Stephen King’s 1974 novel “Carrie” has spawned many adaptations: four movies, one television special, one spoof and an unauthorized parody. And of course “Carrie: The Musical.”
Renee Liskey, the director of the show and one of Citrus’ dance faculty, said the show has a history of “being a flop” so a lot of people stay away from it.
The musical originally opened on May 12, 1988, at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, Illinois.
It closed three days later after 16 previews and five shows, Playbill said in an article talking about the original production.
But Liskey said she wanted this cast and crew to be the ones to bring it to life.
“The crew that we have at this college are Broadway level,” Liskey said. “ … I genuinely love to work with these people.”
Liskey said she hopes the premise draws in Stephen King fans and horror fans to come see the show.
“ …Everyone’s coming for the blood… there will be blood,” she said.
Liskey said students were interested in the prospect of doing “Carrie: The Musical” after singing one of the songs for last year’s Halloween Cabaret.
“I was so excited,” Dani Ulery, who’s playing the lead role of Carrie White, said. “I’ve wanted to do this show for so many years and Carrie’s been a dream role of mine for so many years. … It’s really fulfilling.”
Ulery said she was “speechless” when she found out she got the role.
“I think it’s very different than a lot of shows that Citrus has done before, it’s a lot more intimate,” she said.
She said she feels Citrus’ previous shows haven’t really touched more sensitive topics in a lot of their shows.
“It has great music that a lot of people are gonna really enjoy, it’s really funny and … it’s gonna blow people’s minds, I think,” Ulery said.
Ulery said her favorite song to perform is “And Eve Was Weak” with Molly Billman, who plays her mother, Margaret White.
While Billman said she was surprised when she was casted as Margaret, due to all the other talented candidates, she was “super excited for the process to begin.”
She said the show gives the underdog the victory story, granted a bloody one, but one “we all crave from the very beginning of the show.”
“I mean, it’s not Broadway, but we’re about to put on a Broadway-quality show,” she said.
“ …That’s what brings the show out so much is that we’re all so close as human beings that the show itself just like shines that much more because we’re all so comfortable with each other.”
Billman said her favorite song to perform is also “And Eve Was Weak,” which she said gave her a chance to act.
The musical has some intense numbers through its runtime.
“It’s a tough score,” said Marius Beltran, the musical director and the director of the Citrus Singers, but he said the students in the cast do great.
The show brought on an illusionist to provide what some of the cast members called “theater magic.”
Ramirez, who along with Liskey and Beltran is a Citrus alum, said since people don’t do the show that often, having an illusionist in the show is very “sneaky.”
He said the illusions elevate the show and what the audience experiences, especially in partnership with the progression of Carrie’s telepathic power throughout the story.
“My job as an illusion designer is all hypotheticals,” Ramirez said, “until it works.”
“Carrie: The Musical” will show at the Haugh Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Oct. 24-27.
It depicts mature themes including nudity, violence and drug use and is not appropriate for children.
Tickets can be purchased here. Prices range from $20-34.
