Carrie: The Musical at Winston-Salem Theater Alliance (Review)

Originally published on Camel City Dispatch here

“A bloody good reminder why high school sucks”

My guess is that most people don’t know ‘Carrie’ was Stephen King’s first published novel. I’d also bet Stephen King never imagined his horrifying tale of religion, telekinesis, and revenge would be transformed into an entertaining musical romp.

It works surprisingly well – blood, high-school drama, and sing-along dances? This is the Christmas Jack Skellington only dreamed of. Thankfully, director Jamie Lawson and musical director David Lane built something fascinating for the Winston-Salem Theater Alliance stage. They assembled a great cast, tightened up some catchy musical numbers, and brought it all to the Triad’s most intimate stage.

That sense of personality, the “in your face” nature of local community theater, gives Carrie: The Musical an engagement factor only possible when the actors are less than ten feet away. What it lacks in production values (no complicated stage setups or elaborate lighting tracks here) it makes up for in endless personality.

It’s interesting to see how something so dark can seem almost playful at times… while you’re thinking ahead to THE scene – you know which one – the local community members are singing along to numbers such as “A Night We’ll Never Forget” while gyrating their hips and making crass penis jokes. It works, for the most part. Being able to laugh in the face of impending darkness is cathartic.Tapping your foot and bouncing in your seat while the titular character discovers a terrible sort of womanhood is strangely invigorating.

This tone juxtaposition occasionally creates an awkward moment, however, like a scene early on where high-school heartthrob Tommy Ross (played by John C. Wilson) sings aloud his teenage perfect poem “Dreamer in Disguise.” While Mark Walek delivers an entertaining Belding-esque persona in his turn as Mr. Stephens, the whole thing feels a little too ‘Saved by the Bell.’ Seriously, Walek is one of my favorite things about the show… but when I’m waiting for the laugh-track, it’s just a bit jarring.

But that’s also the point, I guess: high school sucks, and is awkward until it’s over. Except instead of being an cautionary tale with subtle class commentary like, say, ‘Mean Girls,’ it’s a worst-case fable about bullying, with blood. It’s the “thou shalt not” of high-school socializing that captures the hormonal awkwardness and sense of grandiose which is gone by your mid-20s.

And it’s not really a story about Carrie, either. While lead actress Ann Davis-Rowe and her on-stage mother Jaye Pierce (playing the devilishly electric Margaret White) have remarkable chemistry together, that’s essentially the side story. Again, let me reiterate – Carrie and her mom have the best scenes in the play. Their musical numbers are incredible, and they’re only enhanced by a sense of togetherness that Davis-Rowe and Pierce built through more than just rehearsal time. A combination of raw talent and perfect casting that makes audience members squirm in their seats.

But the point of King’s tale (now with added song and dance) is a sense of duality. If religion is the backbone, fellow students Sue and Chris play the “angel” and “devil” respectively. The musical number “Do Me a Favor” literally has them standing opposite each other, doing the whole “good conscious, bad conscious” thing, with audience members stuck in the middle. Is it overt? Sure. Is it effective? Mostly.

And Sue Snell here, played by the talented young Penny Endicott, gives Carrie: The Musical a real emotional heft. She smashes every scene with stage movement, facial reaction, and impeccable timing. Endicott proves to be the driving force behind a crowded, talented stage, and soaks up the limelight with limitless poise.

Still, if I had to bet all my marbles on one talent’s future success, I’d be looking ahead to what Tyler Carlson (playing the bad-boy ignoramus Billy Nolan) does next. He steals every scene he’s in, even if he doesn’t have a line. Nolan’s energy is contagious. He proves that you don’t have to be the lead, or even the top-5 characters, to leave an impact on the audience. Sure, his role is stereotype on top of stereotype… but playing that particular role while remaining indelible is a sign of real talent.

There’s a whole lot to love about Carrie: The Musical, and I tip my hat to everybody involved. It’s a great spin on a Halloween classic. Plus, there’s no better way to support local arts. If you’ve got 18 bucks to spare and that horror-story itch, spend a couple hours with your friends at the W-S Theater Alliance.