The story starts with a spotlight on Sue Snell (Maya Lewis) being interrogated by voices off screen, and suddenly the stage is set for this fun and frightening rendition of the Stephen King classic Carrie, put on by Montreal’s own In the Wings Promotions.
How do you stage a musical that’s part song and dance, part King horror classic? You do it like this. Even if you already know the story and are scanning the rafters for that bucket, you’ve never seen the tale told quite like this before.
Mary-Francis Kobelt plays Carrie White—social outcast, awkward teen, and the only child of a mother (played by producer Noelle Hannibal) who takes religion and helicopter parenting to whole new heights. On stage, though, we get to see past Carrie’s painful experiences and down into her thoughts and emerging powers of telekinesis. That’s what a little choreography and a lot of great singing can do.
Rounding out the cast are Tommy Ross (Jonathan Vanderzon) who reluctantly but authentically takes Carrie to the infamous prom, Miss Gardner (Maria Del Real) the gym teacher determined to get Carrie some respect, Chris (Aly Slominski) the ringleader out to teach Carrie a lesson, and all the teens in her entourage.
Using simple props and costume changes, the musical sets a sparse scene that gives all the focus to what truly shines here: the singing and the movements that tell the story. From Carrie’s heartfelt loneliness and dashed hopes to teen romance and the aftermath of Carrie’s ultimate revenge (yes, the bucket is there alright), the troupe has taken the original and short-lived Broadway production and truly made it their own.
Exploring the nature of bullying and updating the script with some modern touches (which still have room to be explored further), the cast and crew have put on a memorable show that will have you tapping your feet, cheering for Carrie, and on the edge of your seat wondering just how they’re going to pull the last scene off.
Carrie: The Musical is playing at Mainline Theatre May 6, 7, 8 (3 p.m.), 11, 12, 13, and 14 at 8 p.m. Get your tickets here.
