Carrie

MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel
Thursday, April 5, 2012
7pm performance

If you were trying to prove the theory that the gay gene and the musical theatre gene are indeed one in the same, one need look no further than the buffed-out, tight-t-shirt-clad audience cruising each other outside the Lucille Lortel Theatre last night.  Who knew the gays were also such fans of the macabre?  I guess the West Village is too far for straighties to travel for a theatre fix.

Anyway...after realizing Carrie closes this Sunday, I jumped online in a panic to purchase a ticket.  As always, the last minute strategy paid off with a row F center orchestra ticket.  A cult favorite with the theatre queen set, the original production of Carrie is one of Broadway's legendary flops, closing just five days after opening.

So why try to resuscitate this dud?  Well, most of the show's admirers point to the Pitchford/Gore score.  It was my first time hearing it, but I'm a sucker for a piano bar sing-along of "I Sing the Body Electric" (who isn't, really?), so my expectations were set remarkably high.

I'll admit the score does offer up some pretty thrilling musical moments, but overall the lyrics are pretty clunky and at times laughable.  Luckily, both Molly Ransom (Carrie) and Marin Mazzie (Margaret, Carrie's über Christian mother) overcome the lyrical shortfalls by acting the hell out of their songs and belting the shit out of every corny metaphor and false rhyme.  Funny how a well belted high "E" can make even the worst lyric seem like Shakespeare.

The book is also problematic.  It seems the writers couldn't decide on a unified tone for the piece and the show alternates between teen angst and a Disney Channel comedy (think "Dawson's Creek" sprinkled with "Saved By the Bell" one-liners).  Yet despite these shortcomings, I found myself totally captivated by the production.

To be honest, the girls' locker room scene sold it for me.  Let's just say there was blood and chanting ("Plug it up!  Plug it up!") involved.  You ain't gonna' see that at Lion King.

Marin Mazzie is fucking scary (in a good way)! With that huge mouth and bugged out eyes, I'd sure be scared of meeting her Margaret in a dark alley.  And how the hell is she able to sing so well while crying?  Someone needs to write a show where she and Carolee Carmello can play belting sisters.  Just the thought of it makes my nether regions tingle with delight.

The choreography and musical staging were adequate, though a blatant rip-off of Bill T. Jones Tony-winning work on Spring Awakening.  Regardless, the cast was energetic and committed, though several appear to have flunked their senior year multiple times.

Some of the special effects were interesting (floating Jesus statue) while others were just cheesy.  Projections were mainly used to good effect, but I do miss "real" sets.

I can't wait until we're treated to some truly "scary" regional productions once the licensing becomes available.