a Broadway style musical,” look no further than the MSU Department of Theatre’s production of “Carrie the Musical.” Now you can experience King’s tragic tale of a bullied, telekinetic teen misfit who exacts brutal revenge on her tormentors through the magic of song and dance. Who said all the good ideas were taken?

MSU’s production is firstrate, with excellent acting and incredible stage effects. But inconsistent songs and a sanctimonious script make the show’s efforts an uphill climb.

In the pantheon of pop culture works about bullying, “Carrie” is arguably one of the most serious and tragic. Films like “Heathers” and “Jawbreaker” take a pitch-black comedic approach, but there’s little to laugh at in “Carrie.” Not only are Carrie’s classmates relentless, her mother is a psychotic religious extremist who sincerely believes Carrie’s “curse of blood” was divine punishment for her sins. That general tone, along with this musical’s tendency to overstate the subtext that bullying is wrong makes the show feel, at times, like an after-school special — albeit one with an exceedingly high body count.

The cast members ground their performances with honesty and depth. Caitlin Dunlap shines as Carrie White. Her voice strains at times to cover the range of her songs, but her acting is committed and genuine as Carrie transitions from powerless to lethally powerful.

One catalyst for Carrie’s transition is her mother, Margaret, played with seething restraint by Jacqueline Wheeler. Wheeler is aided by the best songs of the show and juicy dialogue, and she deftly avoids the pitfalls of overplaying her hand. While Piper Laurie’s film performance as the unhinged zealot is terrifying, Wheeler’s approach of a slightly saner, premeditated monster is almost more frightening. She’s an overly protective mamma bear with a husky growl to match.

Standout performances include Sarah Goeke as the optimistic Miss Gardner, Daniel Inglese as a very dry Mr. Stephens and Whitney Bunn as Carrie’s peer nemesis, Chris. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the show is the stunning scenic design by Matthew Imhoff featuring rotating school bleachers, an orchestra-hiding scrim painted to look like a row of lockers, a retractable brick wall and a downstage trap-floor.

Director and choreographer by Joe Barros keeps the show moving briskly, leaving virtually no downtime for set changes let along audience applause. That’s critical given the number of unnecessary songs that only pad the running time instead of advancing the story. But the superb cast and crew give the show its heart and keep this tragedy from being a real disaster.

“Carrie the Musical”

MSU Department of Theatre 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday Oct. 15-16; 8 p.m. Friday- Saturday Oct. 17-18; 11:59 p.m. Friday Oct. 17; 2 p.m. Sunday Oct. 19 $20/$18 seniors and faculty/$15 students Wharton Center, Pasant Theatre 750 E. Shaw Lane, MSU campus, East Lansing (800) WHARTON, whartoncenter.com

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